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I cannot believe it is December already!

I cannot believe it is December already! Christmas is approaching way too fast. I am writing my blog this evening as I will be taking my sister out Christmas shopping all day tomorrow. This week has flown by, I have had so much to do. Saturday was both frustrating and hilarious. I took loads of photos of Teddi and the bugs, for this year's Christmas card and it took hours. She was incredibly good but I hadn't realised that she is frightened of bugs and she kept flinching whenever one touched her paw. When she did this her Christmas hat fell forward over her eyes. I ended it up tying it on in the end. The Hissing cockroaches kept losing their little hats too so I glued them on (only light glue, they were fine "no animals were harmed in the making of my 2011 Christmas card"). There were several contenders for the best photo but after a family vote, we picked a winner and I have ordered them online through Snapfish. I hope they will arrive before Monday so that I can start sending them out with pre-Christmas orders. I had someone say that they would place an order in December just so that they can receive a card. Please don't get too excited, I am no David Bailey but I do try (my husband says that I am always trying).

Today has been exhausting, my hubby finally got a day off this week so we have been putting up the new shelving most of the day. I did the posting first thing and then had to clear everything off the old shelving. My poor hubby was having kittens when he saw the amount of Hissing cockroaches and spiders that were hiding behind the shelving. He had to dismantle it all before he could start building the new units. It is now up and everything is back on shelves but it is all upside down and around the wrong way. The heat mats are in the wrong places, my geckos are squashed in the corner because their light needed to reach the timer. The poor snakes are confused because we had to totally rearrange their vivariums and drill holes into the various sections to fit the new layout. I have moaned a lot today (me moan?) but I must admit that I do like the new shelving. It is not as wide or industrial looking as the previous shelving that I bought. I was always disappointed with it but once up, there was nothing I could do but live with it.

I felt a twit this afternoon when I was clambering around in the woods opposite our house, trying to reach the privet leaves that are remaining on the one and only bush over there. A lady came up and asked what I was doing. I said "collecting food for my stick insects" but I don't think she understood what I was talking about. Even after all these years I still find it embarrassing. In the end I made my hubby come with me and saw down the branch (small branch but too big for my secateurs to manage). I really couldn't reach it and climbing trees at my age is not very dignified. I kept a lookout to make sure nobody was coming!

When I got back I decided I cannot provide privet for several cages anymore so I made the decision to put all the privet eaters together. It will now be a nightmare to sort them out when orders come in so all the special offers have finished on them for now. The Black Beauty stick insects are still very, very cheap because they are the only ones not in together. I have far too many and they have to go! My super, one day special offers have been a hit over the last week but they will soon end as I won't be around much next week. I am going away for a couple of nights in Bournemouth and as I mentioned before I am looking forward to visiting Monkey World. I can't wait to see my little sponsored Orang-utan Silvestre. I will be sending out orders as usual on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning but I won't be here to post on Thursday or write the blog on Friday. I will then be up in London on the Saturday so Sunday will be spent catching up on emails, sorting orders out and general feeding and cleaning duties in the bug house.

Got to finish now as I am not making a very good job of cooking the dinner whilst writing my blog!


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