The grassy track to the school
The day dawned dry and blustery. The big field has been ploughed now, but the path to school left grassy and the pullets and cockerels skipped off happily to their classes. Sylvia and I had a most enjoyable morning scratching the soft soil at the top of the paddock to find tasty morsels. After the heavy rain of yesterday there were plenty of interesting leaves and debris blown into our yard and it made for a most entertaining few hours. After some time we noticed a strange rustling in the brambles and immediately were on our guard - pausing as still and silent as statues, ready to take flight at top speed - but it was only Mickey!
"Hello Mickey! What have you been up to lately?" We enquired.
"I have had a most exciting day," he purred contentedly. "What time do the youngsters come out of school? Can I go and meet them?"
"Of course! They'd love that!" Sylvia nodded in approval. The little ones all liked Mickey and loved hearing his tales (even though they were hugely exaggerated.)
"If you set off now - it should be perfect time," I looked at the sun to check.
So off went Mickey, and Sylvia went to join Martin and the girls so that they might prepare the supper - mash and maggots.
"Hello Mickey! What have you been up to lately?" We enquired.
"I have had a most exciting day," he purred contentedly. "What time do the youngsters come out of school? Can I go and meet them?"
"Of course! They'd love that!" Sylvia nodded in approval. The little ones all liked Mickey and loved hearing his tales (even though they were hugely exaggerated.)
"If you set off now - it should be perfect time," I looked at the sun to check.
So off went Mickey, and Sylvia went to join Martin and the girls so that they might prepare the supper - mash and maggots.
L to R - Me, Mandy and Binny
I headed back to the barn and sat with Mandy and Binny. And it was about an hour later that Neddie and Seagoon rushed through the door.
"You are very late!" I commented.
"You will never believe what Uncle Mickey has done today, Dad." They gasped and garbled (it still makes me wince ever so slightly when they call me Dad) and recounted the story of the Gi-Nor-Mouse.
"You see, Mickey pounced on it and it ran away and he ran after it and pinned it down and it jumped in the air and lashed out at him and he swiped it with his two front feet together - like this - " Neddie acrobatically flung himself around.
"It had huge black ears, and a red spotty bow in it's hair!" Seagoon's eyes were as wide as saucers. "Mickey said it stood 6 hands, 3 inches and 2 barleycorns high!"
"You are very late!" I commented.
"You will never believe what Uncle Mickey has done today, Dad." They gasped and garbled (it still makes me wince ever so slightly when they call me Dad) and recounted the story of the Gi-Nor-Mouse.
"You see, Mickey pounced on it and it ran away and he ran after it and pinned it down and it jumped in the air and lashed out at him and he swiped it with his two front feet together - like this - " Neddie acrobatically flung himself around.
"It had huge black ears, and a red spotty bow in it's hair!" Seagoon's eyes were as wide as saucers. "Mickey said it stood 6 hands, 3 inches and 2 barleycorns high!"
Mickey's conquest
"Whoa!" I had heard some tall tales in my time, but this one took the biscuit.
"We can show you, Dad. Mickey has hung it on the fence!" Neddie added breathlessly.
"Yes, I think you had better show me, boys." I jumped off the bins and followed them down the footpath and into the big field - where sure enough, dancing and flapping in the wind was a flattened balloon of Minnie Mouse! Appropriately caught by Mickey.
"We can show you, Dad. Mickey has hung it on the fence!" Neddie added breathlessly.
"Yes, I think you had better show me, boys." I jumped off the bins and followed them down the footpath and into the big field - where sure enough, dancing and flapping in the wind was a flattened balloon of Minnie Mouse! Appropriately caught by Mickey.