Plumped

As I was leaving the allotment I noticed these two on a neighbour's fence - the young magpie wondering if the old woman had put out any more suet balls (she had) and the fat bastard wondering whether she'd left any gaps in the netting over various brassicas (I hope she didn't). Actually I think he may have dozed off.

Later I noticed promising signs of activity at the back of the former Chinese restaurant - the dragon pillar is still there, along with more old freezers, but it looked like some Sikh ladies (wearing their Marigolds) were doing some clearing out. It came back to me that back in the day some of the local Sikhs used to regularly hold family parties at the China Palace - memories of little children scampering about in their best party dresses (some of the little boys in kilts). It would be nice to think they might start cooking again here....