(2xA) + M =

This is what happens when you mix two As and an M:
There is a lot of preening,some silly faces,more preening,silly dancing,crazy dancing,more preening,ballroom dancing.... oh, wait!,a little bit of ventriloquism,sisters,and best friends.Most of all, you get fun!

Lunch And A Camel

Mum and I went for lunch with Lorraine yesterday. We headed up the A66 to Mainsgill Farm. They have a nice little tea room there, a farm shop and a gift shop. I'd been there once before when June was staying with us. Beth and Maureen came with us that time too.

We had our lunch, chatted then browsed the shops..... We may have purchased the odd bits and pieces too.
Mum and Lorraine posing in front of the herd of bale sheep. It was pretty windy up there as you can see. It is in a quite exposed location.

Mum and I then checked out the animals:

Some chickens....some cows........

buba donkey (there was a mama donkey too) and llamas........alpacas......and a camel!!Brilliant!!

Speaking of wildlife, I've just been watching a little creature feeding at the bird feeder. I couldn't work out what kind of bird it was at first then I realised........ it was a mouse! The poor birds can't catch a break! The feeder is 'squirrel proof' (I put that in inverted commas because that is debatable anyway!) but I don't think that there is a way that we can make it mouse proof.

Choketastic

It is amazing how a sporting event can affect your mood so greatly.

Darlington lost today. 5-2. We did win last week against Burton Albion but apparently two wins in a row would just be too much. But wouldn't you know, I've actually become accustomed to losing. It really doesn't phase me any more. 5-2? Well, at least we only lost by 3 goals. It could've been worse. Much worse probably. I've seen us play.

Ok, that was slightly unfair. We don't tend to play too badly and usually we just cannot catch a break. The ball does everything but go across the line and into the net. I doubt that that was how it was today. I don't know, it was played in Chesterfield. I didn't go to Chesterfield. I suppose I could have gone. I'm pretty glad I didn't go having seen the result. Hindsight is a brilliant thing.

It wasn't totally a bad day.

In fact, it was a pretty stinking amazing day. Like I said, where Darlo is concerned defeat no longer phases me.

There was another sporting event occuring today but it wasn't a football match (well, you know, apart from all the football matches!). I'm talking rugby here, baby. Scotland played Australia (which I can never spell correctly btw). You should know this: Australia are very good at rugby. Scotland are not. Maybe I should say not so good. They're ok, nothing amazing.

Do you get the picture? Australia were meant to beat Scotland but nobody told the Scotland players that! They defended like crazy. Scotland hardly had any of the ball but the Australians just couldn't break them down. They came close, ok, very close - there were two visits to the fourth official for video confirmation of Australian tries.... or non tries as it turned out, and they even touched down but from a forward throw which is not allowed. They also missed a penalty, a drop goal and most importantly a conversion. I'll come back to that!

Scotland took their limited chances and scored two penalties and a drop goal. I was literally on the edge of my seat for the last 10 minutes of the game. It was so tense. Especially the last two minutes - Australia were hugging that try line for what seemed like forever. They did score a try in overtime. I hate overtime. That left the score at 9-8 to Scotland and Australia still had their conversion to get some points from.

I think everyone thought that it was over. Scotland had put up a good fight but Australia got the win in the dying seconds.

I was standing in the middle of the room, repeatedly chanting, 'Miss it, miss it, miss it, miss it.'

Well, you'll never believe it, folks. He did miss it. HE MISSED IT! That was the last kick of the game and it was Australia's chance to WIN. HE MISSED IT! He completely choked. As one of my school friends has written he was 'choketastic'!!

I let out the biggest scream that I possibly could and ran upstairs to where my Dad was also watching the match. Yes, we were watching it in different rooms but he was switching channels and I was watching Strictly Come Dancing on iPlayer on my laptop at the same time as watching the game.

Anyway, we must have been loud because Hattie even came to see what the commotion was all about. Hattie is all but deaf, by the way. She probably thought that we were crazy.

I felt quite giddy after that result. It was so unexpected and it looked like it just wasn't going to be right at the very end.

Seriously, it does amaze me how much effect sport can have you your mood. I feel pretty good tonight!

A Hamish Update

**Update 2: Hamish is still in Vienna but has been moved to a different cache. At least I know that when I next visit Sophie we'll have some caches to find!**

*Update: Hamish has already moved on! Can't wait to see where he turns up next!*


It has been a little while since I've heard any news of my little travel bug, Hamish. The last time I knew of his whereabouts he was at Zurich Airport in Switzerland. Someone picked him up there and said that they were taking him eastwards. It turns out that eastwards is........

Have you guessed yet? One of you should have at least!

Now??

?

?

VIENNA!!!!!

I am so super excited by this! Vienna is where my lovely, lovely penpal Sophie currently lives.I love her. She's fab! But if she didn't realise where Hamish is from the photos then shame on her! Just kidding! xxx

I'm sure that Hamish will have a wonderful time in Vienna. Maybe he'll visit the Christmas market which is something I'd really love to do. I'm not at all jealous.........

House Guest

We have a guest staying with us this weekend. He is very sweet and well behaved and his name is Mr Bingley.

Did I mention he is a hamster?And a cute one at that?

This little fellow belongs to Sophie and since she was away this weekend, I have the honour of taking care of him for a few days. Mr Bingley has only been at his new home with Sophie for a week so he is still a little nervous but did I mention how stinking adorable he is!We have been waking him up and handling him a quite a lot so I think he is getting used to us a little. I'm sure that he'll be relieved when he goes home and has some peace and quiet.

Here is a note that he sent to his mama that I think proves my point:

Mum,

how could you leave me here? It is less like a hotel and more like bootcamp! They wake me up at all hours of the day and manhandle me. I was very nervous and shaky at first but I'm a bit more confident now. They did give me a bit of pear which I loved. I've been getting them back for waking me up by running riot and keeping them on their toes. They can hardly keep up! Can't wait to see you!

Mr B xPoor Phembo isn't all too sure about this arrangement. She thinks my hands smell funny cos I've been handling Mr. Bingley. She's not used to sharing me!!
But who could be mad at this wee man? I'm sure that she'd be fine with him once she got to know him. Well, either that or one would kill the other, you know, cos they're hamsters! Don't ever put two syrian hamsters together because there are only two outcomes: hundreds and thousands of teeny, tiny hamsters or one hamster. Either way, not good!

I've really enjoyed getting to know Mr Bingley. I'm hoping I get the chance to look after him again sometime soon!Such a sweet face!

Remember, Remember

the 5th of November,

Gunpowder, treason and plot,

I see no reason why gunpowder treason should ever be forgot.

Tonight is Bonfire Night. The fireworks are lighting up the sky already. This is my first Bonfire Night for two years and actually I'm not celebrating it tonight at all!

That's because the Darlington bonfire and fireworks display was last Saturday. It seemed to me like it should have been on this Saturday coming up because it is closer to 5th November but apparently they are always on the last Saturday in October.

The town fireworks were really good. There was a 'space' theme so all the music was to do with space. Duh! They even had a big white balloon (a bit like a mini hot air balloon) that lit up at one point and rose up. It was meant to be the moon. Super cute.

I didn't get great pics cos I just used my phone and I don't have a phone with a 12.1 Mega Pixels (or whatever the stupid amount is that James' has!) camera but behind Simon, Anthony and Lorraine is the bonfire.I had a blast with Sarah. We giggled and swayed through the entire display. What a monkey Bethan is!Abi and Bethan. There was a whole bunch of us there from church but these were the only photos I got.Aren't they wonderful! Darlington really outdid themselves this year. Can you see the 'moon' at the bottom of the photo?

If you don't know what Bonfire Night is, it is a commemoration (for want of a better word!) of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 where a group of men, including Guy Fawkes, tried to assassinate the king, James I/VI (He was king of both England (I) and Scotland (VI)) by blowing up the Houses of Parliament. The conspirators wanted a catholic monarch. Their plot was discovered and they didn't get to light the gunpowder that they had amassed in the basement of Parliament. The most famous conspirator was Guy Fawkes and sometimes people burn a 'Guy' on their bonfires. Bonfire Night is sometimes called Guy Fawkes Night.

It is a little strange to celebrate such an event but I guess we are celebrating it not happening?

Now it is just fun really. All that was missing from my Bonfire Night was a toffee apple!