You know that very successful Australian soap opera, Neighbours? Well I have decided to audition for a part in an episode I will write myself. It will have to be set just outside the town on a small rural property and the drama will unfold around my character’s peafowl frolicking on the neighbours’ roof, and the climax will be when the neigbours threaten to exterminate them. This could possibly be lengthened to three episodes.
Yes, this is tongue in cheek of course and the situation is real, not fictitious. Okay, for a week or so some of our peafowl have been wandering further afield than usual because, as I described in a previous post, we have an overabundance of males and the girls are trying to get away from all the attention. It is mating season. I thought they had stopped going over to the neighbours’ house and I have told them to hose them away or else shoot the gun into the air to scare them. I understand the neighbours’ irritation; people either love or hate peacocks. This elderly couple hate them. Their complaint is not unreasonable as the few that wander over fly onto their roof and poop so they are worried about their drinking water being contaminated. I suggested getting a water filter but that didn’t go down too well.
So, in response to two shouting emails from the neighbours (you know – emails that are capitalized and punctuated by lots of exclamation marks), I have made some calls and found several people who are willing to re-home a few of them (there are three that keep absconding). I am happy about this because I would rather re-home these renegades than have my neighbours shoot or poison them which is a definite possibility.
I don’t see this as a loss because when I purchased the unsexed chicks I didn’t know so many would be males, so it will be good to place them elsewhere so that the females aren’t so overwhelmed. Hopefully this will appease the neighbours’ wrath but I don’t think so because the wrath was already there. In fact, these are the very same people that I nicknamed ‘the horribles’ many posts ago. They absolutely love a fight and the peafowl are a wonderful opportunity. Unfortunately for them, I do not like fighting, so I have apologized and reassured them that someone will soon come and get the peafowl who like their roof so much. Problem solved.
I will ring the executive producer of Neighbours right now – hahaha!
jmgoyder 
Everyone needs good neighbours 🙂 If I was still in Walpole I’d have the extra birds. I love them.
Lovely thought.
Nice birds. Wish I could have them.
I’ll tell a couple to fly your way!
It’s a bit far and might be a bit too cold for them. The heated bird house at Edinburgh zoo might be okay as its nice and warm there.
Unfortunately, ‘the horribles’ have relatives spread out all across the country and I’ve met a few of them. They usually don’t have noses because they are forever cutting them off to spite their faces and no matter how reasonable or apologetic others are to them, they will always find yet another thing to gripe about and another chip to add to their already laden shoulders. And, if they saw themselves on Neighbours they would say ‘Aren’t they awful people?’ and not even recognise themselves! Glad you found a solution to the peacock problem – I just hope the horribles win lotto and move far, far away!
Yes, it seems to be a particular human breed!
I can’t wait to see you on the show! 😉
Neighbours can be such a pain…
Haha!
A shame but better than the alternative. Look forward to your show!
You never know – it might be a hit!
Gosh, you not kidding about horrible neighbours – I’ve got some of that horrible breed next door to my block of flats.
Love that first photo of the peacock – such a beautiful bird (but I guess I’ve never heard them in mating season).
It makes me wonder if some people are born horrible!
What a shame to have neighbours like them… can you imagine what their home life must be like… they probably growl at each other over supper… I would tell them to get a life…
I wouldn’t dare – ha!
I love your idea for the Neighbours episode. Let us know when it airs… 😉
Okay – ha!
It’s an awkward situation for you because your neighbours are not in the wrong as such, but they are unpleasant about it. I think your solution is excellent.
We have the same problem here in the spring. The wild ducks from the deep valley below us fly up to our gardens to mate and lay their eggs. Normal ratio 6 males to 1 female. I do feel sorry for the female as she is chased along our roof tops, and then grabbed by the neck!!!
Yes, why didn’t they just phone me and tell me politely?
I used to have neighbors with peacocks or peafowl. I remember sitting by a bonfire in the yard one night and I thought I heard a woman screaming. I was adamant that my husband go check it out. He laughed and said it was the peacocks. I didn’t believe him until I heard it repeatedly. I didn’t mind because they are such beautiful birds and I never would have said anything to that particular neighbor anyway as he was the local leader of the KKK, even when his rottweiler tried to attack me and my two little boys. If you really want to irritate them, just smile and be overly nice.
I can’t stop laughing at your amazing story!
I’d have to say it is a much better plot idea than the episodes they air. It’ll be: betrayal, betrayal, star-crossed lovers, betrayal, ‘this is really your father’, PEAFOWL!!!, betrayal.
Hilarity ensues.
Oh you have given me such a guffaw!
How sad, but the girls will appreciate less attention. Sure wish I could take one. Of course, I don’t need a peacock on the roof… I have three Weechoos up there off and on throughout the day! ~Lynda
😉
I love your name ‘Wheechoos; – it is perfect!
I’m glad you are finding homes for some of them!
Me too!
Sounds like a BBS affair to me. Can it get any more hilarious? I don’t think so. And P.S. You are so much more compassionate than I. ~ haha ~
we all have those kinds of neighbours–now they will have to find something else to complain about! fortunately we all have good neighbours too–
I say shoot the gun in the air to scare the neighbours……
Good idea!
I vote for this comment!
Julie, mind and let us know when the episodes air. 🙂 I dare you to send in the ideas! Cause I agree with artfulanxiety they have got to be better than the fare they’ve been dishing-up. LOL
The relatives of the horribles have even spread to our neighbourhood. I should get some peacocks.
I hope the peacocks love their new homes and don’t get posioned or shot by neighbours………is it the peacocks or the peafowls that have to be rehoused.
Neighbors …. still going strong in UK, but never took of here in Sweden and it didn’t thick any of my boxes neither. It seems like your neighbors don’t tick yours neither.
Aren’t you going to miss your lovely birds – that top photo is so great.
a star of your own soap opera!!! love the blog today!
ohhh those horribles!! oh those lovely peafowls! isn’t one of the up/down sides of living in a rural area this kind of adventure?? writing sitcom? i can see that, you are one very talented writer.
If you are serious, I wish you well… Go for it! 😉
Haha, now that would make a good episode!
Sorry your neighbors are a pain. I have a couple of crazy ones myself, it’s never fun!
They seem to have calmed down now that I have agreed to re-home a few of the males!