Would you eat the chicken?

When we moved to the country my husband really wanted to ‘do what the country folk do’. At first it started with our border collie dog Arthur to match the neighbouring farms border collies with our dog obviously being the cutest! Just see for yourself…

Our Border Collie Arthur

Soon talk to started to expand to other animals some of those mentioned were chickens, a donkey, a goat, a black sheep (why just a black one!) and some ducks. As with most conversations with my husband around his ever changing want list I nod while he talks animatedly about things I know will never come to fruition   – just last week he wanted a gun to ‘shoot things’.

In April of this year we decided to invest in a large dog pen for Arthur – he’d started to escape from the back garden which the local farmers don’t take kindly too. It arrived on a Friday and my husband suggested we get a couple of chickens ‘for the crack’ and stick them in the pen with the dog. One of the things I love about my husband is his carefree and positive attitude – he’s definitely a dreamer. I’m always trying to find the balance been indulging his whims or pointing out that €200 for a gun isn’t a great idea. In this instance I caved and by Sunday we had three chickens – it had been agreed I could name them (Kim, Kourtney and Khole : ) ),by the following Sunday we had six.  A month later on a drive home from his parents in Northern Ireland I had a box of eight baby chicks on my lap – you can see now why I have to be careful on what I agree to. The chickens were multiplying like rabbits in mating season!

Our day old Chicks

Whilst I was starting to fear this was beginning to spiral out of control I was secretly quite fond of them. Baby chicks are as fluffy as they look and the chickens are very amusing to watch. Every evening on our return home from work they wait patiently lined up at the entrance to the pen, once opened they run which as much excitement as school children being let out to play on break.  On our first day with the chicks we realised one of them had a spraddle leg, himself kindly informed me he wouldn’t make it. I was appalled and there was only one thing to do really – head to Google for the solution. Within 15 minutes we’d made a makeshift cast for Hop and within 3 days the cast had fallen off and he could walk – que Mary Marys song’ Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance’. I felt like Doctor Quinn Medicine woman. After that we decided to name all eight chicks although I can’t really tell who is who any more.

13 weeks later and we have 15 chickens which includes our proud rooster Rock Hudson. The chicks are all grown up and bigger than our original chickens now – they’re a special breed called Buff Orpingtons. The plan was always for my husband to keep only two with the right colouring and sell the rest to other collectors at a poultry fair. Unfortunately the odds have not gone in his favour and five of the eight chicks are roosters. You can only keep one or two male chickens as they begin to fight to determine who is the king of the roost – sometime to the death I’m told. It’s also very difficult to sell them as people only want one rooster if any. This leads the question – what to do with them? If you’ve seen the post title you can probably see where I’m going with this. My husband has suggested we eat the chickens. Absolutely not I said, we’d raised these guys from babies. I was already struggling at the idea of separating them. I’m by no means a vegetarian, chicken is probably my favourite meat but I’d never considered eating my own chickens. As I’d be the one cooking them I’m not sure I could stomach it. What’s the alternative though? At least this way I know what’s happened to them and it’s not someone else bringing them to a grisly end. One of the local farmers has offered to prepare them so we can make sure it’s done as humanely as possible. In an era where’s all about local and organic produce and reducing the carbon foot print should I get on board and embrace the lifestyle of a real country wife eating your own produce! Would you eat the chicken? If I post a chicken recipe in the next few weeks you’ll know the outcome of my dilemma.

Meeting the family

My husband and I had a very small intimate wedding with only immediate family and a small number of close friends in attendance . As we married quicker than most couples I’d never actually met any of his extended family outside of his parents and brother. Yesterday that all changed when I got to meet them all in one quick sweep at his uncles wedding.

Getting the invite

It’s never really a surprise when you receive a wedding invite well except maybe for our wedding given we only decided to get married three months before the ceremony. To say some people were shocked is an under statement, my mothers reaction will stay with me for a while! In most cases however you’re aware a couple is getting married and will usually have a good indication as to whether you’re invited so it was no surprise when we received the invite. We were however surprised to see the children hadn’t been invited until we soon found out that yes they were invited to attend with their mum aka my husbands ex partner! I’m a firm believer in keeping a good relationship with your ex partner where there are children involved but this was a little close to the bone.  Words can’t describe the level of awkwardness that would incur for me, for her and for everyone else there. Up until that point we’d only ever had one conversation which last the whole of two minutes. What to do, brave it out and hope it’s not akin to a Made in Chelsea episode with it’s awkward silences and long stares or pass up the invite. In the end my husband spoke with her and whilst she was happy to receive the invite she felt the same way as us and thought it was more appropriate we attend with the children given it was his family. We later found out that some of the family were relived at this which begs the question, why ask her then? It felt like they didn’t want to make a difficult decision and instead decided to put us in a difficult position instead.

 

Nerves

Now we’d decided to go I was a little nervous. As the family continue to be close to my partners ex it leaves you a little anxious as to how they will perceive you. They had been split up for two years before we met so I wasn’t worried about that but you do feel the standards are set higher for you. Who was this new woman he married in a whirlwind, would they compare me to her, how was I with the children etc. Buying a dress for a wedding is usually a chore in itself add in the pressure of meeting your new family members for the first time! Up until three weeks before the wedding I was under the impression that it was a more casual day as I’d heard there was a BBQ luckily I had my husband check with his mother it had gone from a casual day to talk of hats!! I’d never worn a hat in my life and didn’t think my new baseball cap for my walks with the dog would cut it! Thank goodness for online shopping, such a life saver and time saver at that especially when you know what it is you’re looking for. Within a week ASOS had delivered a perfect floral summer dress that not only met my husbands approval but my mother in law’s too – the golden seal of approval.

The day

Within 5 minutes of arriving all nerves had disappeared. Everyone was brilliant, so warm and welcoming and all made a real to effort to sit and chat with me. It wasn’t long before I felt a real member of the family which was proven by the fact that I was allowed buy a round of drinks at the bar! The wedding itself was lovely, the ceremony was very touching and the reception even better. Did I mention it was in brewery, you don’t get better than that!The grooms sisters had done a great job of decorating, they gone with a vintage kitsch style which I’m absolutely loving at the minute. My sore feet the following morning were a testament to a great day and I’m definitely looking forward to the next family knees up x