Everything is changing

A few months ago, my very good friend Jackie, made the momentous decision to move to the Isle of Wight. She has her sister and partner living there and has visited them and seen how lovely the scenery and sea views are.

After Jackie’s husband died eighteen months ago she has managed on her pension with no mortgage or debts but has come to realise that with no savings if anything on her house needs maintaining or repairing there is no money in the pot. House prices on the Isle of Wight are about half what they are here. Jackie has sold her house and can buy a flat or a terraced house there for about half the price and would have savings for her future.

Jackie doesn’t drive and the bus service on the Isle of Wight is really good. She would have all her needs nearby and a better quality of life.

Jackie has found a flat on the Isle of Wight to rent for six months which will give her time to find the right property for her future.

It turned out that the lady at the estate agent handling the sale of Jackie’s property lives nearby and has three chickens and was thinking of getting three more. She said that she would be happy to take Jackie’s three girls.

Yesterday I went to help Jackie with the move armed with my trusty dog crate, a net to catch any difficult girls and my camera. Chelsea was easy to pick up and put in the crate but the other two girls needed the aid of the net.

Jackie’s girls are ready for the move

We found Debbie’s house easily and checked out her run before bringing in Jackie’s girls.

Debbie’s three girls in their run

I manged to not secure the gate properly and her girls slipped out but Debbie said that she can easily get them back in with meal worms. She lets them into the garden sometimes but not too often as they would trash her well kept garden.

Debbie gets her girls back in the run with the lure of the meal worms

We put the dog crate in the run and opened it’s doors and Jackie’s three girls were soon exploring and scratching in the run.

Jackie’s three girls in their new run

Chelsea and one of Jackie’s girls eye ball each other

Chelsea and one of Debbie’s girls had a stare out and then ruffs were raised and they challenged each other. The new pecking order will need to be sorted out. It wasn’t bad though and Debbie has a shed converted into a coop with a nest box attached and another shed next to it that can be converted to a second coop if it’s needed.

This morning Debbie sent Jackie a photo of her girls in their new setting and said that there had been no further fighting. We exchanged details so that we can keep in touch and I will be able to visit and update Jackie along with Debbie’s updates.

I think it would be nice for Jackie and myself to pay them a visit in the coming weeks which I am sure will be fine by Debbie.

This is one more stage of the changes that are taking place in Jackie’s life at the moment. When Jackie first told me of her plans I totally understood that this was the best thing for her but yes …. I cried a bit! I will miss her so much but we will always be the best of friends and will never lose touch.