What a change in the weather! This time last week I was setting off for Chessington World of Adventures with 7 adults and 10 kids from my family. We had a great day and basked in 23c sunshine, we were in tee shirts. This week has been freezing (literally). Oh well at least it is nearly Christmas according my local Tesco (doubles as a post office, where I send all my parcels from). I went in yesterday and there was a banner across the door saying 'Merry Christmas' and the place is decked out with decorations everywhere. Most bizarre I thought?
Not much to report on the bug front but I have been working away on the website. I am determined to improve it, I just wish I were more technically minded. However as I do change bits and pieces I realise how limited the actual website program is. My web guy is great but there is only so much he can alter within the confines of the program. This could of course be rectified by spending a few thousand pounds on having my own website built for me but unless I win the lottery this isn't going to happen (let's face it if I win the lottery I'm giving up and moving somewhere warmer with lots of wild exotic bugs to play with, may have to leave the family behind though as they don't like bugs or hot weather).
I am working away putting a little personal information on a tarantula species each day. I have put this task on my daily tick list, you know how I like lists, they keep me motivated. I have updated the 'Notes for visitors' on the site banner and set up a 10% discount code for anyone collecting from me during November. You don't have to order via the website to get discount, you can just turn up and pay cash. Hopefully this will entice people to come and see me. My hubby's new job seems to be going ok but he will be away training a lot until the end of February. All my animals are great but it is a bit of a one way conversation!
I have slightly re-worded the home page, a couple of things were outdated e.g. I have given up on the Open Afternoon idea and I am phasing out beetles rather than promoting them as pet of the year (that's what it said). I still think the fruit beetles are stunning but they do not sell at all as mixed adults and that's exactly what I end up with. At the moment I have just one or two of several species, they hatch at such varying rates and drive me nuts.
I'm pleased I decided to just post orders on Mondays and Thursday, it has freed up some time and made things clearer for my customers. I'm sure I will add in more days after Christmas but this is always a slow time for orders. My theory is that most people buy the bugs for themselves and people don't have the money to spend on themselves at this time of year, plus all the schools, colleges and universities don't want new stock before closing down for the Christmas holidays.
I do have a lot animals at the moment. I hope to cut down a bit or I will be spending a great deal of time in my bug room over Christmas and New Year. Look out for special offers on my website! You can always ask if I can do something a little cheaper. I hate haggling but with email it is really just a case of me checking records to see how much I paid for an animal and how long I have had it. I may say no but I often say yes. Again though, a limitation of my current website means that if I reduce the price of an item it is available for all to buy so you need to then order it quickly. If not 'your' reduced item may be snapped up by someone else, it has happened!
Right that's it for another week. I am off to West London where I used to live, and the park where we have a memorial bench and beautiful sweet chestnut tree for my mum. It has been Chinese whispers this week, an old neighbour told my sister that the wooden slats of the bench have been damaged by vandals and then my brother in-law was sent down to check and says the metal support on one end of the bench looks like it 'has been crashed into by a tractor'. I just hope the memorial plaque is still intact, I'm sure we can get the bench mended. I will have my trusty iPhone to take photographic evidence. Just noticed the sun has come out, great as it was pouring when I started this blog. Better get out quickly but I don't think it will be tee shirt weather today.
Halloween was extra special this year as we were at Chessington celebrating my niece's 40th birthday and then had a party with plenty of dressing up later (I wasn't allowed to bring anything live along). I hope you all had a good time too with your creepy crawly friends and family.
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