Ah, Melbourne Cup Day … so many memories. During my glory years at Woman’s Day I hosted many a fancy luncheon, once the advertising department even kitted out stables at Moore Park for a soiree. During leaner times, the food director would bake sausage rolls for the staff to inhale while we slurped cheap champagne out of plastic cups in my office, huddled around the TV.
Those sausage rolls were gooooood. Some ex-Woman’s Day staffers even took to Facebook yesterday, begging for home deliveries.
My first Melbourne Cup as a stay-at-home mum was spent in a fascinator and heels at a fellow school mum’s house, eating fancy nibbles and sipping bubbly. Very civilised.
This year, I totally forgot the race was even on until the Sunday papers reminded me by running that prissy pants photo of Nicole Kidman channelling My Fair Lady. I didn’t score any invitations either, but that was OK, because I had my eye on a very different prize.
One of my chooks, Henny Penny, is broody and I’ve scouring the Net for fertile eggs for her to hatch. Not just any fertile eggs, I had my heart set on Silkies. 
You may recall I had a Silkie last year, called Fuzzy. Fuzzy resembled an angora rabbit with a beak. Adorable. Unfortunately Fuzzy turned out to be a rooster and I was forced to find him a new home in the country. I miss Fuzzy.
The only fertile Silkie eggs within driving distance were at Oatlands. I had not previously been aware there was a Sydney suburb called Oatlands. I lied to the Sprogs and told them it was quite close. And off we drove – for about 45 minutes – after school pick-up.
Oatlands seems quite nice. Kylie the fertile egg lady seems quite nice too. She gave us a tour of all her coops and a stickybeak at all her baby chicks. We had a lovey chat about all things chooky, then I was on my way with my precious cargo.
There are no guarantees we’ll hatch anything, but I’ll be anxiously prowling around the chicken coop 21 days from now, hoping to hear the cheep of little beaks.
Kylie gave us a mixed half-dozen so we might get one of these …
Or one of these …
The Sprogs have their fingers tightly crossed for one of these, it’s a type called a “Showgirl”. Sprog 1 reckons she’ll call hers Biz … 
Melbourne Cup? Whatever.
PS Which horse won, by the way? Did you score any money in a sweep?
housegoeshome 
Just read out your story to my boy. He is so very excited about that (and his best mates birthday today!!). Can he come over after school sometimes and check whether Henny Penny is doing her job? Don’t get frightened if you come home and find him perched on the eggs keeping them warm.
My best chook sitter is always welcome to visit!