Patio Pigs

Sorry for the absence. We've had a good friend staying this weekend, a friend of the just-like-family easy-to-be-with wouldn't-mind-if-I-did-blog-all weekend type, with whom - of course - I wanted to spend time. So, not much blogging.

She's just finished 4 years training in Ayurvedic health and medicine (in London and India), and is in the process of setting up her own business in Jersey, Channel Islands. This is a big life-change for her, she's worked so hard at it - I'm sure she will be very successful and wish her every luck. I hope to be adding a link to her website soon. She's a lovely lovely person and it was a joy to have some time with her.

We spent time together eating, (not much drinking, she is mostly teetotal (though thats not an ayurvedic thing) [but she did bring me some duty-free gin, {a double-pack!!!} what a good friend!]) (losing track of my brackets here) shopping , finding bargains at the car-boot sale, gardening a bit, fixing the guinea-pig run {they escaped again on Saturday - no more, they now have a Fort Knox Run}, chatting a lot, doing a jigsaw puzzle. A woman after my own heart. Apart from the not-drinking thing, obviously.

On Sunday we all went into Greenwich for lunch, the weather (contrary to my weather-pixie's information) (she's been lying again today) was gorgeous, so here are some pics.

Greenwich Park is beautiful, very green now Spring is finally here, quiet and restful even when full of people:





A bunch of pigeons (I'm sure thats not the correct collective noun) (a squawk of pigeons?)(a pie of pigeons?) roosting, bizarrely, in a bank of heather:

Wonderful trees:

The building in the foreground (below) is the Queens House and the Maritime museum.
Behind that, with little domes, is the Royal Naval College - where I work! Yes, I do feel privileged to work in such wonderful surroundings.


LG spent much of Sunday morning customizing this T-shirt.

We ate at a favourite and particularly excellent all-you-can-eat Vietnamese restaurant (didn't think to take any pics, sorry, not very blog-mindful) and then wandered around Greenwich market (re which, see this) eating too many pick'n'mix sweets bought from the traditional sweet shop which is located too close for comfort to where we work. They have so many sweets there from my childhood, which I'd forgotten all about. Not the very same sweets, from my childhood, you understand. (i hope you understand). That would be pretty unpalateable.

They have not only Victory V's - but also rosie rosy apples, those necklaces made of sweets, rhuarb and custard sweets - and Sweet Tobacco - do you remember that? I'd forgotten all about it. It tasted of coconut if I remember rightly. The jar was almost empty, so there is clearly still a market for it! They should sell rice-paper Rizlas to go with it. Then Trac and Le Chat could switch from whatever they smoke, to those.
I don't think/supppose you can buy those sweetie cigarettes any more, not at all p.c.

We then returned home and discovered that the guinea pigs had escaped.

Again.
There are a number of gripping, tension-filled stories lurking behind that "Again".

Fortunately they don't usually go far, we've only once or twice had to clamber over neighbours' fences (usually in twilight) in search of the little blighters. These days they seem to stay in our own garden and are fairly easily retrieved. Tho' they can move surprisingly fast when they want to.

So, whilst we fixed their run, LG DC entertained them - actually no, was entertained by them - on the patio. They are such funny, and really quite endearing, little creatures. They make gentle, warbling, burbling little chirrupy noises to each other and do little bunny hops when happy. They spent the first 10 minutes or so darting between pots and finding corners to hide in.

Aren't they a handsome couple?

They then began to explore more widely....

They love this little house, which was bought for us them by a friend who, I think, didn't realise how big they are. There really is not room for both of them inside...

but that doesn't stop them trying.




Silly pigs!

If they manage to escape from their newly-reinforced run, we will have to think about installing searchlights and barbed-wire. Stalag Cavey ? or PigDitz? or BelGuineaMarsh?