Never a dull moment!

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 European breeder and they will be here in just over a week. Am I mad? probably. Especially as my new year's resolution was "Don't overwhelm yourself with bugs to look after". At least sales have been good this week so they are going out as well as coming in.

Sadly we didn't get away for our overnight break in London last Friday as the boiler broke down and we ended up waiting in for a plumber. It took two plumbers, two days and £325 to fix it. I was not a happy bunny, we missed the party and sat around freezing all evening. I kept going in the bug room to warm up! Talking of heat, one of the reasons for moving the bugs into the house was to try and reduce our energy bills. It appears to have worked as our latest bill shows us significantly in credit, a situation that has never occurred at this time of year. We generally get a letter saying that the monthly direct debit is going up but this month I got notification that it is going down - brilliant!

The weather is still fairly mild, especially for January but I have noticed that some areas of my bug room are just not working. I have several glass tanks under a work surface but whatever I do I don't seem to be able to maintain a constant heat. During the day both heat mats and lights are on but at night the lights go off on a timer and the heat mats just cannot cope. It looks like I will have to spend some time emptying the tanks and relocating the occupants this weekend. It's a real shame because there is nowhere else to put the tanks. They are full of soil as they house various crickets and beetles and are very heavy. The beetles will be fine in plastic boxes but the crickets jump out as soon as I open the lid. I would like to put them in my lovely Exo Terre vivariums but there are gaps around the door that the tiny nymphs would escape through. Dilemmas, dilemmas and it looks like I will just have to throw the glass tanks away because I have nowhere to store them.

My website guy is always as busy as me and goodness knows when or even if he will ever do my upgrade (was going to be finished by August 2013). I'm not bothered as there would be new 'things' to learn and you all know by now that I just don't do technology (unless I'm forced into it). He did sort out a few bits that I asked him to do before Christmas and I am really pleased with the fact that I can now easily see the notes that I sometimes put on my database. The notes show up when an order appears on my system. I knew it would be an advantage but I didn't realise how much. The notes are attached to a customer, don't panic they are almost always favourable. I like to make a note when someone sends a nice email, birthdays, general bits and pieces, names of family members when a customer has called here. I don't have many notes at the moment but now that I can clearly see them I intend to write more. I have lists for everything, this is just an extension of my list writing habit. Only very occasionally are the notes not favourable as is the case with the unpleasant man who sent me a horrible email on Christmas day. I will spare you the details but he even tried to claim his money back from PayPal, obviously the case was settled in my favour as his claims were ridiculous, the notes on him point out that I would never want to deal with him again. Most of my customers are lovely but I really take it to heart when someone is so unpleasant and unfair. I read a comment in the paper this morning "Why do sensitive people go near the moron-infested internet?" It struck a chord, I don't do forums because I know I'm over sensitive. These people would never be so vile face to face and if they were I could probably deal with it far better because I would be able to see them for what they are. My husband, son and daughter are much less sensitive than me. They were all with me on Christmas day when I opened the offending email on my phone. My hubby sent a reply simply saying "get a life", after a lovely day and quite a few drinks, his reply could have been so much worse!

I hope everyone has a nice weekend, despite the weather. Hubby has plans to put up my new greenhouse, fingers crossed it stops raining. He will have plenty of help as my nephew is taking his wife away for her birthday so we have the three kids (which we love, they are like grandchildren to us).

I am once again attempting to learn French. My daughter found a brilliant app and put it on my iPad. I do a little every day, it is great fun. I love my iPad, it was a great Christmas present.