poppy

in your washing, dearie. Any mending needing doing or buttons sewing on, I'll be happy to oblige.' That solved one problem. Now there was just the cooking, cleaning, dishes and someone to make my bed. Perhaps I could ask Dolly, a sweet girl who came in voluntarily to help with the cats? 'Well, Mr Revolting,' she said shyly, 'I COULD try, but I haven't really done those things very much. I'm responsible at home for car maintenance... oil changes, new fan belts, checking points and plugs, overhauling the motor, those kinds of things.' 'Well, we don't have a car, so give it your best shot.' And I left her to it. I had a pressing appointment with ...

Most were brought here by early settlers from Gt Britain, in a lot of cases as food sources, I imagine. The possums were introduced from Australia. They're protected there, I understand, but thrive in our climate and decimate our native forests. They can also carry TB that can infect cows. They are quite cute though, but make a fearful screeching and hissing noise. They climb onto our veranda roof at night and clamber around, making those noises. Causes quite a start and since I keep the bedroom windows open (it's summer), I'm always half expecting them to come clambering in! The rabbits and deer don't really cause us problems so we enjoy seeing them 😊

Previous page, happens when you click on a notification and reply to it rather than check the page number 😉 A Good Year For the Roses ~ Elvis Costello

We get fallow deer coming into our garden at night to eat fruit at this time of year. They leap effortlessly over fences and gates. We also have wild pigs which make a real mess digging up paddocks. Neither are native to NZ and considered a pest ( as are rabbits, possums, stoats, ferrets, wild goats and several other animals).

our beloved and revered visitors. Let me assist you in rectifying your unfortunate mistake.' 'I didn't make any mistake,' muttered Fiona. 'I TOLD you not to use that dodgy looking guy, it's your own fault,' hissed Rosie. We will leave them bickering away there and get back to more important subjects ... namely me. Left all alone, I was manfully coping with everything at home by myself. Not only the running of a hectically busy cat cafe (three customers today), but I had to organise to have my laundry, cooking, dishes, bed-making and cleaning all done. It was enough to ...

Wouldn't It Be Fun ~ Cole Porter

about offering a very good rate for exchanging GBP into yen, and that cheered Fiona up, but Rosie didn't think it was a very good idea. She said they should go through official channels, but Fiona ignored her and did a deal, which ended up ...

Dirty Paws ~ Of Mice and Men

's sole grasp of the language stalled at konnichiwa and sayonara and even then was very vague to their meaning. She tried them out now in an unintelligible accent. Hiro just shook his head and muttered something under his breath which loosely translated to 'these foreigners are bonkers'. They plodded on searching for customs, dragging their overweight suitcases, one of which had lost a wheel and the other now sporting a broken handle. Fiona was starting to get tetchy and Rosie began to wish ...

A Salty Dog ~ Procol Harum

Au Reservoir by Guy Fraser-Sampson. A sequel to E.F Benson's Mapp and Lucia novels. He does a pretty good job.

lolly papers, orange peel, chip packets and other bits of detritus careless people had dropped. She was shaking her head and muttering to herself unintelligibly but stopped when Fiona addressed her. She pointed to a long queue snaking off into the distance, so the girls joined the end resignedly. Unfortunately ...

For Your Eyes Only ~ Sheena Easton

discovering, when he came to, that he was handcuffed to a lamppost and was surrounded by a group of jeering and mocking youngsters. We'll leave him there, suffice it to say he was released some time later by a passing policeman, but he never dared show his face at Johnny and Rosie's Cat Cafe. Lesson learned. Time to ...

Mr Blue Sky ~ ELO

surrounding this altercation were hushed up, so there were no repercussions. It was the work of a moment to strip Freddie to the waist, dress him in a purple and pink tutu, pop a pair of cat's ears on his head and bundle his floppy, unresisting body into the car. Checking we had handcuffs and plenty of fish, we headed for ...

Burning Down the House ~ Talking Heads

week, bright and early (well, early anyway, it was an overcast sort of day, threatening rain) I rolled up to Looby Lu's and there was Gimmick waiting, all excited and expectant like. 'Well,' he said, 'what have you got lined up for me?' 'Just you wait and see! But let's have a little snifter first.' Priscilla had popped a couple of sleeping pills into his drink so now all we had to do was ...

Billion Dollar Babies ~ Alice Cooper

Seven left ((I've crossed out the ones found)

... well, toe really. When he came hurtling at me like a crazy ball of fury, he accidentally made contact with my steel-capped boot. Hurt like hell. I swear he dented my boot. Head like a rock. He didn't even pause, clawed his way straight up my leg and spat in my face. God rest his soul.' 'So what makes you want to invest in OUR business, Frederick?' 'I thought that would be obvious ...

One Way Ticket To the Moon ~ Dave Stewart

overpowering. But the beer was cheap and since I was shouting, this was the main factor. 'Now let's get down to business, Freddie,' I said when we were settled in a well ventilated area of the pub, a frothy warm beer in front of us. 'What sort of figure are you thinking of as an investment in our very profitable enterprise?' 'Of course, I'd have to see your books and show them to my accountant. But anything up to five hundred.' I choked on my beer, 'Fi ... fi ... five hundred thousand?' I stuttered. 'No, you dunderhead! Five hundred dollars! Do you think I'm...

Shine a Light ~ The Rolling Stones

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