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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?

Sorry elle, I misunderstood your question. Rather upset by a note from my neighbours at the time.
Tiggys don't do an eperience day. (It's not really a whole day). At World of Crocodiles, experiences can be bought for adults or children with different animals, but it isn't really a day. For £35 they can help feed and look after meerkats and £80 for crocs. They get to help prepare the food, have a safety chat and also learn about the rescues and behind the scenes. The prices include the entry fee.
At Cotswold Wildlife park children aged 7-11 can be a junior keeper for 4 hours, when they help cleaning up and feeding in groups of not more than 4 with one keeper. This is for 4 hours and costs £120! Older children can be Trainee keepers for 6 hours for even more cash.

pigale
I read quite a lot of social history too, but for the long hours I am often awake at night I like who-dun-its and (sometimes) family sagas. I belong to 2 Book Clubs so read whatever has been chosen; currently "My Name is Lucy Barton" (don't really know what that's about!) and "A Schoolmaster in South Uist" which is interesting, but hardly about the school or its pupils at all (late nineteenth century).

Good morning, Ros!
Sorry, I've been a bit tied -up this morning......
I think the concept of the "experience day" sounds great...but there is no way I could afford such prices!!
So another good idea out the window!!
I would have thought that for less money there would be a greater (and wider) response?
Whatever did your neighbour say to upset you so much?
I am still awaiting next door's "extension" plans to unfold...…….then I think the sparks will fly.....not only from us...but especially from the house that is semi-detached.

I think the "experiences" tend to be a bit tame. Because we were the only people around in World of Crocs at nearly closing time, the keeper let the children see the live grasshoppers and their food, and explained to them how they had to rear grasshoppers as well as the cotton top tamarins (who had 3 babies). I suspect the zoos don't want a wider response- fewer people paying more is less work than more paying less!
I don't think I should be specific about my neighbours on here, let's just say they're bullies. Your new neighbour's plans might not be as bad as you fear.

Hello Elle!

What are you up to? Keeping busy in the house, or garden..... or reading?

I am having a rest day today, spent the whole day yesterday on
some kind of spring cleaning in the house, and still need to tidy
up my clothes between Summer and Winter - and some to go
to charity as well!
Then my office little corner will need a good sorting out too - it's
amazing how much unwanted stuff I seem to accumulate there!
Some stuff that I initially mean to put away for future reference, and
by the time I get round to doing it, it does not seem necessary to
keep them anymore - so in the bin they go!

On Thursday I shall go to hairdresser, then dentist, then GP for
monthly renewal of morphine (for back). But this time we are
going to reduce the dosage, the intention being that, spread over
a few months, I shall take no more of it - We'll see how I cope
pain-wise, but I am sure there is a habit formation factor and perhaps it does not do me much good anymore.

Weather OK, due to have mini heatwave starting tomorrow - It
is warm today, but sun has not pierced through yet. How is it
with you?

Hi Pigale
I, too, am having a clear out, of office and conservatory. The glass in the latter is usually disgustingly dirty, but until I start cleaning it, I don't see the dirt. I have family history papers all over the office, near the computer. They need filing away in the right families, ho ho.
Also going to the dentist Thursday, one and a half hours crown prep. Really dreading it.
Looked in at the ospreys earlier- the chicks were beating their wings.

Is morphine like sleeping pills- you get so you can't do without it/them? I remember thinking the words "Ten milligrams of morphine" were the sweetest I ever heard! (after the first operation on my face, when a nerve was damaged)

Hi Rosalind!

Thankfully my dental appointment is basically a check-up to assess
what work might have to be done at a later date. I usually dread
going to the dentist too, but Thursday should be Okay!

The morphine I take was prescribed to me initially at the hospital,
and after by my GP, following the nasty fall on my back I had
last year (about this time too)
I take it in the patch version, a fairly high dosage, one patch lasting
three days.
One of my problems is that you cannot put the patch on the same
portion of skin every time - in fact my skin needs to rest a fair while
before another patch can be put on the same place, otherwise
it irritates me and I scratch like mad! and after all this time, I
am running out of possible places to put them!

I get so depressed with this back pain because I am very limited as
to how much effort I can require of it ! Yesterday's hoovering of
the whole house crucified me, but at least the job was done and
I did not have to finish it off today.

PS - How many operations on your face did you have?

Good afternoon, Pigale!
I am sorry to be so late in replying.....
I have been out this afternoon!
Not exactly "whooping it up"....but meeting friends........catching up on news......
And earlier this morning, I took the dog for her walk......and then to the vet.
I was concerned about two little lumps that have recently appeared on her nose.
I had thought they might be small cysts, but a friend offered his opinion that they might be ticks!
I have never yet seen a tick ...so had no idea what I should be looking for.......so decided that a visit to the vet was the best option.
I wanted the dog to have her anal glands checked again, anyway....so it served a dual purpose.
All is well..... not ticks, but two little warts.... apparently not uncommon in older dogs.
(She is ten, but doesn't know that, so sees no reason to slow down!)
Just keep an eye on them.......
Very hot here......26C........
So I don't think I'll follow your very worthy example of doing housework!!
Instead, I am going to watch the Andy Murray v. Nick Kyrgios match.........