Bed time stories

They should put a warning on books which aren't divided into chapters. Although I have to say its doing wonders for my insomnia development *yawns*

Things that go ..err ..scratchy scratchy shuffly flump ..in the night

There is something living in the attic space above my bedroom. It definitely has claws, as I hear it scratching about up there. And at 3am it sounds about as big as a ...a large ferret or something! With the savage talons of ..a ..an iguana. And no doubt the flesh tearing beak of a small owl! *shudders*

Thankfully I haven't the curiosity, or inclination to get my face mauled off, to find out exactly what it is by sticking my head through the gap in the ceiling. I shall therefore continue to imagine a host of debatably plausible monsterous beaties, and be sure never to stand for prolonged periods under the gap. But most of all: I will try to not think about the slim possibility that it is in fact a giant spider! EEP!

Ticked off!!

Apparently I could be plagued this year by a small and potentially deadly menace this summer. Recent mild winters (mild?? since when has a 'Siberian Winter' been mild?) and dry summers have combined to form the perfect breeding conditions for the tick population. Despite these wee beasties being the size of a pin head, they can have quite disasterous consequences... Ticks carry a huge range of infections, one of the nastier ones being Lyme's disease. One of the foresters I know has Lyme's disease (which, I should add, you never get rid of it once you've caught it), and he had a heart attack last year because of it. Lyme's disease can also lead to bone disease, nervous disorders, and chronic fatigue syndrom or ME. Another ecologist I know suffers from the last two, after years spent out and about chasing wildlife, he now has severely deteriorated eyesight and circulation problems to boot.

..And there was me worrying about inbred redneck hillbillies, werewolves, and wild-eyed-boggarts lurking in the dark dark woods.

But don't worry folks! I've got myself prepared:



Close up on feet!!!



So this summer, even if its as hot and dry as predicted, I shall be mostly covered up from head to foot. Oh joy is me.

Adios amigo

Good Friday wasn't such a good day after all, mostly because we had to say goodbye to our resident monkey boy, Richard. He's gone and gotten himself one of those pesky job things. Pah!

So here's to you Richard. You have made living in the middle of nowhere about as much fun as it was possible, and I really am truly going to miss you. You have become more than my minion and I hope that we stay good friends. But just because you no longer work for me doesn't mean I'm going to stop bossing you about ;-p

So this is how I will remember you:


That vacant expression... that scruffy manic hair... that pint (yes PINT) of vodka and cranberry.. what a legend!

Not one for teary goodbyes and sentimentality though, I thought the following quite an appropriate send-off image.




CHARMING!!

Don't panic.

There seems to be a recurring theme with my blogging. When everything is going smoothly - I have plenty to say about it, and will happily ramble on about the silly little innane things that make my days fun. But every so often there will be a dramatic pause. This silence is normally partly because I am just too damn busy to sit down and blog, or, more likely, too damn tired to bother. But it also happens when I am just feeling a little too negative about life. If you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all.

Am back now though, so its all downhill from here again :-)