Gotcha! New kids on the block ...

So the ferrets are now  8+ weeks, and moved in yesterday...

We named them Noodle and Biscuit and seem to be our current favourite waste of time. Not to mention a good reason not to hoover. Noisy and scary. 

Topsy on the other hand is horrified. Salt new her place but these wee ones are far to curious. They probably won’t be hanging out together any time soon! 

These are Mary’s Platys and they came to live with us on Wednesday. We think we have made up for our recent drop in numbers during lockdown. We sadly said goodbye to 2 rats and our last ferret salt. There was a space in Mary’s room where a cage once sat, but now it’s all colour and flickering life. 

We drew the background for the tank during one of our group art sessions, this time back at St Mary’s Church, with a Greg’s vegan sausage roll! 

Made a teddy ferret ...

I have wanted to make a teddy-ferret or a ferret doll for some time .... 

He was inspired by a Facebook post, ‘Found, Golden Ferret’, and I knew I had just the mohair!

Of course pink eyes would be perfect but my 6mm beads were too small so I used these amazing metallic ones ...



Then I took him outside to play! And he was adopted almost immediately ....

Mopping like never before ...

Many of you know I have unusual decor. This is the varnished floor I have in the downstairs loo and it’s  looking pretty shiny lately thanks to being sent a Flash Powermop to try. It’s got on board cleaner, twin squirters and it’s a fun shade of purple. Have you been cleaning more during Lockdown like I have? I’m not sure why but it’s nice having such a quick way to respond to post dog-walk dirt. I may just stick with this mop, although I wouldn’t say no to an echo cover or two I could wash and replace. Stay safe - wet floor! 

Cats ...

Topsy came back! She was a little skittish. She came back after I posted about her all over the internet. She must therefore be stalking me online 

I finished this lovely cat portrait, and sent it off for a very happy birthday, I hope! 

Lockdown round up ...

We recently helped a ferret called Bear move home from Portland to just north of my children’s school. It was lovely to meet him and smell him too. He is a full ferret and mine are usually spayed girls. Mike thought he was fantastic. He was certainly very sweet a few of us got licked! 

We have continued a tradition of Enrichment every Friday afternoon when we grab a huge piece of paper and create something else for the windows. It’s a pity we live in a cul-de-sac it’s looking really cheerful and I’ve noticed one delivery man remark on the art so that was nice. 

Since losing Salt the Ferret on the 9th of April we have been watching some ferrets grow. Seven of these ten babies are girls and we will be choosing two to come and stay at The Raggy Rat house. Only a few more weeks to go now. 

Each Sunday millions tune into online services, and some may spot my prayer flags adding thought and colour to the sermon. This flag is one of my favourites and yes that’s my tiny size three foot. 

Sadly Topsy seems to have gone awol. She often pops off somewhere for a jolly but it’s been just over a week, so I’ve started asking around. We hope she is back tonight. She will be seven this year! Keep smiling xxx

Back to the future ...

Here is a composite image I made for Facebook in 2015, showing what a difference 5 years makes ...

We are all still seated on our second hand seesaw, which actually might be third hand. We have hung on to it much longer than my friend who’s son Solomon enjoyed it before us. And on the 1st June this year Mike dragged it out from behind the shed. 

Hmmmm. The next photo shoot could be a bit of a squeeze. No one is yet taller than me, but it won’t be long! Brave wee Mary is partly sat on me but partly on the handle! Denim jackets are pretty cool and Daisy is concealing AirPods in that long thick hair! We have all tasted coloured hair this lockdown. 

My smile tells a story, top photo, my way-off adult bite, second image you can just about see the braces I wore for three years and in the recent photo shoot there was my post jaw surgery smile and the new shape of my face. I still don’t take it for granted. 

Finally here you can see the whole seesaw, our chicken run, and how we swapped a Wendy house for a pretty painted shed! 

Good News ...

This is Safari, and soon he will be available in book form. He’s actually a very cute puppet and not shy to performing in front of whole villages and school children, especially in Africa. I was asked to illustrate some of his adventures for publication, and I spent a very busy two weeks with my pastels and pencils just before Lockdown. 

And despite the fact that things are not easy for publishers, after consideration, and probably some fun Zoom meetings I heard yesterday morning that this book has been accepted, it’s one of Mary Weeks Millard’s first books for younger children, and her first with this publisher. I feel so excited and that this will be a stepping stone for me. Look out for more information as and when I can share.