Virginia Cheeseman Blog

Rain, rain everywhere, will this rain ever stop? I know it is better than snow and ice but it is just so depressing. It seems every time I step out of the house I get wet. I don't even need to step outside! We cannot attempt to fix the bug room roof until the drier weather so I just have to put up with water dripping through in several places along the gully in the flat roof. The trouble is that it comes in at different times, in different places. Last Sunday we went to the Kent tarantula show (it was raining when we arrived and when we left) and there was a terrible burning smell in my bug room when we got back. We searched the room and moved loads of boxes and cages but couldn't work out what was wrong or where the smell was actually coming from (just what we needed after being out all day and loaded down with boxes of new stock). It was certainly an electrical burning smell but the smoke alarm wasn't going off. In the end I realised that my electric bug zapper had live...

Calm before the storm? I have been frantically trying to get everything sorted this week, trying to get my paperwork down to a manageable level, making sure everything is fed and everywhere is as clean and tidy as it can be. The reason for all this activity is that I have a huge number of new bugs and beasts coming in this weekend. I am going to a bug show and have already pre-ordered way too many spiders and of course I will be looking out for many requested creatures at the show. I am seriously concerned about having the time to sort it all out next week. I need to invest in some new fruit beetles, they really are the 'in thing' at the moment and I am doing very well with them. My New Year's Resolution keeps echoing through my head "don't overwhelm yourself with too many bugs to look after", the trouble is the opportunity to buy such great stock doesn't come up that often. I am fed up with buying through the post as our postal deliveries are ...

Never a dull moment! Honestly I don't seem to ever stop, it isn't just work and the animals it's my life in general. I obviously cram too much in! I am starting this blog a day early as I just know I won't have the time tomorrow but as it is Thursday I need to collect my nephew's kids from school in half an hour (oh bliss, it is pouring again). I did attempt to start the blog after lunch but then a parcel of beetles and stick insects arrived so I have been sorting them out. I really need some more leaf litter from the woods but it just keeps raining! I went over this morning and collected bramble and ivy for my new stick insects but didn't have time to go right into the woods for the leaf litter. Tomorrow I have some spiderlings arriving, it is certainly all go. I am selling my tarantulas at 15% off for the next few days, even the ones that are already reduced. The reason for this is that I need to make space as I have ordered a huge number of spiders from a E...

Oh dear, New Year, same problem, no time! One of my nephew's daughters has been unwell this week and therefore great aunty Ginny (or 'aunty Ginny who is great', as I prefer) has had a little helper. The week started off so well, I soon caught up on my emails and posted off all orders that had been placed over the festive break but since then, everything has become a frenzy of jobs that need doing. I have begun restocking and yesterday collected some new scorpions and adult tarantulas. I have ordered some spiderlings that will be with me next week and there are lots of things on the horizon. The weather is still pretty good here for the time of year so I have had no problems with posting orders. I have now entered the details of the 72+ hour heat packs onto the website but whenever anyone asks my opinion I would always wait for the better weather before ordering from outside the UK. Almost everything arrives ok but I am not a risk taker. I spent most of last weekend get...

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a good Christmas. We had a very nice time at our son's house and even stayed over until Boxing day. A rare treat as I don't like to leave the animals (the dog came with us). All the bugs are doing well, I have certainly had more time to tend to them all and having them indoors this Christmas has made a huge difference. I can simply pop in and out of the bug room rather than finding appropriate shoes and jacket to traipse down to the bug house at the bottom of the garden. It has made me realise that I must stop both buying and holding onto so much stock. Although stocks seem low now (I was actively trying to cut down before Christmas) I actually feel that I have just about the right number of bugs and spiders to care for. I will be restocking in January but I think I need to take care as I often find myself overwhelmed by the daily needs of the animals and have little time for anything else. Obviously I get paid nothing for this time, I do n...