Tuesday 11th Dec

Today went to the shops (again) trying to find a bit more stuff to get for my mum for Christmas, just about got all I am going to now, just bought her lots of what I hope will be useful bits and pieces.

I also bought loads of suet pellets in Pets at Home, the birds are loving them at the moment, and I have three robins squabbling and chasing each other here at present, and I'm sure one of them is my Bouncer. He is sitting waiting for the mealworms which Diddy hasn't been bothering with, and today he came whizzing right up to me as if he was going to take one from my hand, but swerved at the last minute and waited on the fence. It's sad when another one appears and chases him off though. Of course, because I was getting rid of them as Diddy decided he doesn't like them after all, now he decides he does want them, and scoffed loads today!

Diddy is still very much up and down, but has been outside the last two days as it's dry at last, and had a full crop again when he came in tonight. He somehow managed to get very wet though and I sat him on my lap and dried him with the hairdryer (which he loves, have done it before, but a long time ago) Anonymous, you will be pleased to know I've relented and thought to hell with the new carpet, and am letting him come in the living room at teatime now, he loves to share my evening meal! Tonight he has had half a hard boiled egg from my salad, loads of cheese cubes and grapes. He's also eaten loads of proper bird seed today, yet he wouldn't touch them for ages. I just wish he wasn't so thin, there is nothing but skin on his breast bone. I have joined a Pekin Bantam forum which I found thanks to Google, so am hoping to get some help with various things from there. Sometimes, he just doesn't want to eat anything, and other times he eats and eats. Bit like me though I suppose.... He's just been in here sitting on my lap for a while, he thought he was going to roost on me for the night I think, but I've put him in his little den now and up on the perch. He has carpet on the floor out there now, I forgot to mention, I did that a while back using the old carpet tiles that I used to have in my hall. I put newspaper down on top though to keep them fresh-ish. He also has the electric oil-filled rad (as do my birds up in the aviary now, I am dreading my electric bill, but still, can't let them suffer) I think they cost around a £1 a night to run, but the one for Diddy keeps the chill off the kitchen too so it's worth it.

Last night we had the hardest frost of the winter, even the water down by the back door was frozen solid, and the screen wash froze in my car inside the garage. Lovely not to have to scrape ice off the car for the first time since I've lived here, the four quid a week for the garage is worth every penny for that I think. I had to phone the council about getting something done re the drainage in there though, when it rains, the floor floods and won't drain away, and the car is standing in about 2 inches of water, need wellies to get in it! They are coming in January to take a look for me. I don't suppose they will make it water tight, in fact, it's hard to actually see where it comes in, but I just want some drainage holes drilled in the floor somewhere.

Took Emma round the reservoirs before we came back and took some more snaps with the Nokia phone camera. I then decided that I would have time to take her to the vets after all, so shot indoors on the way through and grabbed her heart pills which I haven't given her for a few days. I'm pretty sure it was them that has been upsetting her tummy, she has had the most awful smelly wind apart from the other stuff she has presented me with! Since no pills, no stinks! Anyway, explained all to the lovely Damien (swoon) and he has given me some others to try, hopefully will be kinder on her stomach, and are certainly kinder on my purse. A months supply from them will be about £18 as opposed to £24 for the others, but again, I've found somewhere online where I can get two months supply for £21 so will go for that option if they are okay for her, will need to get a prescription from Damien though before I can buy them. I've to take her back in a couple of months for a check up though so will sort out the prescription with him then if necessary. Ah well, that's about it for now. Got to wrap up a couple of presents as I'm off over the ex's tomorrow and have a gift for Cylene.