Polly Shocker

I couldn't find Polly on the plot! I searched in the coop, in the run, under the brambles, in the long grass and not a cluck. I walked round the entire allotment calling  her name and clucking as I do when calling the girls for treats. I looked in open composters and sheds, under wheelbarrows, in amongst the brambles and anywhere I though a frightened hen might hide. I kept my panic down and cursed myself for not going up sooner to check on her. But Nellie of The woods had called to collect her air ticket I had printed out for her and we got talking about life, the universe and everything as usual. More about that in a moment!
I went back to the plot and once more checked the coop and the brambles, and just as I decided to give up and hope she returned as it got dusk I spotted a movement of white amongst some not particularly tall nettles - there was Polly! There was a dip in the ground which is why the nettles didn't look tall and there she had buried herself! I scooped her out and held her close, getting nasty stings in my rush to comfort her! I think she was probably quite relaxed hiding there but I just felt such relief! I gave her some water, popped her in the coop with some blackberries, raspberries and corn and admonished the other girls for being bullies! Then gave them blackberries!
I spent another hour or so up there taking photos of flowers on my plot to calm my nerves which were frayed! Fellow Allotmenter turned up so we had a chat and talked of recipes and rats - not recipes for rats I hasten to add! I then took more photos as the sun was going down and the light so golden. I returned home feeling relaxed and happy! 
So - conversation with Nellie. She is off to Holland as an old friend has died - tragically from a fall downstairs - fine for a day and checked out at hospital, but then fell into a coma and after 10 days life support turned off. Nellie obviously upset. So we spoke of life and death, and how a dramatic event in one's life can change it. I realised that if I could say something to my younger self it would be to slow down. I have no regrets and would not change anything in my life, partly because the whole notion is ridiculous - you can't change it so why bother thinking about it? I guess this is a chicken and egg situation - do I have no regrets as I know they are pointless or as I have no regrets do I feel no need to change anything even if I could?!!! It led me on to think about how as one ages and gets wiser (?!) I have the hope that the younger generations are more informed about their mental and physical health and so don't abuse either when young and so have a more satisfying and healthier life. It also made me wonder if the Danish have less mental health issues as their education system  is not based on tests and hours in school but the happiness of the child and freedom, which denotes the values and attitudes of their society, Denmark is known to be the happiest nation.  Well I found this article  which says incidents of mental illness occur no matter where one lives. It is as routine as physical illness. But maybe as the Danes have universal healthcare perhaps support and therefore the easing of mental ill health is higher? Apparently they have the highest consumption of antidepressants - but that paradox for a country known as the happiest is explained by the fact they acknowledge and treat mental health.