Monday 21 November 2011

In Cahoots....

 Delila's last litter of piglets was born on 16th March. It was the evening Clarissa Dickson-Wright was featured on The Great British Food Revival talking about the revival of rare breed pigs and associated pork dishes.
At precisely the time the programme was being aired and Clarissa was saying "My Delila, what a magnificent pig you are!" said MP lay down and gave birth to 10 bouncing piglets. We named them all Clarence or Clarissa in her honour and very nice pigs they've turned out to be too.
Some 6 months later Delila's turn to farrow came round again. Over the past 3 years an order has been established: Precious, then Delila, then Ginger. Thus, Precious farrowed on 2 August, Delila should have farrowed in the latter half of September and Ginger obligingly delivered her litter on 2 November.
"She probably just missed a cycle" we said of Delila when she'd still not farrowed by the beginning of October. "She probably missed a couple of cycles" we said when nothing changed by the end of October!
"Fancy Ginger farrowing before Delila" we said a week later.
"Have you checked Delila lately?" The Boss said to Linda a few days later.
And a few days later again: "You're sure she is in pig?"
"Nothing's changed" Linda kept saying. And then: "I think it looks like her bag's dropping" said The Boss after he'd done breakfast duty a couple of weeks ago. But still  nothing. "You'd better have stern words with Delila" The Boss said to Linda one day last week. We all agreed she must be  in pig because she was definitely very round. "Or Fat" said Linda. Secretly we were cutting back her hard feed ration just in case it was  just fat! When subtle changes - dropping of the bulk in her tummy, slight enlarging of her bag - did happen I think we all thought we might just be willing them to happen.
Last Friday evening a repeat of Clarissa's episode of  The Great British Food Revival was aired on TV.
At breakfast on Saturday I remarked to myself that Delila was definitely changing shape and meant to say to The Boss that we'd probably have piglets on Monday - Linda's day off. But The Bestest Gundog and I were off beating and I was in a bit of a hurry so I forgot.
The text came through when we were on the Beater Bus after lunch: "Delila's had her piglets!"
I admit I leapt in the air with joy - and not a little relief. I got a few funny looks but that's part and parcel of bush-beating! And then it occurred to me. Once is a coincidence but twice?
Question: (a) How did Delila know that CDW was going to be on TV again? and (b) How did she know which night it would be?
Admittedly, when CDW called Delila's name, said magnificent Sow snapped her head up and locked on to Clarissa like a magnet. Was something deeper going on? A meeting of souls? A sudden inextricable telepathic bond. Clearly they are in cahoots ---- but how?

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