Snow again!
Snow again! I couldn't believe that everywhere was white on Monday morning. High Wycombe got a mention on the national weather as having '4" of snowfall overnight'. It is no joke with all the hills around here, I need a four wheel drive car but sadly I can't afford one! I have been very busy preparing for the bug move. My hubby has been working all week (his proper job) so he hasn't been able to work on the new bug room but I have been planning what I should and shouldn't keep. I am still hoping that everything will make the move but even if all the bugs do, some of my glass tanks are far too large and will definitely have to go. I was desperate to get out on Monday despite the snow, as I had arranged to sell all my Horse-head grasshoppers and adult stick insects at a knock down price to a reptile dealer friend in West London. Thankfully I managed to get there in one piece but I ended up swapping them for some new scorpions, more stock! Still, scorpions take up a lot less space and certainly sell better. I love the cute Horse-head grasshoppers, they have amazing little faces but I don't think I have sold any in weeks. They make no business sense at all, much the same as the stick insects really. I love stick insects too and they were once my main business but these days I sell too few to make a profit on the more common species. I needed bramble on Monday, not least to pack the grasshoppers and stick insects. I felt extremely sorry for myself as I set off in my welly boots and thick jacket to literally pull bramble out from beneath the snow. To add insult to injury as I leant forward below a bush, a huge blob of snow slid down the back of my jacket. I hate snow, I hate the cold!
It has been a very busy week, lots of orders (thank you), things coming and going constantly. I got some new millipedes a couple of days ago. Sadly the Giant Train millipedes are not as large as I had hoped, they are about half grown so a fair size but not the usual giants. I have now ordered in fifty adults, they should arrive at the beginning of April. It's just so sad that they are always wild caught, if only someone could get them breeding. I am ever hopeful but in the mean time I have to rely on wild caught specimens as they are such popular pets.
Next week will be busy as I have my nephew's three children for most of half term. It may actually be for four of the five days (hopefully only three). My hubby has taken some days off work to get the bug room ready, so he will certainly be roped in for some of the time. I cannot keep three lovely but lively kids (9, 6 and 4) cooped up all week so we will be out and about quite a bit. I'm not sure how I will fit my work in. The bugs alone take a lot of time in general maintenance, then there are all the emails and packing/posting orders. Never a dull moment in my life, the following weekend I am off to see the X-Factor tour at Wembley (a competition win) and also help our son move (yes again).
I am so excited about the bug move. The thought of all my little friends in the room next to my office is brilliant. No more traipsing up the garden laden with heavy boxes and buckets of water, no more running in to catch the postman at the door, I can just pop in and sort bits out whenever I like. Oh bliss - and if everything would stop getting in the way I think we could have the room ready in a couple of weeks. I went to look at flooring this week. I'm thinking vinyl is probably best but it's a bit cold so I may go for a flat carpet (not sure what you call a flat carpet, short pile?). The kitchen guy is coming today to finish moving the appliances from the soon to be bug room, into the kitchen/diner. It's a good job I have plenty of orders, it is certainly not cheap all this work but it is definitely necessary and I'm sure it will make life much simpler in the long run.
Just a couple of other things before I go and get dressed (it is still only 7.15am, the kitchen guy said he would be here at 8am). Firstly I still hope to have some more Horse-head grasshoppers from all the eggs laid in the tank. I had to let all my Peruvian Fern stick insects go before the Winter set in but I expected to get some more in the Spring. I couldn't bear to go through the same as last year trying to find ferns to feed them and then ending up spending a fortune on ferns from the garden centre when the ones in the garden had died down. However I am now not sure if anyone else is still keeping them? They are beautiful stick insects, it's just a shame that they don't feed on bramble. I have finally put some earrings and book marks on my website. I bought them at the tarantula show last month and my hubby photographed them all for me but I couldn't find the time needed to enter them on the website. I initially bought myself a few pairs (I love dangly earrings, especially with bugs on them) and then I thought "why not re-sell them on my site". They are lovely; spiders, lizards, snails, bats, cobwebs etc. If they sell well I can get more, they are inexpensive and great fun for yourself or as a present.
Right must get on with the day ahead! Hopefully you will see a photo of the new bug room accompanying this blog (Yes, it worked but you will need to click on 'View Blog' and then 'read more' to see it)