........ especially when your mind is on other things.
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My feelings of guilt about not going to yesterday’s pub quiz were unfounded because the team I am usually on came second, which is far better than they normally do when I am there. Hmmmm…..
This morning got off to a fairly routine start until we got to the kids’ bus stop and Angus informed me that he didn’t have his bus pass with him. A search of pockets, down the back of seats and in the weird wooden storage box type thing that is between the front seats and is peculiar to Landrovers and serves as a repository for all sorts of stuff and dust and gunk and fluff didn’t come up with enough cash to pay for a day ticket, so I had to take him home again.
I have to confess that I was not very happy because I had all sorts of plans for jobs I wanted to get done in the house today and a thirty mile round trip didn’t figure in these plans . As I was already dressed for the job I fed the pigs and let the donkeys out, got changed then took him to school.
Because I hadn’t taken him straight to school he had the cheek to tell me that I was messing HIM about! So I made sure that I timed it so that he would arrive in the middle of a lesson because I know that he hates that. I realised that this sort of behaviour was more befitting of a petulant teenager than a fifty year old woman, but hey!
Anyway, because I was feeling a bit stroppy and rebellious I decided to treat myself to a quick visit to the Stratford Butterfly Farm.
The school group who were visiting at the same time as me, and seeing these two butterflies with their eyespots brought back many fond memories of my time working as the education officer in a zoo. A very popular topic that I had to talk to primary school groups about was animal colours and patterns. Eye spots are used to startle predators because when they glimpse them the predator thinks that the butterfly is in fact a large animal that might eat it. Even more effective if there are two eye spots visible I suppose.
These butterflies were actually mating, so I suppose they weren’t really being as vigilant as usual about avoiding being eaten. Good job they had their scary eye spots. It was only when I processed the shot that I noticed that they appear to be holding hands, well feet anyway.
Hey guess what, it’s been raining again. I got a call this afternoon to say that our goats were in our next door neighbours’ garden. So I spent a ‘lovely’ half an hour chasing them in the rain to get them out.
An absolutely beautiful capture -- the intricate duotone pattern is stunning A lovely way to unwind after such a morning with your son, goats and the RAIN !!
Oh jan love your story! I have had a similarly exasperating day involving teenagers and animals. Had big row with 15 year old daughter about why I disprove of drinking in a child after she asked me for a Pims at 5 pm, then went to collect middle child from school due in from a trip to oxford at 5.45 only to receive a text as I waited in my car to say they had only just got onto M11 - 45 minute wait in car! Then noticed bad smell on sofa, fat cat had peed all over it so am in process of washing covers, actual cushions and scrubbing seat pads. Anyway, the butterflies are gorgeous, thought it actually was an animals eyes in thumb nail. Big fav :-)
@lucypics Oh Lucy, fancy not fixing that poor girl a Pimms when she got in from school. I hope she has the Child Line number to report you. Pimms - what are they like? I don't think I had even heard of Pimms when I was that age. I would probably have aspired to a half of lager at that time. And as for the cat's wee. That is just the worst. I hope you have managed to get the smell out. You'll have to let us know the secret if you have.
