It’s been a traumatic week this week. Monday morning started as usual, I was up early  and in the shop waiting for the morning’s flower delivery. John was busy working from home and the chucks and ducks were waddling and scratching around in the garden.

It was a bright, crisp day. Although the sun was still warm there was a hint of winter in the air and a slight frost on the ground. As I left for the shop I thought how lovely the seasons are here in Sussex and how more noticeable the changes are when you live in the country.

John popped in around 10am as I had a little delivery I wanted him to make and he mentioned that Jemima duck was quacking and he couldn’t see her mate Crispy who was usually by her side. While he was dropping a bouquet off, I nipped back home to see if I could find Crispy duck, thinking he might have got himself stuck somewhere.

When John returned I was still searching under every bush and corner of the garden, desperate to find him. There were no feathers of signs of struggle, so we hoped he’d just parachuted down into someone else’s garden and was unable to get himself back up.

The shop was busy and I had loads to do, so John remained at home keeping an eye out, while I posted a Facebook message asking people to watch out for him and then headed back to the shop.

I have to thank everyone in Pulborough for responding so quickly, sharing the news that Crispy was missing, checking their gardens and keeping an eye for a lost white duck.

I couldn’t quite believe how the community came together in helping me search for little Crispy. People kept popping into the shop to ask if there was any news and we even had a couple of people phone up desperate for good news. One lady even stopped John in the street and asked if Crispy was back. At first John was a little confused, how would someone he hadn’t met, know his duck was missing? You could say it’s the power of social media, but it was the response from everyone, however they heard, that was so heart-warming.

I spent most of the day running out of the shop at the drop of a hat, every time I heard a whisper of a sighting or possible lead.

At the end of the day, there was still no sign of Crispy. Jemima was still quacking and the chickens were all present, correct and ready for bed. John and I kept going out throughout the evening, hoping Crispy would be back, waiting to be let into the hen/duck house, but there was no sign of him.

The next day one of our neighbours came into the shop with the news that she’d found a load of white feathers strewn across her garden, which backed on to ours.

I was really upset, but so was Jemima and now I knew for sure that Crispy wasn’t coming back, my most urgent task was to get Jemima a new friend. I found somewhere near by that reared and sold all sorts of poultry and they had a duck I could have.

So, off I went…

I came back with a large box which carried into the shop. I opened the flaps and out popped a long snake-like neck and head of what Claire2 said was the ugliest duck she’d ever seen.

Meet ‘Ugly Betty’.

She was not only ugly, but angry too. Ugly and Angry…mmm.

Jemima wasn’t too enamoured by her either, she was no replacement for handsome Crispy Duck. But she wasn’t supposed to be a replacement, nothing could replace little Crispy.

Other news in the village includes our local pub ‘The Oddfellows Arms’ which has a brand new sign, taking it back to it’s traditional roots.

There’s also rumour of a new business coming to the village. I hope that’s the case and they do well. If I hear any more, I’ll let you know.