Bee Gone

Well this was a full on day! Started with the opening of 3 chicken coops then a dash home and shower to be ready to take Friend to chemo. I took a book and my knitting for when she fell asleep, but didn't need them as we chatted the whole 3 hours! I left her towards the end to get her food for the evening and a rat trap! Oh the choice in rat traps! Went for one with a long box and 2 clear tubes that went  down into it so you could see how much of the bait was left! 
No sooner was I home when French Girl arrived! I know the summer is here when she comes back for a visit! I made her an espresso and offered her a cold drink - she chose the Elderflower and Apple and when we tasted it we both pulled a face - how could it be off? It was a new bottle with an unbroken screw top! We then discovered it was wine! Get in! We sat and talked and watched the bees and got quite merry on our large glasses of wine!
I started to do my photos and then texted Friend to see if she was ready to eat and needed me - then I noticed the bees buzzing! Up to the attic, camera in hand! I spotted a couple of men with a ladder and thought how exciting - they have come to get the bees! One went off to put on his bee suit and i noticed a puff of smoke come out the chimney - aha! They were going to smoke them out! Man arrived in his white hat and top and climbed the ladder and puffed more smoke - bees were getting more buzzy! Then he took a big bag and proceeded to put it over the chimney. I had to smile when I saw the chicken on it! But realised that it was not good - they were exterminating the bees. 
I had refrained from calling out to the beeman to ask him what he was doing in case he fell off the ladder in surprise, but when he came down i rushed out the house to speak to him. He said there were between 20-30,000 bees and they were well established in the chimney - if he had been called within 3 hours of them arriving he might have been able to get them out. Apparently they are drawn to the black soot in the chimney - as it replicates the old wood of dead trees they like to nest in. He did seem sad that he was unable to rescue them - as was I. wish I had phoned a beekeeper instead of just  photographing them - but I really thought that they were just waiting in the chimney whilst scouting for a new home. The agitation I had seen yesterday was because he had puffed killer smoke up the chimney. I took his email and said I would send the flickr link to him - he said his wife would like to see him up the ladder - I think she may have stern words about that! I also arranged for the other guy who had provided the ladder and arranged his visit - turns out he is a window cleaner so he is going to come round and give me a quote for cleaning my conservatory! 
Up to Friends - she was exhausted and had no appetite and would not have popped the ready made food in the oven for herself. I'm afraid I was shocked and upset by the state of her house and had a good tidy up and clean and then spoke to her about her having help with household chores from her friends. She was upset, I was upset, we held each other and cried. She will fight on with the treatment but said it was hard and she is just so tired. She agreed she needed help but felt bad about asking friends - I told her we would all be only too willing to help, we can't change her prognosis but we can help make her life easier in other ways. Hopefully once she has given up work,which she is doing minimally as it is, she will have more energy and hopefully benefits to allow her to buy in help - if not we will have a food and household chore rota! 
Finally chicken bed time x3 and my bedtime! A day of much running around and highs and lows.