Big babies and small

So many sweet pictures I couldn't pare it down any more than these!

Stop washing and look at all the people.


Time for a walk in the jungle.


I am a big brave cub and I will ROAR at you!


And then I will retreat with dignity.


See, I can climb this big tree!


Now we can race back down.


See me pose? See how big I am!


My bones have melted.


And my head won't stay up.


I can s-t-r-e-t-c-h.


Wossat? Wossat? Can we eat it? Can we play with it?


Meanwhile dad sleeps on a full stomach.


So we join him in a snooze. Even though mum scratched his nose and they had to be separated...


A nice smelly sack makes a great blanket for a cheetah.


Tiny baby emperor tamarin (a twin!) with auntie golden lion headed tamarind.


Then over to mum.


And back to auntie.
Aaaaaah!

See Me

Such a sad one for dear Bobby.

Falling in love again

I took my new car on a trip to Howlett's animal park the other day, and found a new animal to love. Of course, that doesn't mean I don't still love the tigers, like this spectacular Siberian:



Then there's the pair of snuggly ocelots:



There are several different groups of clouded leopards:





The Pallas cat had been fed, but he felt it was worth looking out for more:



And then there was my new love - the male giant anteater. He just kept posing. Only the glass and reflections stopped these being the most adorable - and explicit - pictures ever. If men had tongues that long and could lick their genitals, they'd never stop!



And what a blanket that tail makes:

What a star.

Scared Crazy

He's so much better with hair than in the latest pictures of him shorn!

And all I ask is a tall ship

The Tall Ships regatta is happening at nearby Greenwich, starting yesterday, so I thought I'd nip along and have a look. Shouldn't have bothered. The tall ships so far:





I don't think this one counted:



Luckily the good old Cutty Sark was there in her dry dock to add some beauty to the dullness:



There were thousands of people thronging the streets. The streets closed to traffic. The station so overcrowded I walked (or rather limped) to the previous station to get myself home.

I was gone for just over an hour. It seemed like six.

The Saint

So many religious-based episodes, I can't imagine any religious observer would welcome the cynicism. Luckily for atheistic me I can concentrate on himself's face and hands.

Finally!

The day has come when I took possession of my new car.

I know it's just a car, but it was very exciting, so I took some pictures of it to bore you with. Well, I'm being merciful and only uploading one!

Pretty creatures

Took some more friends to the zoo, and this time we got more of a look at the tiger cubs.

Please click on the pictures to get the largest view.

We started with the cheetah brothers smooching.

Only one squirrel monkey has a baby this year.



In the afternoon mum and cubs stretched out

on the climbing frame.

Family members make good pillows.



I'm awake. It must be mischief time.

Or maybe I could just find a new pillow.

There, that's better!

Rocketman

Just love the pocket rocket walk.

Between the raindrops

On Friday I took my friend to Port Lympne. The weather was supposed to be changeable, and on the way down we were rained on plentifully by a cruel nature. But our time there was mercifully dry.

It used to be called a wild animal park, but now they are calling it a "reserve". Many of the animals are running free in extensive acres of grounds, and you have to take a safari bus to see them.

But some creatures are still in enclosures. There is the Scottish wild cat:

There's the Bengal tiger trying in vain to hook through the wire a piece of leg left over from a feed:

Then there's the fossa. His missus was missing - there were 6 cameras on the inside enclosure where she has 4 cubs, but not a whisker visible in any of them!

Purgatory

Heart-breaking episode. Such great acting.

Goodbye and Hello

My car is 10 years old, and I've had it for 9 of those years.

Toyota was in the local shopping centre a couple of weeks ago plugging their new car, and I gave them my details, which they haven't bothered to use. So I went to a few dealerships.

As I have a Nissan, I went to them first, and a salesman promised to hunt around for what I wanted and call me. Then I tried a Citroen dealer, and the young man was charming. He made a similar promise.

Finally I went to a VW dealership, where they found what I wanted just 3 weeks from delivery (though it's the wrong colour, that would have taken 10-14 weeks).

So here's what I'm waiting for:

It's a Volkswagen Up (strange name for a car, tempting to say, "Up yours") but it's got great write-ups and the road tax is just £20 a year instead of £175 because of its fuel efficiency.

The deal is, after 3 years, when the guarantee runs out, I will still owe some money on it. I can then do one of three things:

1. I can surrender it and walk away;
2. I can pay the amount I still owe and keep it or
3. I can trade it in for another new one on the same basis.

This keeps my monthly payments nice and low, and enables me to own a high quality, reliable car of a make I always wanted.

And not just because it has the same initials as me!

Proud Flesh

I find this a very unpleasant episode, credit I suppose to Malcolm McDowell.

So Long Mr Handsome Furry Purrer

My darling Dandy fought off multiple illnesses over the last couple of months, including cancer in his toes. After his amputation operation, it didn't stay in remission, and he had been slowly fading away.

I didn't know what to do. I was due for my latest boob surgery on Wednesday. I didn't want to take his life away earlier than necessary just because I was going into hospital. I didn't want him to suffer longer than necessary just to assuage my guilt.

On Thursday he had hardly eaten for more than a day, and I decided to take him along to the vet's for his last goodbye.

Some of you will remember his loud purr, which kept me company for 18 years.

He was also very talkative.

 

 

I will love him forever.