Dickens always finishes his novels, as do other Victorians, by rounding off the stories of his characters. So here we go. Although I am definitely no Dickens, I have capacities I suspect he might envy. I can quote directly from Facebook (in blue) and link to WordPress.
While we were wrangling my daughter's menagerie, she was off-stage doing some wrangling of her own. You can read about it in the log of the journey from Slovakia to Warsaw with a pair of inventive twins.
The Liston menagerie has had a few adventures since we left.
Victor the rooster, one of the first Liston chickens, was taken by a fox two days after our departure. My daughter says:
He was an old warrior, almost seven, and maybe this was a better end than a lingering old age. I think it was the same cheeky fox that chased Leopard. We've got pacas and dogs all over both yards, so I think he had left the safety.
But that was not the end. He reappeared, minus an eye, and is once again flourishing, victor over a fox.
Boo the orgler (I promise! My last use of that word) and Scout his younger brother have moved to the farm of friends. Mel is one of the very few people who like Boo, and he and his brother will take on a new role as sheep guardians. Boo can spit at intruders and attackers, and be praised for it, rather than arousing my ire by spitting at the defenceless cria.
They are both “for the cut” as soon as the weather warms up.
Operation Orgle a success. We wish Boo and Scout well as they move onto a life of gainful employment. They have a creek, and a young forest of native trees and a horse.
The cria now has a name.
We are totally unsure about gender – s'he has lots of foldy genital flesh that might be balls or might just be pudge. In the interests of non-gender specificity we are calling it Johnny-May. Doesn't that sound like the worst trailer-trash name ever?
The name is an anglicisation of JaÅ› (Jan) and Maja. Aunty promised the twins she would name the baby after them.
Em resumes her indecently early morning-runs.
Murder mysteries often start with the early-morning lone dog-walker finding the mutilated corpse. Don't think this doesn't cross my mind whenever Emmy tries to pull me off the path in the 4 am gloom. It would have to be a man. I'm tired of the trope of the woman as victim.
Leopard returns to animal sacrifice, and Loki remains inoffensive.
The holiday slowly fades for my daughter. She is emerging from jet lag, and returning to domesticity.
As I come out of my stupor I notice that the crockery and cutlery fairy has paid us a visit. Thank-you, kitchenware support.
The animal carers and kitchenware support team are reclaiming their lives on the coast and in the bush respectively: digging gardens, burying wallabies, clearing a study of the detritus of years, going to the movies and buying tickets to return to Warsaw in March, 2016.
restlessjo said:
I was cheering wildly for Victor 🙂 And how nice to think of you as a cutlery fairy, Meg (or was that J?) I didn’t realise you were on Facebook, though it’s the obvious way to keep in touch with the families doings. Can I find you on there? And I presume you Skype, when convenient (so you can see the sprogs at play 🙂 )
I was going to say ‘soon be March’ but I don’t really want it to be. So much to see and do first. Sending hugs to all (maybe not the pacas 🙂 )
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morselsandscraps said:
I had to buy something when TRT took me op-shopping, and I never find X-large clothes secondhand. So cutlery and bowls it was. J doesn’t shop, and certainly didn’t in the jungle of animal care. So I was the cutlery fairy, although he did find bits and pieces left around the garden. Facebook? I had to sign up to get access to my Liston daughter’s life, but I never post and I don’t friend people.
Should be skyping tonight, but the Polish computer is at the shop. Last week, the twins read me a story – a big breakthrough. Up till now they’ve looked suspiciously at me and wanted to play with the keyboard.
I’m ambivalent about the arrival of March. I’m looking forward to the unplanned expanse of September.
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restlessjo said:
Tell me a story, tell me a story! How very wonderful. I’ve come over all childish 🙂
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pommepal said:
A delight to read Meg. To so nicely round off the stories of your adventure in Liston satisfies my curiosity. I love those real life movies that end the credits with details of what happened to the characters. And it all ends “happily ever after” even for Victor (well named!). How is the new land acquisition going?
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morselsandscraps said:
Victor was actually Victa, after the lawnmower, two-stroke being a fair description of his sexual behaviour (if you want to know!) My son signed a contract a few days before he went to Bali, and he’s not back till later this week.
I had fun doing the update. It’s been a while in the making. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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pommepal said:
Your daughter certainly has a choice way with names and descriptions, especially the description of the drama filled drive with the twins…
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morselsandscraps said:
Facebook extracts are from my Liston daughter: my Polish daughter wrote the blog, although they both collaborated in the log!
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Lucid Gypsy said:
Such a different world from mine and that makes it exciting. Fascinating insights Meg! Are you counting down in weeks yet?
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morselsandscraps said:
No. I’m resisting. J’s booking his ticket today, but I feel a bit railroaded. Of course I’m going, but I need to be in charge more than I feel right now. I have been called a control freak, maybe with some justice!
I love the sense of different worlds: one of the delights of blogging friendships. I’d never make the connections I do across age, geography, lifestyle and levels of genius in the real world.
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Rosemary Barnard said:
You do very well in most of those departments in the real world from what I know in a long friendship with you. The blogging is simply an extension of that.
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Heyjude said:
How delightful to catch up. I always hate it when stories end. I want to know more, so thank you for filling us in. And how clever are you with the quotes from FB! I like the thought that the cria has ended up being J-M after all. I now ponder whether that is why the twins were thus named.
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morselsandscraps said:
It just occurred to me at the weekend that the mother of both twins and cria has the same name by sheerest coincidence. No, that’s not why the twins were thus named. My daughter wanted names that worked in Polish and English. Initials coincidental too.
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