Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

I'd better put this in

Hi, Chris!
I haven't heard of Donnie Darko?
(But don't worry, if I ever come across it...I'll give it a wide berth!)
James Stewart as Elwood P. was 'magical' himself!

hi elle
Hope you have a wonderful day with your family.
Yesterday I took my grandchildren to Tiggywinkles, which started as a hedgehog rescue place and now rescues many birds and animals. We saw tiny baby hedgehogs in the nursery as well as lots of baby birds being fed. There are quite large paddocks with undergrowth and trees for those animals that cannot be returned to the wild and we saw the badger in his den (through glass!), foxes and deer. Today we are off to see some crocodiles. If the children are really interested I will buy them an "experience day" another time.

Hello, Ros!
Sorry...I have only just read your message!
Yes, we had a wonderful day out, thank you!
We were treated to lunch as it was Fathers' Day!
And spent some great quality time with our daughter , son-in-law and the two boys.
They have gone home now.
You sound to have had fun with your own grandchildren.
I have heard of "Tiggywinkles", but have never visited the rescue centre.
What a good idea to take the children there.
What is an "experience day"?
It sounds interesting?

Glad you had such a nice day elle.

The trip to Tiggywinkles was just an ordinary visit. World of Crocodiles was very good, but I think moderately limited. We saw cotton top tamarins being fed live grasshoppers; luckily the day old chicks fed to the crocs were dead! The children enjoyed it and I'm vey tired!

Good Evening Elle and Ros,

Pleased to know you both had nice time with family and grand-children;

Yes, I expect you must be tired Ros, but what a nice week-end you
gave your grand-kids! Very interesting way to keep them occupied while educating them at the same time - From what you say, it seems
they enjoyed the tiggywinkles (I must admit that I have no
idea as to what it is - a search on googles should fill me in.

How did your husband enjoy his special day Elle? Where did you
all have lunch? A restaurant chosen by BB?
Family time is always quality time, isn't it?

As I said, peaceful yet enjoyable day for me - I always find some
ways to keep myself occupied with some research/translation
for myself, or just playing my piano keyboard, or other hobbies.

Good Evening Elle and Ros,

Pleased to know you both had nice time with family and grand-children;

Yes, I expect you must be tired Ros, but what a nice week-end you
gave your grand-kids! Very interesting way to keep them occupied while educating them at the same time - From what you say, it seems
they enjoyed the tiggywinkles (I must admit that I have no
idea as to what it is - a search on googles should fill me in.

How did your husband enjoy his special day Elle? Where did you
all have lunch? A restaurant chosen by BB?
Family time is always quality time, isn't it?

As I said, peaceful yet enjoyable day for me - I always find some
ways to keep myself occupied, either doing some research/translation for myself, or just playing my piano keyboard, or other hobbies.

Hi pigale
Tiggywinkles was once just someone's house, where you could take injured wild animals and birds, especially hedgehogs. The man who founded it gave his whole life to caring for wild creatures. Many years ago I found a badly injured fox and took it to the original hospital (with gloves! 20 miles in the car). You can ring to find what happened to any animal you take, but not see it again. I believe the fox was OK.
Now they have a purpose - built hospital and pens for the animals too injured to return to the wild. They even have a blind hedgehog that runs about during the day. While we were there on Saturday, one of the staff picked up a female and told the children about them- how they curled up, how many spines etc.
They have a lot of newly fledged blackbird chicks and some very tiny birds in "nests", which seem to be made of kitchen paper held in a cup of some sort. You can watch the staff care for them. There is also a small museum with skeletons.
I gave the children some money each to buy whatever they liked. One chose a "dinosaur egg" - you put it in water and it hatches in about 24 hours! The other chose a croc head necklace. They thanked me very sweetly.
Do you read a lot, pigale? I would hardly know what to do with myself without books. I also do research, mostly family history for others.

Hi Ros,

The original tiggywinkle was a great idea from this gentleman,
and it is good that they have developed in such a way.
I am surprised that there seems to be so many foxes in urban
areas - Elle has a family at the bottom of the garden!
Here, there are some, yes, but they are in woods and forests, or
near farms where poultry is available of course.

I do read, but on an irregularly basis - I mean that there will be
a period when I read three or four books a week, this will last
for 6 months or so, and then I go off it and won't read another
book for another six months or so! I have always behaved in
this way, perhaps not in my teenage years when I devoured
one book after another on a constant basis. A great thirst to
read all the French classics - College could not possibly introduce
us to all the authors nor to every single one of their books.

Now, I particularly enjoy (but I think I mentioned this before) that,
via a novel, deals with the social changes in 18th/19th century
in rural life.
What type of book do you prefer?

Hello, Pigale!
The fox family actually lives at the bottom of my neighbours garden...in his
deserted shed and greenhouse!
But we do feed them….we feel it is better that they are well and sensibly fed, than prey on the neighbourhood.
In earlier days, a fox once tried running off with another neighbour's pet rabbit - but fortunately the pet was rescued in time!
The foxes are very friendly though, and one was persuaded to give me back the bag of compost he was trying to open!
The cubs come and frolic on our lawn.....they don't seem too deterred by our dog.


Ros, you didn't explain what an "experience day" is?
Maybe you missed my question...
I should be interested to learn of it.....it might be something my grandkids would enjoy?