I've just been checking my emails. I'm no pedant but there really in no excuse for the following email, which has been sent to over 1000 people.
I couldn't help it, I don't know what came over me.
Did I tell you about Freecycle? It's an online community group that offers up things that people don't want anymore, if you want that thing, you respond to the 'offerers' email and go round and collect the item.
Oh my God.
As you may be aware, I belong to a 'virtual' community called Freecycle. The aim of Freecycle to to pass on unwanted, but still serviceable items to the people that can make use of them. Got a fridge you are replacing that is too good for the tip - Freecycle. Got some wicker baskets you don't know what to do with - Freecycle. you can also place Wanted ads there. I've been lucky enough to have been given (for only the price of my petrol to collect the item) clothes for fancy dress costumes, a knitting machine, skipping ropes, an ansafone, coat hangers and a light weight wardrobe. In the main, it is a lovely community. However, and you knew it was coming, here is the creepiest ad I've seen so far ..... et la......
Any mums-to-be need an inflatable birth pool for a home birth?
EUWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW
This is Little Fink dressed up ready to go to school on Friday. the school combined the idea of raising money for Red Nose Day and the culmination of Science Week by encouraging the children to dress up as Mad Professors for sponsorship (and fun). I managed to get hold of a genuine lab coat from a kind Lab Tech Freecycler, daddy's Bugs Bunny tie, the Dennis The Menace wig from nearly 10 years ago and a few accessories and she really looked the part! Well done.
Long time no Blog?
We've been really busy entertaining Asterix and the Silver Surfer (Mr Finks mum and her hubby). We had a smashing game of poker, where Mr Fink beat me good and proper and the Silver Surfer beat Mr Fink!
We've also been worrying about Little Fink's schooling, which school should she go to when she is 11? It's 3 years away but if we were to take a drastic step like, move house, we would need to start planning it now.
We had a little look round the area of one of the schools we think is OK and came to realise, we like Chez Fink a lot! It got me cleaning everything and chucking out all the stuff we don't need. In between this mass tidy up, helped my Mr Fink and Little Fink, we took time out to make a movie. It was about Pirates, Little Fink wrote the script, directed, held the camera and had us in hysterics! Oh the fun we have.
I did however feel like I was being made a fool of. I was blitzing Little Fink's room and chucking out a load of her clothes, putting things away when I asked her to get under the cabin bed and pull the hidden clothes out for me. She did that and when i looked round a few minutes later, I looked round and, instead of helping ME tidy HER room, she was lying on a cushion reading the Beano!!!!! Argh. So I gave her a piece of my mind and she scarpered.
Hey Ho!
Little Fink is off with Nanny and Shouty Grandad in the Camper. She has been given a mobile phone to keep in contact - I knew i should have taken shares in Virginmobile! All is quiet here, I'm getting loads done and having a good clear out. Freecycle is a god send for getting rid of stuff you don't want, cant be bothered to sell but don't want to put in the bin.
The rabbits are fine - i think they are going to be ok, they are sitting together but not at the grooming stage, Mr Chips is still trying to mount Billie all the time but she is now declining his attempts and runs off, she is not aggressive but not putting up with any of his nonsense either! My bunny mentor, Agatha tells me this is a healthy sign and is just Mr Chips showing his dominance and Billie showing her submissiveness. All good there then. The next step is getting her to tolerate my presence. I think I may have to sit in the run for an hour or something!
I've been uploading our family snaps onto Flickr while I have some free time. I've done 2000, 2001 and 2002! Isn't it lovely to look back to when the children were little? So sweet.
I think I'll go to the gym again today. Just need to work out a program of exercise - cant find anything detailed enough on the web?? I've cracked smoking, I've cracked drinking, now for the weight loss. Look out gym, here I come.
I have been reading up on how to keep a happy bunny. As you may know, we acquired a big black rabbit from Freecycle in Nov 2006. We were allowed, by Mr Fink, to have a rabbit one one condition - that it was not kept in a cage - Mr Fink does not like animals in cages.
So Mr Chips, the big black bunny lives his life freerange on our garden. He has eaten all the flowers and manages to keep the lawn grass short (but not under the climbing frame for some reason??).
According to the Rabbit Welfare Society, one of the most important things a rabbit needs for his wellbeing and mental health is a companion. Rabbits are social creatures and not made for solitude. Many people put a guinea pig with a bunny for company but this is not idea for reasons of health (guinea pigs need daily vitimin C, rabbits do not) and safety - the bunny might just get 'too friendly' with the guinea pig and do it an injury. So, being a responsible bunny owner, I have been reading up on what I need to do to get Mr Chips a pal.
According to the leaflet - and this is all true - the bunnies need to be neutered and to meet on neutral ground, the leaflet suggests placing both rabbits in a confined space which has neither rabbits smell on. They suggest the bathtub. (the regular followers of this blog will remember - as will BigMac! that we had the bath removed last Summer). They also suggest that when the bunnies are used to each others company, to get them to bond, they should be placed together in a situation of mild peril! The leaflet suggest placing both rabbits in a carrier and taking them for a drive in the car. The unfamiliar surrounds, noise and motion will encourage the rabbits to huddle together for mutual comfort and bond as buddies for ever. Imagine the scene, me driving round in a bright green car, rabbits in a box in the back, stopped by the Police, "Good Evening madam, might I enquire as to your business being out on a night like this?". I can see him getting the straight jacket out of the car as I reply, "Do you mind officer, I'm in the middle of the delicate process of 'bunny-bonding."
The officer will say, "I thought she made a New Year's resolution to be more sensible this year." As they lock me up and throw away the key.
Click the link above to be driven completely mad, once you've heard it you won't forget it. (thanks to Mr & Mrs (Philious) Fogg - they travel A LOT, for the link)
Right, Little Fink belongs to 'baby' St John Ambulance, they call them 'Badgers'. They work towards badges, go for days out (last year they had a sleep over at the natural history museum but Little Fink was not old enough to go) and learn first aid.
Little Fink has been going for 2 and a half years now!!!! The first night she came home, she wrapped her dad in bandages and put sticky plasters all over his head!
This week was their annual presentation, they practised their drill and marched into the room, dressed right and stood to attention. Little Fink was awarded with 4 badges, her silver paw award and 'Most Caring Badger' in her sett. She also gained her 'Follow Me' epaulettes, this means the little ones can look up to her for help and guidance. I was so proud. The ladies that run this are smashing and deserve all praise. Hats off to them.
On a lighter note - another 'peach' from freecycle...I don't know about you but this ad. kind of turned my stomach - a case of a little too much information! (the next day there was a post to say the item had been collected. Good Grief.
"Hemel Freecycle offered - tena comfort mini extra - 26 packs of 21 pads. no longer required. progressed to larger pads!!!"
I belong to an online community called "Freecycle". It's aim is to keep perfectly serviceable items out of landfill by offering them to others for free. Anything can pop up. Curtains, wardrobes, cutlery, kids clothes, games, sometimes even computers and old cars. You join your 'local' network (to cut down on carbon emissions by driving to pick up the goods), I'm a member of Hemel and St Albans groups. From the Hemel groups I have picked up items for fancy dress, a knitting machine and various other bits. The St Albans group is of a slightly different calibre, on Sunday I collected an Espresso machine! and today, the following was posted...
[StAlbansfreecycle] OFFER- 6 wooden moroccan soup spoons
i bought these on holiday a while back. they are small wooden ladle-style soup spoons bought at a local souk. if you have been to marakesh you will know what i am talking about.
Pretentious?
(to join freecycle, just type freecycle into your search engine, choose your location and wey hey
)
Ah the poor bunny, after the torrential rain (and snow) we had at the weekend, I was feeling sorry for RabbitFink, he was absolutely soaking this morning when I went out to feed him. I resolved to make some dry places in the garden to make life a bit more comfortable for him.