We are kept busy with adoptions.

There is a bit of an anti climax after the hustle and bustle of Open Day but now ther are other jobs to see to and other events to organise. The takings were up - just over £4,000 but of course not all is profit.Nevertheless it was the best day yet so next year I aim to take £5,000.Nothing like optimism is there?
Teddy lurchers home did not materialise so he is still in need of a home, as is Honey lurcher.One  lurcher WAS adopted through being seen on the day so Hobo a handsome black and white male  has a good future ahead of him now.
Also adopted  are the three terrier strays which came in from the Dog Pound so all in all it has been a very uplifting week. We all feel happier when animals are going out to homes, our moods are definitely affected when it is quiet and nothing seems to be leaving us.
12 years old cat Smokey came with me to Liverpool where I was attending a trustee meeting, his prospective owner lives on Merseyside and was eagerly awaiting his arrival. The meeting went smoothly, I stayed overnight with Wendy Salt, one of the trustees and in the morning we went to the LIverpool shelter to have a look aound. The wildlife unit was the first stop as we wanted to see the new duckling pond and it was great seeing the hand reared babies doing so well and having such a lovely time in the water.
 (have a look at the video on the website)  - http://www.freshfieldsrescue.org.uk/
Lyn in charge of wildlife there showed us round and as usual it was full of hedgehogs and baby birds including more orphaned ducklings.They take their lives in their hands when they toddle across busy roads and these had lost their mums that way, poor little things. I was more than a little tearful when we visited the old graveyard which is now a lovely area of wildflowers and mature trees but it is where I scattered the ashes of my partner Steve and is also the site where my old dogs and cats are buried so emotions were close to the surface. Nowadays this small area situated in a corner of the shelter contains a couple of pre release avaiaries and they were full of birds on the last stage of recovery. The garden is tended by volunteers and is a credit to them, as is the front of the shelter which is bright and cheerful with plants all along the perimeter. It was nice to meet some of the staff whom I rarely see since my move to Wales and to meet new ones too.

Back In Wales I have come back to an office which desperately needs tidying and more animals needing help.Where does one start? At a glance the list of animals seems to be mainly of dogs and mother cats and kittens. I will have to meet with the cattery staff to see what spaces we have and regarding the dogs, there are more staffordshire bull terriers and crosses of that breed which fill me with despair.There has not been one enquiry for Jackson the staff cross I have in the house and he at 10 months is an ideal age and temperament for homing.If I fail to home him, what chance have the others? There is a lady who is losing her home soon and she has three dogs with whom she needs to part and one of them is either a cross staff or a pitbull!  It truly is a nightmare situation.
Some kittens have been reserved which I am pleased to hear, at least they are starting to move a little now.It will pick up in August when most people have been away for their holidays and start to think again about buying a pet. I wish it would come quickly!

I noticed more photos had been posted on flickr but was horrified to see an old myopic, fat, ugly woman who looked remarkably like me, what was she doing sitting with my sister and nieces? Nicky,  I will personally see to it that you are hung drawn and quartered if you ever post a photo of me looking that bad ever again!!!
On that cheery note I will immediately go and book a face lift and everything else lift(only joking, cant afford it!)
The photo is of our  hit the huntsman(with a wet sponge) game at open day. Bravely placing his head in the hole is Josh(Gails son)  and no he is not a child with extraordinarily long legs, he is standing on a set of steps!!!This game always goes down well.Wonder why?

 I am almost decided that my next charity sponshorship challenge
 will be through the jungles of Borneo with the added challenge(albeit a welcome one for me)of working in an ornagutan sanctuary for a few days. The problem is I need 9 others to accompany me to make the trip viable for the compnay involved. It would be october 2012 and £3,000 sponsorship has to be raised during the twelve months from date of booking.(this october)
Last time I failed to persuade anyone to join me on the Kilimanjaro climb so it was cancelled, This time I really would like to do this one so if anybody out there fancies an adventure or knows someone adventurous and who wants to raise money for Freshfields tell them to get in touch with me. How wonderful it would be to have this experience and raise much needed funds for Freshfields at the same time.