The Pigeon Whisperer

I left the building earlier today and Trisha who was walking towards me said, "Joey, Joey, Joey!"

I immediately turned around and stuck my foot in the door to stop it closing. I looked at her for approval. 

"Was that right?" I asked. 

"Well done Joey, you sensed what I wanted."

I went off beaming. This story would make more sense if you knew Trisha. I am in awe of Trisha. For years (and she has been in and out of my life for over 25 years) she has puzzled me. When I came to work in the same building as me she frustrated me because I just didn't understand her but now, I love being around her. She is an amazing teacher and I relish every conversation we have and listen carefully when she talks. I have a lot to learn. 

I have a little girl who is so wonderfully self-assured (we'll call it bossy) that she found it tricky to work in her group of three at school today and I am guessing the other two found it hard to be with her too. I turned to a friend at the school open afternoon, winked at her and said, "Don't know where she gets her bossy side from?!" 

So we talked, Lottie and I,  about Trisha after school and the importance of stopping for a moment and sensing what's going on around you and the impact you are having on a situation. If everyone around you is happy, chances are you are doing something right (I wish I could remember who told me that). I tell my Lottie that if she speaks from the heart and only says what she really feels then she will always be honest and true to herself. People won't always agree but they will have no grounds to criticise.

This week has been a crazy week and I need to remember the advice I dish out to Lottie and maybe put it into practice a little more...

So today...well I failed to sense the pigeon that was resting on the sofa at the end of the alley. So when I flew out the door to grab a sandwich, it must have fallen behind the sofa and, I suspect, landed on the piles of broken crockery that Lauren and I have squirrelled away for our mosaic. So I pulled the sofa out to set it free sending it into one of those birdy flappy episodes that make a very dramatic noise and make you wince. Then it sat. Very still. And looked at me. I think it sensed my guilt. Last springtime, a little fledgling fell out of its nest and as I crept towards it to check whether it was ok, it fluttered into the road and along came a car and...splat! I cried all the way home. Anyway, me and birds...not a good combination. So back to the pigeon, I went to get lunch as planned and hoped that no one would come up the alley and scare it even more and that maybe it would find its way onto the green. Only when I came back, it was still there. 

So I called Dan from upstairs...Here's what happened (it's easier to copy the conversation than rewrite it)

9 hours ago
Joey Lee
Are you any good with injured birds?

9 hours ago
Dan
sorry just on phone
where are you?

9 hours ago
Joey Lee
Looks like I'm having roast pigeon for supper

9 hours ago
Dan
have you called rspca?
is it alive?
ha ha supper...posh bird helps injured bird...

9 hours ago
Joey Lee
Hang on i'll check-it's my fault I gave it a fright

9 hours ago
Dan
are you downstairs?

9 hours ago
Joey Lee
I'm not posh

9 hours ago
Joey Lee
I'm hoping it's gone

9 hours ago
Joey Lee
It's still here
:(

9 hours ago
Dan
WHERE ARE YOU?!?!

9 hours ago
Joey Lee
By the red door

9 hours ago
Dan
ok

At this point Dan comes down, bird flies into building, Joey runs off squealing in a shamefully girlie way, Dan moves pigeon down the alley limping all the way (the pigeon not Dan), I stand at the window watching, bird gets to end of alley and flies off! Couldn't believe it. Hope pigeon is ok.

9 hours ago
Joey Lee

what am I going to have for supper now???
...and thank you

9 hours ago
Dan
No worries


8 hours ago
Joey Lee
I didn't get a photo for the blog. Can we reenact it later?????? 

No more pigeons came my way so no photos.

Knitting time was busy and I really missed Liz. (Liz runs our knitting group if you aren't a Wednesday regular) and whilst she is knitting fondant fancies by the pool in a sunny climate somewhere, I had a queue of lovely ladies with knitting questions which I couldn't answer. Darren was there to help only he was as useless as a chocolate teapot (on the knitting front - exceptionally helpful on the photographing front and the making tea front) and it was a long wait for a competent knitter to arrive. All was ok when Pauline turned up and dealt with the queries from our lovely ladies. She was closely followed by Diana who writes a knitting blog who had come to ask some questions for her own blog. P.S. COME BACK LIZ!!!

I had a call from Ellie from Harvest and later she popped into the hub and dropped off all sorts of exciting things for you to browse and buy. There are drinks in bottles and goodies in jars. Pop by and grab some. Find out more about the wonderful ECI Harvest project here or even better pop in and have a look. 

More bookings came in today. There is more news on the charity crafting event for January and more Christmas parties. To think this time last year I was probably twiddling my thumbs.

After school, Lottie and I spread word about the Tea Cosy Competition. We dropped flyers off to ISCA, we covered Magdalen Road and Scrapstore (and had a good catch up with Hannah and Rob at Magic Carpet).

Tomorrow I want to cover Fore Street. If you have any places you would like us to put some flyers please do let me know. I bumped into Dave from The Olive Tree and persuaded him to take some with him to County Hall and tomorrow we will be in the Echo (another one for the scrapbook!). I'm on a mission!