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A mixed week, feeling like Eleanor Rigby!

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 website but I will need help from my husband to set it up and we are both too busy to sit down together and sort it at the moment. The gallery on my previous website was very popular but it took time to manage as the whole idea is to have a photo of the actual spider that is for sale. When that spider is sold it needs to be replaced with another one or the page begins to look quite bare. There is just never enough time, I am constantly on the move. Joking aside I really do need to start cutting back as the school holidays are approaching fast and I would like to spend some time with my family and a little less time in the bug house. The trouble is that everyone keeps offering me amazing bugs and I find it hard to say no. I actually have a large number of spiderlings coming in from Europe next week. There will be lots of species, some of them quite rare and sought after but THEN I must cut down!

I really should send out a newsletter to those people who tick 'subscribe to my newsletter' on my website (which is most of you). I feel embarrassed to admit that I have never yet sent out anything and my 'new' website will be two years old in September. I'm not too sure what to send out. I should probably let people know what new stock I have but it changes all the time. My husband says I should send out this blog every week but I don't think so. I am actually wondering whether to cut down on my blog entries. What do you think? (yes, you personally because if you don't tell me I won't know). I am thinking of fortnightly, rather than weekly or even monthly? The last time I mentioned this, everyone who replied said that they would like it to stay weekly but that was ages ago. I am always amazed how many people do read my blog, it is a strange concept that people around the world and also a few neighbours and family check out my blog.

I bought in some more giant centipedes this week, they were the last few that had been imported from Asia by a reptile dealer. I decided to buy them all because as wild caught specimens some are likely to be gravid and they are amazing creatures. I was looking at them as I re-housed them into larger containers (very secure containers) and decided that they are "revoltingly beautiful". They are the scariest creatures that I keep but they are just so perfect, because of their large size every segment of their body, legs and antennae can be seen and the colours and shiny appearance is just stunning.

I still haven't had anybody use the new method of payment that my website guy set up recently. I thought paying directly into my bank account may be easier, several people have asked me in the past if were possible. Oh well, the option is there, I personally find PayPal incredibly good. When paying for goods online I always choose payment by PayPal when it is available. Of course it does rely on having money in your account. I get quite a few orders that show up on my system but do not complete. I generally send an email just asking if there is a problem that I can help with. I laughed out loud recently when I got the following reply "No problem really, just a shortage of funds for this week!".

Let me know, should I cut back on the blogging? Thanks


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