Birthday Card Photo Shoot

Only one week until my holiday, I'm escaping to the sun and hope to see lots of exotic creepy crawlies. I've been very busy in my bug house, I have cleaned so many boxes and tanks this week that my hands are sore (still I did get about three or four tubes/pots of hand cream for Christmas).

I spent some time yesterday afternoon setting up a “photo shoot” for a birthday card idea that I had. Quite a few people buy bugs as birthday presents and I have sent several birthday cards with bugs on them. I have picked up the cards from craft fairs or shops but after the 'success' of my Christmas card with Stephanie the Mexican Red Knee spider, I thought I would try making some. Ok - I won't win any awards but it's a bit of fun. I took loads of photos with my new camera (present from my lovely hubby) and below are my favourite three. I can't decide which one to choose, what do you think? I have numbered them for easy voting. Well, I say I have numbered them, I still don't know how to get the photos onto the computer. I have the camera in my hand and the computer in front of me but can't quite seem to get it right. I did try yesterday but I managed to mess it all up. I ended up with random photos from other files and my photos backwards. Anyway my husband sorted it but he was moaning non stop about how everyone will think I'm nuts. Hey, ask me if I care? It's my blog and I still can't believe how many people read it! Perhaps we are all a bit nuts?

I am very concerned as usual about leaving all my bugs for two weeks. Hopefully Georgie will cope ok. She's at college today but I will show her everything tomorrow. I still have quite a few things to move around, I need to try and put things together that need regular spraying. It sounds simple but some of the boxes and tanks are too heavy for the shelving so they need to be on a table and there is never enough space for everything.

I have had another busy week of sales (thank goodness), I have cut back on my livestock quite a bit since Christmas. I still have far too many spiders but at least they are an animal that can be left ok. The Green Shield praying mantids are looking beautiful now but they take quite a bit of care. I have some fantastic new stick insects which are just maturing, I do hope they survive ok while I'm away.

My biggest panic now is that we got a letter through the door yesterday to say that the electricity board are going to carry out essential work while we are on holiday. The power will be switched off from 9am-3pm on a day that we are away. I just hope that the day is mild and not freezing cold. The bug house is well insulated and I 'think' the heat will stay in for all that time. I bought a generator ages ago but we have never used it. My husband and nephew will be practising with it over the weekend but I hope it won't be necessary. Even if the bugs don't get too cold all the timers will be upset and all the electrical things in the house will need resetting. Oh what a nightmare, why couldn't they do it when we were here and why in the middle of winter!

Hopefully all will go well while I'm away. I'm not sure if I will get time to write my blog next Friday (we fly out to Mauritius on Saturday) but I will try. I had better get my daughter up and off to college now, she doesn't have a class until later so again I have been roped into giving her a lift. It's miles away and pouring with rain, I'm sure I've got better things to do.