Sorry to hear about your troubles; I think flushing the loo is a reflex action for most people Lady A but why do things always happen at the worst possible moment? I know the damage big hailstones can do Chris. We had a storm in Suffolk with golf ball hail. Cars with front and back screens smashed; ...

Brilliant idea! Let's hope it cures her. I had an Exchequer Leghorn that used to fling herself against the mesh of the isolation coop whenever I went in the run so had to let her out as I was afraid she'd injure herself. Can't remember now how I cured her - maybe I hardened my heart and left her to ...

Depending on the type of softener Lady A they regenerate the softening medium with a salt backwash which can leave traces of salt in the water. You're advised not to drink it - hence Marigold' separate tap in the kitchen. Our water from the borehole was alkaline and hard. We had a hot tub and it too...

My kitchen sink hot water tap is the furthest from the boiler, although under the sink is the point of entry for the cold water main. I've started taking a small washing up blow into the utility room, pouring the first lot of water into the butt by the backdoor, them filling the bowl with hot water ...

There is a really odd thing that happens with people who were adopted as children. Somehow, without any words spoken about it adult adoptees recognise each other and "chum up" really quickly. There were some experiments done which proved it, but I've seen it happen - twice, with my soon-to-be-ex-hus...

Llyn Brenig have ringed and named the single female osprey chick there. She's called Luned and weighed 1.770 Kg. So we know three female osprey chicks are over 1.7 Kg (two at Dyfi, one at Llyn Brenig) and to quote Glaslyn "the two females came in well above 1.5Kg which is the maximum if the scale wh...

They were heavier than that - females over 1.7 Kg each and the male just under 1.4 I think - haven't checked for the exact weight. The Glaslyn femalse were both over 1.5Kg which is the maximum their scales measure, so it looks like big healthy young ospreys this year.

You'd think they might have "buzzed" the ringer as at Dyfi they take the chicks from the nest and do everything on the ground. Even luckier for the ringer at Glaslyn that they don't "buzz" the nest and that the chicks are fairly docile. Double rings, weighing and measuring three opsrey chicks while ...

That's sad Marigold but good that your teenage helper didn't have to deal with it. Makes one wonder whether there was some link, hormonal or otherwise between the very large eggs and her aggressive behaviour.

But was the recipient there to receive it Lady A? Or was it left with the receptionist ...