Neighbour's caravan saga - Part II

Do you remember the saga of the neighbour's caravan taking out another neighbours fence when being moved?  If not see 'So, what did happen on Sunday?' - 5 Feb 2011.  Well today we had the second part of the drama!

We had just about finished for the day and were wandering back up to the caravan when I noticed some very low dark clouds skidding across the sky . . . . . not clouds actually but billowing smoke!  Strange, because it didn't smell at all smokey.  So we went up to our woods from where you can look down onto Barb and Darren's house and, if necessary, it would be the quickest way for us to get there if they needed help.  When we got to the top we could see masses of leaping flames and smoke . . . just where the caravan had been and not much caravan left.  We were very relieved to see both of them walking around quite casually - no need to run down to the rescue then.  So, did they just get fed-up with a wonky caravan in their field and douse it with diesel and chuck a match at it, or were they trying to fix it and the welding went a bit too far?  Don't know and we were just speculating when we heard sirens in the distance - so, the fire brigade had been called . . . probably an accident then?  We could hear the sirens for ages and then nothing.  Probably lost as none of these cottages are very easy to find and sat navs just take you to the general area.  After a few minutes silence (probably stopped at the village pub to ask for directions!) they started again, went off into the distance and then got nearer again.  Then two men in hi-vis stuff appeared, donned yellow helmets and took charge of Darrens hosepipe - but only managed to get a trickle out of it until Darren showed them how to do it!  Then a fire engine with siren and blue flashing lights appeared, followed shortly by a second one.  By now the fire was just about out and there wasn't much for them to do.  So we left them to it.  Slight worry that if it had been a serious fire the time taken to find the place could have been a real problem - can you ring the fire brigade and get them to put directions on their 'system' in case they need them in the future do you think?  Later on Phil and Ann came by and stopped for a glass of wine.  They had witnessed the fire engines taking all sorts of wrong turnings from their vantage point further up the hill and had walked past the charred remains of the caravan . . . and the hedge!  So,that was today's excitement.

Earlier, at lunchtime, as we sat quitely having our lunch, there was quite a scrabbling and flapping from outside and then, all of a sudden, a chicken face appeared at the window peering in at us.  Bearing in mind that this is about 5 feet up, it was most unexpected and she looked very funny with her fixed 'yeah, so what are you looking at?' expression.  She stayed there for quite a few minutes looking in, but obiously hadn't quite thought through how to get down again and made a few attempts before making a very undignified leap.  This morning Bob and I had bought a square of wire mesh to put across the caravan door when it is open to stop them coming in (chicken version of a child stair gate), so I think she must have thought 'right, well if I can't get in through the door I'll find another way!'.  It is fun having chickens you know!