Birthday Treats!

I went round to Nellie of the woods midday for a birthday cake and cup of tea! I had to drive there as my digestive system was being unruly and I felt a little weak. However Oscar needed a walk so Nellie and I took him down to the stream before we had our cake! I gave Oscar a big chew bone which he happily chomped on! I was there 3 hours! We talked about covid, the government, education and altruism - not bad going eh? Oscar lay on the deck quite happily the whole time, apart from when a man walked past us with his dog! There is a public right of way right past their house. Oscar went mental and Nellie and Barry were quite shocked at how ferociously he barked and lunged at them, they have never seen him on full protective mode! Good job I had kept him on his lead! It still takes  all my strength to hold him back! As we had walked by the stream Nellie had said how good it was for me to have Oscar and how I felt about him, knowing that when I first had him he was a bit of a handful! I had said how careful and alert I had to be with him as although a lovely temperament he could get spooked by small children, some dogs and people he felt were where they shouldn't be! His recall is  really good but when startled he is a very big dog to control! I'm still training him to stop and stay on command generally , and once he has stopped lunging to do so after being spooked! 
On my return I found a present from Vegan Jo - flowers in a box that fits through a letterbox! Beautiful purple and white arrangement with the lovely scent of Freesias! Once I had arranged them it was time to head into the village to pick up my first Fish Box! I'd bumped into my ex earlier in the week and he told me how a Fish shop in Looe was doing deliveries on a thursday. A £20 or £30 box of fresh mixed fish! I told The Exile about it and we decided to share a box. Good thing we did as there was loads! 4 John Dory, 4 Plaice, 2 Dover Sole,, Salmon, Monkfish and  Haddock. You could also order mussels, crab, prawns  and live lobster! We each chose a fish in turn and divided the bags with 4 pieces of fish! I had the John Dory poached in lemon and orange juice, veg stock and served with courgette ribbons coated in milk and flour and deep fried - blooming gorgeous!
Come the eve I dropped the Haddock and salmon at nellies - they don't have a freezer so couldn't order a box so I said they could have some of mine! From there it was up to the allotment for another watering session and to put the hens to bed. It was still light and I saw a family of rats coming out from the nettle patch. I didn't have my camera with me but took some poor quality phone pics! I counted at least 7! I will at some point cut down the nettles and try to dig out their run to move them on. I don't want to put rat bait down - such a nasty death. I decided not to tell the Chicken Coop - I doubt they will even notice them! Once the watering was done  my hands were nearly hanging down by my ankles - so much toing and froing from the water butt with 2 watering cans! I then picked a bowl of strawberries  hardly any slug damage - hurray! I gave the smaller ones and some wild strawberries to the hens - they were very appreciative! 
Home and immediately took Oscar out for his last walk - damn but it was a busy day! But very enjoyable!