Before Susie got back I had time to refresh our kitchen table, which I made exactly 16 years ago. I've refinished it a couple of times, but because of some incompatibility between varnishes, its become slightly sticky recently. I replaced the central (floor) boards and upcycled the old ones to make more shelves in the utility room. The perimeter boards were planed down then painted with chalk paint (blue rather than the old Basque red). This was then waxed, whilst the central wood was oiled.

Chalk paint covering well

                    

All finished

At 4.50 the following morning, I was woken by a scream that sounded like a child. I rushed outside with the torch and immediately picked up the eyes of a fox in the field and Mr Clinton our cockerel! Clinton had obviously fallen asleep in the hedge and when I locked the chickens up for the night, I hadn't noticed he was missing! The fox had found him and snatched him from his perch whilst he slept. I kept the fox away from him with the torch and a few shouts whilst I put on wellies and then rescued him from the field. He'd lost a few feathers but seemed to have gotten free from his attacker without much physical injury - he's a big bird. I bundled him into the henhouse, then chased the fox through the woods for 10 minutes until he realised I meant business! Clinton stayed in the henhouse for three days somewhat traumatised, but now seems to have recovered.

A few days later in the morning Shelley our oldest hen (6 years old) was slumped on the floor of the henhouse. She didn't want any food or water so she lay cradled in my arms for a couple of hours until she died peacefully. I think she had a great life and she's now buried next to Mr Quincy who she was devoted to.