Pheasant Days

Picture: 1) Rat and girl in perfect harmony...Only its too dark to see the rat!
Picture: 2) A golden pheasant from the Wildlife Rescue Centre at Amerton.

Bloggers/Blogettes,

Firstly: Thanks IAN (Cannock Wood's answer to Shane Warne) for this link CLICK

Its a 360 degree panoramic view of Gentleshaw Common - about fifteen minutes walks from cher Mark.

So what's been happening? Well quite a lot as par usual actually. Firstly thanks for your e-mails as usual. You are the best.

Big hugs to those waiting for transplants, or those under the weather at the moment. I am thinking of you.

Aussie Nomes came back from Ireland (she wouldn't live there apparently, too wet - the weather's not too good either!) and we went to meet her at Wolverhampton Bus Station. (I am getting to know that platform quite well)

When she got off the only bag left wasn’t hers. Nightmare! Aaaaagh. A very similar thing happened to Gerbri when she came a while back. It contained all of her memorabilia and presents.

The driver told us to take it and try and find a contact number in there, because the chances are he/she had our bag.

It turned out it belonged to a guy who had just been to see his Ethiopian girlfriend. It was full of souvenirs. We got home and took everything out of the bag and rang every number we could find there.

We rang National Express at about 8.30am on 13th January (I hope you are reading this N.I!) and the girl (Sarah?) who was on duty was rude and abusive to Naomi. I hope this woman gets the sack. Or she tries to open a yoghurt on a first date and it goes all over her and she is so embarassed she has a breakdown.

Where was I? The guy whose bag it was had BA tickets and the helpline woman there couldn't have been nicer.

The next day we actually spoke to the Rasta man and met up at New Street at 11am. It was cool because we met my cousins Jane and Oliver there. (Always a pleasure, never a chore!)

He was a real character and despite it being Friday the 13th, we all left happy and smiley as only happy and smiley people can be.

We went to The Bull Ring (I hadn't been since the revamp) and met Hippy Chick and Ak. As if we need an excuse for more coffee breaks.

We went to the Bear Factory, which is an amazing place. People actually buy spare clothes for teddies. We watched one get stuffed with stuffing through a pipe.

The process looked like Elton John's wedding night. (?!) - hold that image!

Hippy Chick gave me Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach. It's a great book. And not too long - always a bonus for those like me with attention spans shorter than a pigmy's elbow.

We walked through Victoria Square, Centenary Square to Brindley Place. The ice rink and big wheel looked amazing. It was too cold and cloudy to have a go on either.

The Mail Box was full of shops with nobody in them (a shoe costs a week's wages for most of us .and the other one another week's!)

We were going to take a canal taxi from B.P to the M.B but they don't operate in the winter...doh.

We did our usual train-journey game of counting teenagers with babies. There were more than we used to count when we played it in Sydney. Some DID seem to have a BOGOF deal.

On Saturday we went to Lichfield and spent two hours around Lichfield Cathedral.

That place is beautiful. You can't fail to be moved by it all. I was happy Nomes was (I think) too. Its one of those places.

How come people don't get more beautiful with age like cathedrals? Okay I admit some do (Yes, yes I am talking about you....yes YOU) . It works for wine. Perhaps we should drink more wine as we get older?

It was one of those Lichfield days when we saw a few people I knew.

We had a good chat to Jen in H&B and we saw smiley Bev. Oh yes Gilesport was funny (there were about seven bored looking staff and only three customers in there!) and we went to TT and met Clare for the first time.

Lichfield was more crowded than Birmingham - but because it is mostly outside, there is space to breath and I feel ok about it.

In the evening we met Erik, Diana and Kirsty at the West's place in Wilenhall. We had a balti - Naomi's first one.

I was just so happy I was able to go to someone's house and not worry about when we were getting back. No oxygen tubing. Sorry to go on about it but I still can't really believe it folks.

By the end of the night I really was shattered though. I think I did a little too much. I can't help it. It's that 'lust for life' thing.

Sunday was went for a short walk over Castle Ring (v.cold) and then to the Park Gate to meet the usual suspects for a drink. The small bar there is no smoking and we were virtually the only ones in n that bit, perfect for me.

Sunday afternoon was lovely. We went to Amerton Working Farm and the Wildlife Rescue Centre there.

We saw so many cute and furry things (I think there's a joke in there somewhere!) and got to touch and stroke even more.

The Wildlife Rescue Centre was interesting. We saw so many animals. We even saw foxes really close up and baby rats (all pink and tiny!)

Louise, who works there on Sundays - is there any end to her talents? - told us about each species and how they came in etc. As I said in the last blog, its an advantage having a personal wildlife guide - I am kind of liking the idea.

I wonder if they can be hired out for weekends? lol

We went to Walsall on Monday and had a drink at The Wharf. It is a long time since I went there. We were going to go to the new Art Gallery but it is closed on Mondays. Doh! So we hit a lot of clothes shops, including New Life in Cannock.

Naomi's coach left at 3.10am on Tuesday. So we stayed up all night with popcorn, coconut and King Kong...Tally Ho!
Oh yes Tiny Poppet, who frequently comments on my posts, is launching a fundraising t-shirt range. Watch this space (or log onto her blog) for details.

I am probably doing too much at the moment actually so don't tell the doctors. There are some exciting things on the horizon. The problem is there is never time to relax sometimes.

Happy Birthday to Karen and Victoria and get well soon to Eddie.

There is little else to tell so I will love you and leave you.I hope you enjoyed a few more pics from the last few days.

More pictures can be found on CLICK
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Hello to my friends in the haunted house nearby who no doubt will be reading this. *I am hugging you (or is that a poltergeist?)

Book: Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach, Whatever You Say I Am (Eminem Biog)
Music: Erasure (Live At Wolverhampton Civic), Mylo - Destroy Rock'n'Roll