Happy New Year

Happy New Year Everybody! Sorry that the blog is a couple of days late, as you can imagine after two weeks off, things are very busy. I'm not sure why but after Christmas is always a very busy time. I have had loads of orders come in this last week, which is brilliant considering the current financial climate. Talking of climates though, I cannot believe how cold it is. I postponed my posting from Thursday until this Monday and the forecast was for much more mild weather but looking out of my office window now, everywhere is still frozen. Unfortunately I heard yesterday that my local post office was flooded out, I assume pipes had burst as the fire brigade and police were called. I really hope it is open again tomorrow or I will have to go to another one with my sacks of parcels. The people in my post office are lovely I do hope that things aren't too bad and that they are adequately insured.

Everything is going well in my bug house, no problems over Christmas. One of my customers has 'leant' me his Mexican Red Knee male spider. I have housed him in a tank within Stephanie's tank (my huge Mexican Red Knee female). I have let him out several times over the holiday period and watched patiently but they don't seem at all interested in each other. They both plod around the tank in opposite directions or the male climbs the sides. I would probably leave them together over night if they were both mine but I don't want “Chris” the male spider to get eaten. I would feel terrible if anything happened to him, it's bad enough when it's my own male that gets eaten. I have a few male tarantulas at the moment but sadly no corresponding adult females. The Chile Beauty male is bright red and really fluffy, I think he is one of the prettiest spiders that I have ever seen but sadly I don't have a mate for him.

Collecting bramble is no fun at the moment, it's so cold over in the fields. I always try not to draw attention to myself when I'm snipping bits of bramble, it is very difficult to explain to people what you are doing. I planted a lot of bramble at the bottom of my garden last year, hopefully it will start to grow in the spring. I know it sounds daft but I actually don't find that bramble is easy to grow. It needs constantly watering and for some reason it is often covered in greenfly. It also seems very slow to grow.

I must just mention that I will be going on holiday at the end of the month. My husband and I are going to Mauritius for two weeks. The holiday is to celebrate both of our 50th birthdays, mine in February and his in March. Our wonderful son is paying for it (there is far more money in computing than breeding bugs!) My long suffering mother in-law will be moving in to care for our teenage daughter and our daughter Georgie will be in charge of the bugs. It seems extremely odd going on holiday in the winter, we always holiday in the summer. My inclination is to pack jumpers and gloves but I'm assured they are not necessary - sunshine and warmth - bliss!