Driving to Norfolk

It's been a good drive up to Norfolk, broken only by numerous 'comfort breaks' and visits to motorway service station shops and snack bars.

One of Wilson's purchases was a Magic Tree car air freshener. I hung it from the mirror, but W kept reading and re-reading the packet it came from. 

Just before we crossed the border into Norfolk, while stationary in traffic, W turned to me and asked whether I thought Anteater air-fresheners for cars would be popular.

'Well, a cute cardboard anteater hanging from the mirror would look nice!' I said. 'What would it smell of?'

'Anteaters!' he replied.

We're off!

We're all packed and ready to go; Diesel the Goldfish has been left with our next-door neighbours and the Bees, Polly- and Billi-B will be looking after everyone else.

I hope we haven't forgotten anything. I doubt Wilson has, because his suitcases are stuffed to bursting point — he must surely have packed everything he owns!

So, next stop Norfolk! 

Unless, as usual, I'm persuaded by W to stop for snacks at every motorway service station we pass…

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Wilson has loaded his suitcases into the car ready for our departure on holiday. 

Antony and Tiny Toy are at pains to make themselves obvious, so they don't get left behind. 

If by some misfortune they were to be overlooked, I do realise — no matter how far we'd travelled — Wilson would make me drive back to collect them!

He is a very responsible parent.

Holidays are coming…

Wilson was very keen to continue working on his Music To Watch Eclipses By project today. I told him that the next total eclipse wouldn't be until 2026 — and that visible only from Iceland — but he was caught up in composing the music and didn't want to break his concentration.

However, when I pointed out that now I had finished the redecoration of the hall we could go on holiday as soon as he was ready, he immediately ran off to fetch his suitcases.

Within an hour W pronounced himself 'Good to go!' and Antony and Tiny Toy stationed themselves on top of his packing to avoid any danger of being left behind.

W then walked around the house announcing, 'Wheels up in thirty!' to anyone who would listen.

I think he may be watching too much Criminal Minds… 

Music to Eclipse By

This morning I found Wilson in the kitchen humming tunelessly. 

'What's up, matey?' I asked him.

'I had a totes brill idea in the night!' he replied earnestly. 'I was thinking about the Eclipse, and I thought to myself, "What would make an eclipse even more pleasurable? And make me some money?"'

He waited for me to respond. I considered for a moment before replying, 'Clear skies?'

'My idea will make eclipses more exciting and pleasurable even if there's total cloud cover!' he said. 'I present: Music to Watch Eclipses By!'

He held up a CD for me to see. 

'This is blank Proof of Concept CD at the moment because I haven't composed the music yet. It will be quite Ambienty, and I shall play it on my spoons and kazoo — I'm just composing it now.'

'Oh!' I said, nonplussed.

'But that's not all,' he continued. He nudged Antony who held up a round chocolate biscuit with a single bite taken from it. 'There are also Eclipse Snacks!'

Letter from Home

Wilson rose late today owing to a slight (ie massive) overindulgence of chocolate yesterday left him feeling a tiny bit, as he puts it, 'Uncle Dick'. He assures me that a hearty breakfast of fried ants will be just the thing to put him back on his paws — but I shall probably steer clear of the kitchen while that's happening…

He has received a letter from his Mum, Mrs Vermilingua, wishing him a Happy Easter, advising him that he has another seven half-siblings, and enquiring whether Kenneth Byron Eustace Vermilingua (W's young stepbrother who came to stay with us a while ago) could holiday with us again. 

W got on really well with little Byron, and it was lovely for him to have another anteater to do anteaterly things with, so he's going to write back and say he'd be welcome to visit during the summer holidays.

Summer holidays at the zoo are always a particularly trying time for Mrs V, due to the oppressive heat and increased visitor numbers. Mrs V. doesn't like visitors.

Easter Egg Hunt

At long last Chocolate Day has dawned, with everybody assembling in the garden for the Great Easter Egg Hunt. Within minutes everyone was running around frantically searching for hidden eggs. 

Polly was concerned that one of the children might be injured, but Billi told her they'd be fine, pointing out that all children have to graze their knees, get trapped on a few fly-papers and swallow some pesticides — it's just a natural part of growing up.

To my surprise, even Uncle Zoltan turned up with some eggs he had painted himself and which he handed out to the youngsters! 

You may notice that Diesel the Goldfish is absent — Wilson thought the sun might be bad for him, so he dropped an egg into his goldfish bowl and left him indoors in the shade. 

Unlike many humans, W is quite a responsible pet owner!