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Better late than never

Better late than never. I didn't get a chance to write my blog yesterday as I had my nephew's girls. It has been a busy half term week with the kids and work. I am trying to cut down on stock for the winter but I just couldn't resist getting in some Imperial scorpions and Rhinoceros beetle larvae. Neither of these are available very often and both are stunning bugs. Halloween was fun on Thursday. We had a family party as it was also my niece's birthday. Sadly, real life bugs were banned but I did get to wear my various spider jewellery and took an inflatable tarantula with me that the kids enjoyed. I'm thinking of having a Halloween party of my own next year, real live bugs would be welcome. Perhaps I shouldn't let anyone in who hasn't brought along a creepy crawly pet!

Finally got my Christmas cards sorted, they look so much better than my first attempt. The first ones were awful, I was most grateful to Snapfish for refunding my money. I love taking photos with my iPhone, it would be good to enter some photography competitions. I don't mean the serious ones, I mean the whacky, comic sort. I have the bugs, I have cute kids and I have imagination - I just need the time! Talking of my competitions I have had a few wins recently. The girls and I went to Bekonscot model village yesterday with tickets that I won. It is the oldest model village in the country and only about 15 minutes away from us. I love it but sadly it did rain rather a lot (the BBC website said no rain until the afternoon - fibbers). The girls made some crafty creatures at the Wildlife Trust and RSPB information tables. I take them to so many animal themed events that they recognised the staff on the tables! I now have some very colourful pipe cleaner dragonflies to add to our collection in my office. Last year my hubby and I took the kids to a Woodland Burial park 'fun day'. I was laughed at for suggesting the event as a day out but it was super. The staff arranged every kind of woodland activity from butterfly walks to den building. The kids absolutely loved it, we even ate a picnic under the trees. This week I was at the burial park again but this time my mood was very different. My friend and neighbour was buried there on Monday. She died far too young, from cancer but if you have got to go I cannot imagine a better place to be buried.

It has been a week of ups and downs. My beloved gym has now closed, it was ousted from its home of 15 years and sadly a new premises could not be found. I intend to sign up to a new gym next week but it won't be the same. The gym is my retreat and relaxation, it gets me away from everything at home and is the reason that I 'shut' at 4pm each day. Oh how I hate change! My hubby is off abroad tomorrow for a week with work, if the trip is a success it could certainly herald in more changes. I am going to hide in the bug room and play with all my little friends. I still have plenty of baby snakes needing new homes, just make me an offer (please). I had a regular customer call this week, he was surprised to see how full my bug room was as I had told him about cutting down for the winter. He said it looked like I have more animals than ever. He could have a point. My hubby reckons that I love looking after all the bugs but I don't like parting with them. He definitely has a point, I certainly have a few creatures on the website at inflated prices because as a business they need to be on there but I hope they don't sell (my beautiful Mexican Red Knee tarantula who recently moulted! Just gorgeous).

Lastly my part male/part female Jungle Nymph stick insect has moulted again and now has distinct male and female colouring on various parts of his/her body. It is fascinating and I will certainly take some photos and put them on the blog soon (probably not until hubby gets back as I sadly don't know how to do it, I can take the photos ok but have no idea how to upload them to my website).

Fireworks this week - I love Halloween but hate fireworks, ever since a Jumping Jack leapt into my welly boot as a child (many years ago). I can just about cope with a sparkler!


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