Working in a flowershop is often very unpredictable. There are the usual busy days like Valentines, Mothersday and Christmastime. Also weddings and special birthdays, anniversary's and other celebrations in the locality can be rather busy and challenging, especially if there is an accumulation of events.
But when it comes to funerals, it just hits you and you have to try to manage to support the grieving family the best you can. Some of you might think, well it's their business and it surely is, but in a small town, you know most people you are dealing with and feel with them in their sorrow.
So within a few hours I had four funerals in my order book. I also was on my own and that means you have to still attend the shop, the phone, all the other orders, deliveries, getting a huge load of greenery and try to finish 3 coffin-sprays and loads of wreaths and sprays. As long as I have some bits ready for the removals it is o.k. and it can be finished off by working late, but having enough flowers, was my biggest problem.
I was lucky that my former boss :) was around and helping me out for a few hours helping me to green in wreaths, getting more greenery in 'selected gardens' and sourcing more flowers ... . So we managed and its great if you have a good friend, who knows what she is doing, when it comes to flower arranging.
When I m working, I just do very basics on the farm, before I cycle into town.
That includes feeding all the gang and making sure, they are o.k. for the day. While feeding the hens I could hear some peeping noise up in the hens balcony. It just dawned on me, that there was a duck hatching ..... .
Its a bit complicated with this particular duck. She is a cross between a Muscovy duck and a Kaki Campell and lays herself a tiny little duck egg, which I know, is infertile. I tested it over the last few years and it is not that the drakes don't love her, it is more the fact, that a Muscovy is a different breed of duck altogether. The most significant difference is, that a duck needs 28 days to hatch, but a Muscovy even 35 days.
Anyway I usually use this duck as a natural incubator for hatching out any egg. So it must have been 3 weeks ago, that I placed a few hen eggs under her, when she started clocking ... .
So up I went on the balcony and what did I find: 3 rather upset chicks in the nest and one was on the way, but still caught in the egg. As it was freezing and 'Mummy' must have been for a splash at the river, I decided to take them in under a lamp, as I knew they wouldn't last otherwise. The weak one just had come out and was only lying there .... He needed most of all body heat and as I was in a rush, I took him, wrapped a bit of tissue around, as he was still moist and packed him in my bra. Its not the first time I did that and sometimes it works out alright. However, while cycling up the hill to Tubbercurry, I knew he was still alive.
The first customer was not noticing anything and I nearly forgot my little chick. But while serving the next customer he started peeping rather loud and the Lady just wondered 'did I hear a bird'?
A bit embarrassed,I pulled him out and showed him to her ..... .
He was slowly drying off and somehow I wasn't happy with his performance. The Lady from the Credit Union next door came in too and admired the tiny little creature as well. We decided to put him in a little box and Marie went into her office and shredded some paper. To keep him warm and cosy we bedded him into the paper mix and placed him on the radiator. Every now and then I checked on him, but unfortunately he didn't make it .... .
The other 3 chicks are doing great ... :) and the crossbred Muscovy changed from hatching mode into being 'available' and is hanging out with the lads again.
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