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Monday, August 29

obituary of a chicken...

hatched: friday 13th March 2009
untimely death: saturday 27th August 2011
leaves behind 5 feathered friends and a broken hearted mother hen


"to some others perhaps you were just another chicken, but to us you were 'billy-no-mates'. just as your name suggested, you were no sheep, pecking with the pack. no sirree! you were a loner who strutted to the beat of your own tune. usually an ABBA or Elvis number in your head. for two years you did you own thing and you did it well.
as you ascend to the great free range Las Vegas in the sky, perhaps not looking in tip top condition due to your untimely death, we are quite sure you will be welcomed with open wings and indeed find the perfect little scratching patch of ground, somewhat similar to the acre of moss you so freely roamed for your short time on this earth. rest in peace little 'billy-no-mates' for despite what your name may suggest, you were indeed one of the best mates we ever had"

she is thinking Tuesday would be a grand day for a giveaway, yes hurrah hooray for Tuesday ~ Tif

38 comments:

  1. AshleyAugust 29, 2011 at 10:58 AM

    aw, poor little billy. perhaps he'll find a friend up in the sky.

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  2. SaskiaAugust 29, 2011 at 11:05 AM

    O so sorry for you loss of Billy-no-mates, the chicken with her own sense of rhythm. May the memories of her be with a smile.

    Now on to the yay-yay-a-give-away!
    It better be without any feathers! :)
    xoxox

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  3. DebbyAugust 29, 2011 at 11:19 AM

    I am so sorry. What happened to her. Even though your post was a tad bit funny......it was sad as well. Poor baby.

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  4. greenrabbitdesignsAugust 29, 2011 at 11:36 AM

    So sorry to hear about billy-no-mates, it's so hard to lose an animal friend!

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  5. Teresa KasnerAugust 29, 2011 at 11:59 AM

    Oh dear. Was your chicken "got" by a critter? We had 4 chickens and now we have 3 - we didn't see what got it but it took our beloved chicken under our back deck and had a meal of it. :-( Darn critters.

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  6. silly old suitcaseAugust 29, 2011 at 12:03 PM

    oh no, poor billy...so sad.
    A hug for you, x

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  7. CarolAugust 29, 2011 at 12:25 PM

    Goodbye sweet chick, hope you have indeed found some perfectly peachy scratchy ground.
    Carol xx

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  8. Maize HuttonAugust 29, 2011 at 12:47 PM

    awwww, poor chicky. :(

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  9. DaisyAugust 29, 2011 at 1:42 PM

    Poor Billy-no-mates :(. Sending you a hug Tif. Life is always a little lonelier when a chicken leaves for the great scratching ground in the sky.xxx

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  10. darkislethebooksAugust 29, 2011 at 1:59 PM

    Sorry to hear about your chicken. I hope it was quick for her.

    Dawn x
    Chicken Lover

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  11. GabrielaAugust 29, 2011 at 2:10 PM

    I love your writing!Sorry about 'billy mates'!Love your book too!

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  12. Lola NovaAugust 29, 2011 at 2:32 PM

    Oh dear tif,
    I am deeply sorry for your loss. I know just how it feels to lose one of your beloved flock. It just makes your mother hen heart break. So long Billy-no-mates, you will be missed.

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  13. MarmaladeRoseAugust 29, 2011 at 2:50 PM

    Aaaaw...poor Billy-No-Mates. Maybe Billy's untimely death was partly due to the stress of having to keep up the pretense of being a boy when really Billy was a girl? Hmmm...what do you think, she must have been confused. Maybe the other hens alienated her cos of the confusion.
    Anyway confused or not v.sad, we lost Geraldine after only a couple of weeks and that was bad enough. sniff, sniff. Goodness knows what we'll be like when Lady Gaga pegs it.

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  14. SueAugust 29, 2011 at 4:48 PM

    RIP Billy N-M

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  15. FrancesAugust 29, 2011 at 5:56 PM

    You know what, Tif, this is a lovely post. I don't always leave messages here, though I read your posts quite regularly.

    This time, I did want to let you know that this reader does sense your sensitivity.

    Best wishes.

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  16. MichelleAugust 29, 2011 at 6:00 PM

    I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your sweet hen. They are not "just chickens," but instead, a part of us, just as any other living creature is that shares our lives with us. She is surely pecking in the finest grass heaven has to offer right now.

    Blessings,
    Michelle

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  17. JanineAugust 29, 2011 at 7:11 PM

    At least this little chicky can be fondly remembered by the many people who will cherish your book.

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  18. lamina @ do a bitAugust 29, 2011 at 9:02 PM

    awww... sounds like a really cool chicken to me :)

    RIP "billy-no-mates" xxx

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  19. Sécia MischkeAugust 29, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    Awe. Sorry for your loss. :(

    ♥ sécia
    www.petiteinsanities.blogspot.com

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  20. Miss Tallulah PorkchopAugust 29, 2011 at 9:37 PM

    :(

    I'm sorry for your loss. I'm always devestated when I lose one of my girls (chooks).

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  21. leslieAugust 29, 2011 at 9:43 PM

    I'm very sorry to hear about the passing of your poor chicken... best wishes to you and your family during this difficult time...billy no mates will be missed I'm sure...Leslie

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  22. naughty shorts!August 29, 2011 at 11:06 PM

    Very sorry to hear about young billy. xo

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  23. BonnieAugust 30, 2011 at 1:18 AM

    I am so sorry for your loss :( what sad news...I LOVE chickens!

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  24. Allie 'peachy' JaneAugust 30, 2011 at 3:23 AM

    R.I.P little chicken, I hope your little body now sleeps in heaven with all the other cute little chickens!!!

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  25. julieAugust 30, 2011 at 3:33 AM

    aw...too sad...hope billy-no-mates has found some new friends in the sky. xxx

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  26. lizAugust 30, 2011 at 4:17 AM

    One should not be amused by an obituary but alas I could not help but be amused by this one. What mishap brought poor Chicken to such an untimely death? Liz :)

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  27. ericaAugust 30, 2011 at 5:53 AM

    I am so sorry for your loss.

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  28. dottie angelAugust 30, 2011 at 10:12 AM

    oh you peachy lot, yes it is somewhat rather lovely to know 'billy no mates' will be forever remembered within the pages of my book and indeed the front cover :)
    he (she) was taken by a pesky blighter but we have yet to find out who or what. just a pile of feathers remained...
    i like to think 2 whole years of free ranging is so much more than many chickens have, so he (she) was indeed a most fortunate chicken despite the untimely death side of it...

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  29. Sarah AndersonAugust 30, 2011 at 1:50 PM

    oh poor Billy no mates, what a way to go, but sounds like he had a happy life!

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  30. Donna -Little Tiny StitchesAugust 30, 2011 at 3:04 PM

    I am so sorry that you have lost lovely Billy No Mates :o(

    Indeed, an untimely end to his (her) wonderful life at Mossy Shed.

    But I do have to thankyou kindly for linking back to your previous blogpost, and some lovely photos of you and yours :o)

    Here's hoping you have a much lovelier rest of the week Tif.
    xx

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  31. *❀*August 30, 2011 at 4:41 PM

    we'll all remember her ❤

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  32. ~ LauraAugust 30, 2011 at 7:12 PM

    I'm so sorry for your loss!! We have two girls and I love them so!! Chickens have lovely personalities and are very good company. I'll be thinking of you as you grieve the loss of Billy...hugs!

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  33. dottie angelAugust 30, 2011 at 7:23 PM

    you always pick me up when i am down, thank you kindly for caring :)

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  34. catnapAugust 30, 2011 at 7:57 PM

    This is quite sad, really, and worrisome. Our neighbors across the way let their two little ladies wander where they please. The bit about asking why they cross the road...I tried to ask them because they do cross the road. I wish we had a chicken crossing guard. Worse yet, I know we have foxes and hawks about, in spite of our very urban location. I worry about them, though they are not mine to worry about. But, as you say, I'm sure they're happy to be out on their own, like teens.

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  35. Claudia HornerAugust 31, 2011 at 1:24 PM

    Perhaps you have had this question before, but I am wondering if you made those splendid flowery swallows on the wall? Is there a pattern somewhere. I have a particular things for swallows, and would love to be one sometime, swooping and soaring....

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  36. Lorraine Young PotteryAugust 31, 2011 at 6:01 PM

    Congrats on your book !!!! I am sure you must have danced around the house screaming "I did it!"
    and I am happy to say I have joined your site as an official follower :)

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  37. dottie angelAugust 31, 2011 at 9:57 PM

    claudia, i traced around vintage wall plaques and stitched around the edge of the tracing and stuck them on the wall with a bit of sticky tape :)

    thank you kindly Catnap. i have been an obsessive chicken counter for the past few days. i can't help it, i keep fearing the worst and will only let them out under supervision. which is causing them to find life very dull...

    thank you Lorraine!

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  38. tasha2shoesSeptember 4, 2011 at 1:52 PM

    i've dreamed of a bunny called lapin for the longest time, but, as bunnies are illegal in my state of Queensland, Australia, I will never fullfill my dream :( sniff.....


    P.S congrats on such an awesome and gorgeous book :) you've done an amazing job!

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