My First Blog Post

Hi everyone, I have never written a Blog but it seems like a good idea as lots of people email me and seem interested in what I do, of course if you aren't interested you don't need to read it! I intend to write a new page each week and just say what's been going on with the bugs and life in general. Those of you who already know me personally will know that I never stop moaning so there are bound to be lots of moans in my Blog. I think in this first entry I should tell you a bit more about myself. I hate to mention age but it always crops up. I am 48, I've been married forever (30 years) and I have a son of 29 (moved out ages ago), a daughter of 14 (will probably never move out). I have always loved bugs, but really I love all animals. I seem to especially like the animals that other people have phobias about, spiders, snakes, rats, bats etc.

I always had lots of pets as a child and teenager and then I went to work at the London Butterfly House in Syon Park, Brentford. The park opened in 1980 and I was there from the start, it was a dream job for me, I only worked part time as my son was young. I think it is so sad that the London Butterfly House is to close this Autumn and in it's place will be a huge hotel. I worked at the Butterfly House for a few years and then started up my postal business from home and I've been going ever since. The internet has transformed my business over the last few years, I don't know how I ever managed with paper catalogues and relying on 'snail mail' and the phone. Things haven't changed that much though, I'm still working alone from home and none of my family are remotely interested in bugs, or animals of any sort. I've tried to get them involved but they won't have it. My daughter is even scared of worms, how stupid is that?

Anyway enough about me (for this week), I'm off to the British Tarantula Exhibition this weekend and no doubt I will have some lovely new spiders and other bugs on my site next week. I don't exhibit at shows anymore, I just don't have the time, it is so much nicer to buy new animals and chat to people - yes I love chatting. It is really good to put faces to people that I have only spoken to on the phone or by email. I will have a large name badge on so feel free to introduce yourself. Well I think that's it for now, I don't want to run out of things to say next week- as if!