Virginia Cheeseman Blog

Is everyone on holiday? I wish I was! I have had a really busy week looking after all my animals and sorting out the multitude of new spiders that came in this week and yet I have barely taken a single order! Nearly everyone that I speak to, whatever their business, is saying much the same. It seems there really is very little 'spare money' around at the moment. If it is a choice between food on the table, paying the bills and getting a new pet, I can totally understand people choosing the first option but I do feel like I am working flat out just to stay afloat, at least other people can sit and watch daytime telly if they have no orders. Having said all that everyone keeps teasing me because I laugh as I'm talking about it. It reminds me of the time, many moons ago when I was a City of London police cadet and my report came through to my mum. It said how useless I was at just about everything but how popular I was because I always laughed, smiled and tried my best at ever...

Will this rain ever stop! It really doesn't feel much like summer as I sit here in my office with the rain cascading down on the roof (I can't hear myself think). I just hope we have a bright and sunny August, especially 19th August when our son gets married. I am off to the Hen do this weekend, thankfully it is mostly an indoor event, sadly it doesn't involve getting on an aeroplane and going somewhere hot! It has been another busy week, I haven't received much in the way of new stock but I have been packing and posting orders and then re-housing new bugs in the various vacated containers. Nothing ever stays empty for long, as the bugs grow they need larger containers and then the new stock can be housed in the smaller containers. I'm still not convinced that getting a dishwasher in our new kitchen was 'essential' but everyone told me it was. I think that washing up in the sink is just as easy but I must admit that the bug containers come up a treat, espec...

Such a busy week, things have been coming and going constantly. I'm having trouble keeping track of everything. The automatic stock counter on my website is super but I need to keep an eye on it. I prefer to underestimate the bugs that I have bred myself and therefore I have to constantly check the site to make sure that something hasn't gone out of stock, that in reality I still have plenty of. The cockroaches often sell out and then I realise that I haven't checked the website and I should have done. It is very difficult to keep up to date with everything at such a busy time of the year. I seem to be constantly chasing my tail at the moment, I certainly never get a chance to be bored. It isn't all work, I have my great nephew coming later this morning. He is only seven months old, his parents are going to a 'child free' wedding. He is absolutely adorable but most of the day and all night will certainly be a challenge. Thankfully my daughter will be around for ...

The weekly blog stays! I was really pleased to receive so many replies to my question last week. Every reply said they enjoyed reading my blog, some said they liked to check what new stock I have and everyone said they would prefer the blog to remain weekly. Some replies are shown on the site and here are just a few of the others that I received by email: 1. Love the weekly blog, please carry on. 2. Oh and my opinion...don't cut down on the blog! 3. I just read your blog and I loved it and I think if you have got the time keep doing them weekly as I know I'd like to hear what you are up to. I noticed that when I ok a comment online, the person's name appears. I hope nobody objects, if you do please let me know and I will try and remove your name but it may result in me having to remove the comment too (you all know by now how great I am with technology!). Last week I sent an email to my future daughter in-law (my son is marrying next month). I thought it was really witt...

A mixed week, feeling like Eleanor Rigby! (for those who don't know Eleanor Rigby is a lonely character in a Beatles song). I rather suspected that the idea of a 'spider open afternoon' may well not work and it didn't! Nobody showed any interest at all. I have actually had a couple of callers this week but I just can't manage to co-ordinate people to visit at the same time. It's a shame, it is nice to meet people face to face but of course my customers are spread out all over the UK. I don't think it helps that petrol is so expensive these days, I certainly pay far more attention to my mileage than I did a few years ago. Anyway, onwards and upwards, I will stick to mail order for now and just have people visit when I can. The beautiful collection of adult tarantulas that I purchased a few weeks ago are selling well, I still have some stunning ones left but the majority have moved on to new homes. I am planning to have a 'tarantula gallery' on my webs...