Sir Francis Drake and the girls make their entrance

What are you staring at? Sir Francis [left] and his girls settle in,
unaware of the sheep behind them

The dashing Sir Francis Drake has finally joined us. He arrived in a humble family Ford rather than the Golden Hind, but he did so with three very attractive ladies in tow.
Yes, we finally made it to nearby Norfolk to collect our Trout Indian Runner ducks from Karen and Richard, the lovely couple who run, among other things, Power Poultry [http://www.powerpoultry.co.uk - see also Karen's blog].
We ordered the ducks a couple of months ago when we picked up Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and ... Mabel, Pekin batams complete with feathered trousers and plenty of attitude [see Crispy Ducks post, July 1]. Sadly, my wife's accident [see Friday 13th post, July 14] and subsequent recuperation meant we had to put Operation Duck on hold. But it has been well worth the wait. This week I finally completed their enclosure and, having taken delivery of our custom-made duck house - unlike former MP Sir Peter Viggers, we are unable to make any claim for Sir Francis's new abode - we brought the flock home.

Relocation, relocation: Kirsty and Phil eat your heart out

They seem great characters and really do fit the bill! They are already settling in, despite some curious onlookers, notably our pygmy goats, and my wife is in the process of giving the ladies names so an update will follow in a couple of days. Must go, it will be dark soon.
Footnote: First night nerves for the gang, I'm afraid. They were extremely noisy when I went down to put the animals away for the night and simply dashed from corner to corner as I tried to herd them into their new quarters. I had to call on the assistance of my wife who hobbled to the rescue and used her crutches to great effect as we eventually directed them up the ramp and to bed for the night. All now quiet. Bliss.
And the girls' have finally been named. No, not noisy little buggers, as I suggested after that episode an hour or so ago. Drake's companions are henceforth known as Demelza, Dafne[y] and Daisy. D'oh!

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Peeking Pekins: Martha (front) and the girls look on

Noisy neighbours: Molly and Reg [right] stare at the newcomers

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Bill and Ben, the Fens' Flower Pot Men

Bill and Ben, or Betty? This Fenland couple soak up the afternoon sunshine
 ... and their favourite wine [click on this picture to enlarge]

Remember Bill and Ben the Flower Pot Men? Well, the pair have been brought back to life in a rural front garden in the heart of the Fens.
Those of a certain age will probably recall the black and white days of Watch With Mother on the BBC [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW95ayqhuCE] and the jibbering characters who spoke in a Goonesque style [http://www.thegoonshow.net/]. Their language was called Oddle Poddle.
The series started in the early Fifties and ran for about 20 years and was apparently revamped in 2001. The Flower Pot Men is the story of two little men made of flower pots who lived by a potting shed at the bottom of an English surburban garden. Each day they had an adventure while the gardener was having a lunch break.

Puppet power: an early Andy Pandy title card  Wikipedia

Like so many other kids, I was entranced by the puppets - and delicate Weed whose vocabulary was limited to "Weeeeeeeeeeeed" - along with other shows on Watch With Mother, including Andy Pandy and the Wooden Tops. It was sad when Andy waved goodbye, wasn't it? In fact, my wife admits that she used to cry. Ah, bless. And she was only 30. Joking.
So if you're passing through these parts you might just get a glimpse of yesteryear as Bill and Ben - one of them might be female so she should be Betty or Bet - chill out with a glass of wine. Give them a wave.
"Babap ickle Weed!"

PS: Follow me on Twitter - Fenman@harrysrus

PPS: I would appreciate feedback so please feel free to make constructive comments and remember that by clicking on the adverts next to any post you are also helping to raise money for research into Alzheimer's disease. So keep on clicking.

First-class honour for Fenland's golden boy

Fenland's Jonnie Peacock delivered gold in the Paralympic Games - and Royal Mail swiftly returned the compliment with their own seal of approval.
The teenager's home village of Doddington now proudly boasts a gold post box. A red post box has been changed to a winning colour in the city, town or village of every Team GB athlete who triumphed at the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games to honour their feats and the Royal Mail have even produced a useful post box finder [http://www.goldpostboxes.com/] mapping out where you can see these golden monuments.

Here's Jonnie: Peacock kisses his gold medal
Getty Images via @daylife

Animated villagers were clogging the pavement outside the Post Office when box changed colour as journalists and camera crews grabbed anyone willing to give a suitable quote. They were well and truly in the spotlight and rumour has it that the village Post Office is now doing a roaring trade in commemorative stamps [http://shop.royalmail.com/paralympicsgb-gold-medal-winner-miniature-sheets/paralympicsgb-gold-medal-winner-miniature-sheet-jonnie-peacock/invt/sku00008082/].
Doddingtonians are rightly excited about Jonnie's achievement and will no doubt be hoping he continues to put their village on the map with more first-class performances as he addresses even more personal targets [http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/disability-sport/19587658] such as running the 100m in 10.6sec. If he was an American, would he be looking for the zip code? Oh, please yourselves. Anyway, he is aiming to run faster next year - and I'm sure he'll post some quick times as he stamps his authority on the track. [Enough of these postal puns - Ed].
Jonnie, 19, who had to have part of his right leg amputated as a child [see previous post]  triumphed in the T44 100 metres as more than six million viewers tuned in to watch when he comfortably saw off the challenge of fourth-placed Blade Runner, Oscar Pistorious.
A golden moment worthy of a golden post box. Pity the quality of that hastily-writtten cardboard sign above his picture doesn't quite match Jonnie's success.
DID YOU KNOW? The coach of Fenland's very own dashing blade, Dan Pfaff, is the only man to have mentored 100m gold medalists at the Olympics and Paralympics. He was Donovan Bailey's coach in 1996 when the Canadian won in Atlanta.

PS: Follow me on Twitter - Fenman@harrysrus

PPS: I would appreciate feedback so please feel free to make constructive comments and remember that by clicking on the adverts next to any post you are also helping to raise money for research into Alzheimer's disease. So keep on clicking.

Fenland's proud of heroic Peacock

Setting the benchmark: Oscar Pistorious [left]
and Jonnie Peacock                    paralympic.org

Some thought it could be Oscar night, but it was Fenland's Jonnie Peacock who grabbed centre stage and turned the spectacle into the Brit Awards.
The teenager produced a blistering run to overshadow South Africa's legendary Blade Runner and win the Paralympic 100m. In doing so, he consolidated his position as the fastest amputee in the world.
Roared on by 80,000 spectators amid an electric atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium, the 19-year-old from the village of Doddington, led from the start to set a Paralympic record of 10.9 in the T44 event. His great hero and rival, Oscar Pistorious, who trailed in fourth, was the first the congratulate the Brit and shower him with genuine compliments in a TV interview seconds after crossing the line.
The Peacock story is well-known in these parts, having been documented by local newspapers and television since the heroic lad was a five-year-old who had his lower right leg amputated after contracting meningoccal septicaemia. Did that prevent him from leading a full and active life? Of course not. And the poster boy of the Paralympics, who is also the world record-holder, answered that question in emphatic fashion with a gold medal.
His understandable delight in victory was summed up when he said: "It's absolutely surreal ... to be part of these Games is amazing."
No, Jonnie, you're amazing. And furthermore, the whole of Fenland is very proud of you.
The only downside is that he's a Liverpool fan. Hey, you can't win them all Jonnie. His grandad played for Everton and Liverpool, so I suppose he is excused for such poor taste in football clubs.
And I can't wait to see the village post box painted in a gold colour to honour Jonnie. So much more classy than Liverpool red, I'm sure you'll agree.
PS: Follow me on Twitter - Fenman@harrysrus
PPS: I would appreciate feedback so please feel free to make constructive comments and remember that by clicking on the adverts next to any post you are also helping to raise money for research into Alzheimer's disease. So keep on clicking.

XIV Paralympic Games
Wikipedia