Weekend Shenanigans...

We've just had a new arts centre open up in Runcorn, Friday was the 'opening night' and we trundled along to see Ian McNabb do his thang.

I've been a fan of his (and the Icicle Works) for about twenty years, but have only got to see him three times... Friday was actually quite good, good acoustics, small venue. Good night. Surprising for Runcorn.

Saturday we went to the arts centre again, to see a comedian, John Bishop. He's a 'local guy made good', and used to go to the same school as Dave, so you know, we had to show willing.

It was like a Friends Reunited party, so many people that Dave recognised from school or just 'hanging round'. Very odd. Bishop was REALLY funny, I was literally crying with laughter a couple of times, if you get a chance, I heartily recommend you go and see him.

And then there was the GeoCaching. I'm turning into a GeoCache nerd, but it's all good stuff. We only got flummoxed on one Cache, an Alice/Carroll one, which we sussed out after we returned home, and are going to go back later in the week to claim.

Great form of exercise, and a good way to ensure two very tired puppies.

WHAT IS THE WORLD COMING TO?..

...I walk my dogs around a local park twice a day, and there are lots of horse chestnut trees all around the park. It doesn't seem too long ago that I would expect to see dozens of little 'uns, throwing sticks up into the trees, trying to dislodge the chestnuts, so that they could go 'conkering'.

I have been dismayed over this last couple of weeks, to see little piles of chestnuts, fallen from the tree, and going to rot on the pathway.


(please excuse the picture quality - it was taken with my phone)

Where are the little, bratty kids? Why don't they want to try and crack each other's knuckles open with those beautifully polished little gems? Or poke someone's eye out while throwing their sticks up into the trees?

I blame modern technology.

T'internet is an evil thing.

I know you'll probably find this boring...

...but, I'm quite excited, in an 'oh-good-grief-i-have-no-life' kind of way.

I went home at lunch time to see my bro, who's making VERY HEAVY WORK out of doing some gardening for me (he needed some cash, so I said I'd pay him to clear a bed out).

Aaaanyway, when we moved into our new house in December, there was a pond in the garden that was completely drained by the previous owners, but it filled up with rain over the winter - then we noticed that we had lots of toads visiting in the spring, and were quite happy with that - and then loads of baby froglets appeared... again, happy with that.

THEN we noticed what we thought were stickelbacks... and then we realised they weren't, but they might have been gudgeons... but they weren't... here's what they are.



How weird is that? OK, yeah, maybe not VERY, but, nature will always find a way - a COMPLETELY emptied pond, and we've got at least a dozen Koi Carp in there, they're quite small at the moment, but I'm fattening them up and giving them colour enhancing food too.

I WAS BITTEN LAST NIGHT...

On my bosom.

By a spider

I had taken the dogs out for their walk round the park, returned home, and had my hand in the air on the open car boot/trunk while the dogs jumped out, and I felt something land in my cleavage.

I thought it was a bit of road debris and thought I'd get it out when I got indoors (I didn't want to be flashing my boobies in the street) - until I felt it moving.

Aaaghghgh! I pulled the top of my shirt away from my chest and looked down into my bra, and saw a flaming huge, yellow and black striped spider.

I quickly pulled the front of my top down, at which point he bit me on my right boob!! I then tried scooping the little beggar out of my bra, shaking my top at the same time, incase he fell out into my top.

I finally got him out and started walking up the drive when I noticed that he'd slung a web around my shoe, and I was dragging him into the house with me. So, I stood in the middle of the drive, shaking my leg, frantically trying to shake the little beastie off.

FINALLY. Shook him off - went to open the door, turned round to check that he'd gone and the little horror was following me!!

He obviously enjoyed the view when he was down my top.

I don't know why I didn't just stamp on the little git - instead of RUNNING into the house and slamming the door behind me.

If anyone was watching me they must have wet themselves laughing.

Tilly - being stalked by a ninja assassin spider.