Rain, rain everywhere
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 flies sitting on it. Clearly this was not right and I then saw that water had dripped down onto it while we were out and basically shorted it out, even though the UV lights were still lit. I have now ordered a new one as there are fruit flies all over the house.
The show was really good again. I would like it moved a bit nearer to where we live but I must admit it is a very nice venue. If I had a smart hotel I'm not sure I would want to host a tarantula show in it! There were lots of stalls and lots of visitors. It is good to see so many traders from outside the UK, obviously due to the Eurotunnel being nearby. Yes, I went mad as usual and am now suffering the consequences. I have spiders everywhere in my bug room, although they have now all been fed, it will take a couple of weeks to get straight and house them properly. I honestly need to sell some spiders in order to house all the new ones. It has been non-stop all week, I am seeing tarantulas and crickets in my sleep! I have some amazing spiders though and I think every one of them have been captive bred so that's really good. Most are now showing on my website but there are still a few that I need to add. I also got some Land Hermit crabs, I haven't had these for ages, they are just so cute. The trouble is, they are so cute that I hate selling them. The same applies to the Regal Jumping spiders, I think they are my favourite spiders of all time. They are amazingly interactive and constantly turn to look at you. If they don't sell I am happy to keep them!
I did well with my shopping list at the show and got most of the items on it, both for me and for my customers. I think I have enough spiders to keep me going for a year but no doubt I will be tempted into buying more soon. I set up a 10% discount code on the small and juvenile size tarantulas this week but it didn't seem to increase sales. Whatever I do it seems that most people order at the weekends. I know it makes sense but it leaves me rushed off my feet at the beginning of the week and having little to post by Wednesday and Thursday. I would like to come up with something that encourages people to order mid week but if a discount voucher doesn't work, I'm not sure anything will.
Family life continues to be busy. Our 21 year old daughter moved out for what was supposed to be a month but lasted a week, she is returning on Sunday. It is my birthday on Monday so all the family are coming over Sunday afternoon to celebrate. What a horrible day for a birthday, I will be singing the Boom Town Rats' "I don't like Mondays" to myself as I work away. I think my birthday wish will be for dry, sunny weather. I am counting the days until Spring, it is 47, doesn't sound too bad if you say it fast (it is quite a while really). I was very good and resisted the urge to buy any new 'leaf eating' bugs at the show. There were some very nice stick insects but the bramble won't re-grow until April so I will refrain until then. I already have quite a few Giant Spiny stick insects that are eating a jar of bramble a day. Hopefully my Horse-head grasshoppers and Leaf insect eggs will hatch in the Spring, that's the plan.
Well I had better get on with it all. Can't sit around here all day! I do tend to refer to my blog as my "weekly whinge" but people still tell me how much they like reading it so based on that I will keep going.