I know opening day is still six weeks away, but anyone would think the pesky Australians are invading.

The boss and his apprentice are busily cleaning guns, checking ammunition and generally doing what twoleggers do when they are four years old and have been given a lollipop.
I thought one of them had stubbed his toe on my food bowl, from the painful strains coming from the boatshed. Turned out he was practising duck calls. Crikey, sounded more like the frog in the fishpond with laryngitis.
Struth, even the mad German is in a flap, running around, destroying anything that comes into her path. One thing though, if the lads actually hit anything this year, and she has to go out into the cold mire and recover the booty, not much but feathers will come back. Me, I will be sitting, oops sorry lying, in front of the heater, keeping someone's toes warm.
They will also, in about four weeks, be launching the good ship 'The Bismarck”, and we all know what happened to her. This is going to be fun, and they will not be getting me into it, even with a beanbag (I have been told though that there is an excess baggage limit which counts against me anyway).
The boss went out and purchased a run-down Canadian canoe, and 'Little Hiawatha” he is not, and as for the apprentice – he is always up the creek without a paddle so some very interesting times are ahead. The good ship is in the garage somewhere (must be camouflaged well as I cannot see it) and has been undergoing an extensive refit. I hope they have thought about how they are going to get it from the garage to the river, let alone to the maimai, as the thing is so laden down with 'duck shooter's amenities”, that I am envisaging a call to the good guys at McLeod's Cranes is going to be required to even get it onto the Jeep. What happens from there is anyone's guess. Don't call me boss, I have things to do.
I will keep you posted on the intrepid lads as the weeks go by, and if any of you intellectual canines out there have a story to share about their adventures this season, please let me know, pictures are good too.
Now my old mate 'Johnny the Aussie Butcher” has plucked a few birds or two in his time, and has all sorts of goodies in store this week, so make sure you paddle on down there and see him for your Easter supplies.

Mediterranean chicken

Ingredients
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 chicken drumsticks
1 small tin artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
425g Spanish black olives
110ml dry white wine
110ml chicken stock
1 Tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Method
Preheat oven to 180C. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish and spread artichokes and olives around. Add wine and chicken stock and sprinkle with tarragon, salt and pepper. Bake for one hour or until chicken is cooked through and browned.

Passion for peach

Ingredients
2oz passionfruit vodka
1/2 peach schnapps
2oz orange juice
1oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
1oz simple syrup
Peach slice for garnish
Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and garnish with a peach slice.