One egg.
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Orwell Diaries 1938-1942 
I like this post. It’s very zen.
George Orwell had mantra.
Or short-term memory loss?
Is it the same egg every time?
Let’s be honest, we prefer the ‘One egg.’ entries more than anything else. Short, succinct, and tasty.
I wonder about his hens’ stinginess. They seem bent on crossing him day after day by not giving him enough stuff to make a proper omelette. And he shows his contained anger by just dropping a couple words on the page. You have to read his deep disappointment with the damned hens in the vast white space surrounding these two little words. I found it admirable, a feat of self-restraint. You’d say he is entitled to twist the wicked hens’ necks and have a three course meal instead of a single boiled egg.
First time we had a repeated entry (1st and 2nd September), the following day we had the sudden shock news that George/Eric was on a boat for Morocco.
So what does he have up his sleeve this time?
I think Eric is going for the hat trick.
The egg is no egg,
War is peace, the truth a lie:
Language hides the world
I have been hit with a wave of empathy for the hens; it didn’t last long and I have taken preventive measures that should eliminate a re-occurrence.
Nevertheless, imagine, if you will, the chicken’s perspective and the immense, pressurized burden: Day-in and day-out there’s a bipedal omnivore standing there staring at you through cheap sunglasses, pencil poised, left foot tap-tap-tapping, sighing impatiently–and that’s not even the creepy part.
brown or white?
Who’s for ‘nog?
maybe there was little food?
It’s true, what Dan says: we do prefer the ‘one egg’ entries.
Once was great, twice was brilliant, but now, I’m amazed every time I see one.
George~~
I have been wondering if you had electric service to the Villa Simont, how far it is to the nearest chicken farm or dairy and how well-stocked is the fridge with fresh fruit and vegetables but not simultaneously, of course. Does someone have to go to a bazaar to get stuff? Does anybody speak English?
Do we know how long George/Eric intended staying there? Has he emigrated? Getting the self-sufficiency bug seems a bit extreme for a holiday or recuperation visit.
NOOOooooo!
Cholesterol wasn’t a pre-war issue then, was it?
I do hope Orwell was eating his daily egg. Good nutrition is vital for people with tuberculosis.
Thinking about it maybe when he writes “insides bad” this refers to his lungs rather than his digestive system.
I guess we might never know.
Fay Shirley~~
Good point(s)! Thank you!
I’m going to miss the “One Egg” entries when we get back to england.
Custard Tarts. He’s gotta have Custard Tarts with his tea!
Prediction for tomorrow’s entry:
“Two packets of Bran Flakes”
Does anyone know how many eggs since this diary started?
@Yokozuna 42… wait… nevermind that was Douglas Adams diary.
Why is the tag “eggs” plural, and not “egg” the singular? Is this wishful thinking? The tags for the 13th are a mix of plurals and singulars. This kind of thing keeps me up at night worrying.
A brand new day and a brand new egg! Those hens, they’re on a roll. But how do they allocate the egg-laying work among themselves, so as to guarantee just the one per day.
George~~
Have you seen the Hitchcock film that just came out?
Suddenly I crave bacon.
Fay S – I agree. I think you may be right about “bad inside.” thanks for the insight.
I wonder, does a blank entry mean ‘no egg’. If not, we’ll never know how productive his hens really were.
It seems clear to me that “inside” refers to indoors, as he often comments on whether or not the temperature is tolerable, whether a blanket was required, and so on. Surely as a writer he would be able to think of a more precise way to discuss his lungs, bowels, etc. if one of those were the true subject of those comments.
And so, the hen realizing that the extra effort of production did not benefit her directly. Rather, those that toiled not should should partake of her bounty. Risking her own neck, she would restrain from laying eggs until her rewards are initiated. Afterall, whom else is producing at this time?
These one egg entrees are probably just a way he used to touch base with his diary on days he didn’t feel like writing.
I mean, there’s always something to write about, even when nothing’s going on. Seinfeld’s a perfect example, a show about nothing.
One egg good.
;)
xxx
Bob