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It’s been a very busy weekend! Friday we were travelling between here and the Webbington Hotel in Loxton, getting ready for our annual auction and ball. With a theme of Rocky Horror Show, it was going to be fun! A tremendous amount of work goes into this event and so many people help to make it a success. We had over 120 silent auction lots and 16 main auction lots. I’ll show you some pictures and let you know how much we have made once we know. I sure about one thing – my legs are killing me with all the walking up and down!

This crew definitely were not the only ones in costume!

The badger that came in on Wednesday night was looking brighter after being on a drip but I still had concerns about his movement as he did not seem to want to get up and walk. So Saturday he went into the vets for an x-ray and all was well thankfully so he must be very bruised from his car accident.

 Saturday evening went by so quickly with everything going on and it’s lovely to see the many supporters who travel from different parts of the country to join in and help with our fundraising. Some of them come back here on the Sunday to have a chat and to catch a quick peep at the new otter cub that has arrived. She was found near a lake with an overflowing brook nearby so was probably washed out of the holt with all the high levels of water.

 She was evidently very shaky and shocked but has snuggled down in the cubby hole in the kitchen and is eating mince and fish already. I think she is only about 10 weeks old but definitely has teeth – and uses them ! So far she has not got a name so you will be able to follow her story and watch her on the web cam.

Today ( Monday) I have been up to London to appear on the Alan Titchmarsh show which will be aired next Monday. They wanted to see the very young ducklings that were brought in a couple of weeks ago. Mum must have her dates wrong hatching out ducklings in November !! Because it is late in the year we have taken their names from pantomime so we have the Prince, Snow-White, Sleepy, Grumpy, Happy, Doc, Sneezy, Bashful and Dopey. They were given a lovely paddling pool complete with artificial water lilies which they proceeded to try and eat. Completely oblivious of the cameras they were a great hit as they scooted around, diving under the water and dabbllng.

Snow White, the prince and seven dwarfs !

Caught up with quite a bit of paperwork but never enough !! Spoke to a lovely young lady, Stephanie, who is rearing a fallow fawn and doing a splendid job of it by all accounts. It was found on the road, so she had to step in to save its life and is hoping to get it join a fallow herd later. Some people work really hard to get it right so well done her!

It’s great to see the tortoises in their new enclosure although it must seem like a jungle to them. It certainly gives them a lot more chance to eat natural plants as well as their added diet. That’s the boys sorted – got to get a new pen for the girls now!

Plenty of space !

Just as we get to the point of animals getting to the point of being ready to go back to the wild, the cubby hole is in use again. A young otter cub, found near Taunton, is in residence. I applaud the finder for saving the youngster especially after he told me that he had lost £5000 worth of Koi Carp to otters!

He/She ( I haven’t looked ) wasn’t too keen on any milk but after a quiet night, maybe keener in the morning. He/she is very cute ! 

She/He is very cute !

We had a morning meeting with our trustees, architect and other advisors to look at the design of our wildlife hospital. Now that we have a dedicated fundraiser for the hospital things seem to be moving forward which is great.

 In the afternoon it was the all important hair appointment at the hairdressers. I vowed to grow old gracefully a few years ago – then vanity took over !! Anyway it’s a forced hour or so off which is great but I have a job not to fall asleep in the chair!! 

Home in time to do the final feeds for the deer. The red deer do sometimes use the extra shed but generally they are all in with the others. Chaela’s injury is just a pink mark now.

The Reds sometimes use the new shed

They all get on well

 It was soon time for the trustees meeting which starts at 5.30 p.m. and finished after 1 ½ hours which is practically unheard of but meant I had time to get ready and dash of to a talk at Nailsea. Home by 10.30, fed the otter ( who was rather cross as I was late !) – my last job and fell into bed!

Hope - "You're late!!"