Author Archives: al

books I’ve read in 2009

In an effort to start reading regularly again, I will keep a list.

Bit Of A Blur – Alex James
A Spot Of Bother – Mark Haddon
A Chateau Of One’s Own – Sam Juneau
Peach Fuzz (graphic novel) – Lindsay Cibos, Jared Hodges. OK, this one is a comic but I need to flesh out this pitifully short list.
Bad Science – Ben Goldacre
The Sound of Laughter – Peter Kay
White Teeth – Zadie Smith
The Behaviour of Moths – Poppy Adams
No Kids – Corinne Maier

chickens – pets or meat?

I’ve become ridiculously attached to my chickens. We’re keeping them for eggs so it’s not a huge problem, but when it comes to eating other chickens, even a Label Anglais chicken which would have led a very happy life before ending up on my plate, I can’t help thinking of my own ladies.

Dozy, Squawky and Audrey are wonderful. They are beautiful creatures, inquisitive and friendly. Nicole and Audrey haven’t started laying yet, but Meryl has been supplying me with a fresh egg every morning for the past few days. It’s thrilling to wander down to the eglu in the morning, still in pyjamas, to collect a warm egg.

It’s difficult to to think differently about my pet chickens and chickens raised for meat. But I’m going to have to. Furthermore I’ll have to extend that thinking to other species. Otherwise, if my dreams of keeping pigs, sheep and cows come true, I’ll end up a vegetarian, which would be missing the point.

employment

Today I completed my first (half) day as Office Manager for Credit360. It’s the first proper job I’ve had for nearly four years. To celebrate, I spent £27 on punches from Ebay.