Farewell Little Friend

Moonshine the hamster will very large testicles had to be put to sleep on Wednesday. He had been going down hill for a while and on Tuesday night was so swollen around his tummy that he could not get through the tubes that linked the various parts of his cage. He was distressed and so we agreed to take him to the vet to see if anything could be done. He was over two years old and it seems he had some tumours in his stomach. The vet told us the best thing for Moonshine was to put him to sleep and this she did. Mrs BW bought a rose called Moonlight and he is buried in the garden. The rose is white and very scented.

So farewell little friend. We will miss you as you kept both Mrs BW and I company during our occasional late night stints in front of the computer, entertaining us with your antics on your wheel and coming up to the bars of the cage to have a look at what we were up to, or running around the desk or trying to hide down the side of the sofa.

Now his cages sit on the side table clean, empty and silent.

Read the Instructions!

By 5.10pm I had had enough of e-mails, text messages and people wanting funding. And anyway there was a little puppy dog that needed walking. Mrs BW had gone off to her course at the Uni, so the rest of us were left to our own devices. Thinking ahead earlier in the day, I had popped into Waitrose during my lunch break (well you never know who is reading this) and purchased a ready made Cumberland Pie. Life doesn't get much simpler. The Weasel decided that she did not want to come with the Munch, Lilly and I, preferring to watch some crap on the tele, so I said that was okay but that she would have to cook tea while we were out. I explained that this was not as complicated as it sounded and involved her basically putting the Pie on 190 for forty five minutes. Anyway I added, the instructions were on the box.

Lilly had a wonderful time in Grinlow Woods. There were a few other dogs to bark at, hide from and sniff and of course the attached (or in most cases unattached)owners. It was good to be out watching her explore and feel the stresses of the day peel away.

Back home the house was filled with the smell of hot Cumberland Pie, the table was laid and the Weasel, clearly pleased with her efforts was quick to chivy us into our places. She brought the pie out and grandly placed it on the table.

"Well I think I have done a really good job with this" she started. The Munch muttered something about only having to take it out of the box and put it in the oven, but the Weasel ignored him and went on " I have timed it all perfectly, its been in the oven for 25 minutes so it will be nice and hot and just right."

"Did you say 25 minutes" I snapped at her. In the background the Munch sniggered to himself.

"Yes. Like you said. Put it in for 25 minutes"

"Idiot. Its 45 minutes. 45 at 190. Not 25 minutes. Are you trying to poison us?"

"Where do you get 45 from anyway?" She had gone defensive and a little defiant.

"It says so on the box, like I told you."

"No it doesn't!" brave but even she was not convinced by her argument.

I fished the box out from the bin (It should have been in the recycling, but I let that one go) "There 45 minutes! It says so clearly"

The pie went back in the oven. Our tea and the Weasels cooking career on temporary hold.

Meet Lilly Rose

Master of all she surveys? Hopefully not.



Out in Grinlow woods yesterday.



Not long after we got her.

The Curlews are back

Well one at least. I heard, then saw one this morning at about 7.20am as I was returning to the car with Mrs BW, the Munch and Lilly our Border Collie pup (more later). I was excited and so was Lilly but maybe not at that moment for the same reason. Well of course I had been excited with Lilly as it was her first time out after the inoculations, but just at that moment when I heard the curlew, I sort of felt all tingly, as if the world was suddenly an okay sort of place again. The curlew looked as if it had been flying for a long time and it called mournfully as it flew overhead and then dropped into Wildsmoorstone. Its the first sign that Winter is moving away. I got home and bumped into the Weasel who had decided that staying in bed for that little bit longer was a better idea than traipsing round the Goyt. "Hey guess what I saw...A curlew, its the first one of the year, isn't that exciting!" Of course I knew as I said it that my enthusiasm was going to fall on stony ground. She looked at me. "There's something wrong with you dad, you're sad" and of course she is right,I probably am. Anyway Mrs BW and Lilly were interested.