Oban Lights up the Sky!

So eager were the performers in the Oban Community Fireworks Display that they flat refused to await their cue, all jumping into action within seconds of each other. My heart goes out to the organisers, it must have been devastating to see all those fireworks going up in one minute instead of thirty, but I'm sure it made for a pretty awe-inspiring, albeit short, show.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/weirdnewsvideo/8872768/Fireworks-mistakenly-set-off-all-at-once-at-display-in-Scotland.html
Hope you all had a great night, however long or short your display was!

Toffee Apples and Rockets

I trust everyone has made sure they have a fresh supply of ooohs and aaahs in! Bonfire Night just wouldn't be the same without them! The shops today have been frantically promoting their stocks of fireworks and sparklers, as well as all manner of tooth rotting delicacies, like toffee apples, popcorn, chocolates etc. Okay, okay, I succumbed to the popcorn - got to have popcorn (toffee coated, naturally!)
So, to everyone celebrating tonight, hope the weather holds for you, looks like it should, stay safe and have fun. Oh, and be sure to brush your teeth after all that sugar!

Salute to the HGV driver

Last night in the wee small hours our village was visited by three articulated lorries. I realise that articulated lorries are hardly a rare species, but when they arrive in our village, particularly in the middle of the night, they cause a degree of excitement. They only ever venture along our narrow roads by mistake, normally when they have been diverted off the motorway, or miss their turning for the industrial estate.
I have to admit, I curse the lorries on the motorway and mutter and grumble when I get stuck behind one on an A-road. But when I see a driver reversing a huge car transporter through the jumble of a car dealer's forecourt, or a lost driver turning their behemoth around in a small village in the dark of night, I feel nothing but admiration.
So, to all the HGV drivers out there, I'm sorry for being grumpy when I'm stuck behind you!

Tales from the Café

It's an exciting time for the e-publishing group Café Three Zero. Our collaborative short story book is nearing completion and is almost ready for release. This is thanks in no small part to the work of a small team of dedicated individuals who have slogged away in the small hours preparing the material. We are all greatly indebted to them for their efforts. The book is entitled 'Tales from the Café - Vol. 1' and features short stories from a variety of authors, myself included. I'll update again when a release date is confirmed, but for further information about the group, as well as progress updates, take a look at the Café Three Zero website:
http://cafethreezero.wordpress.com/

Squirrel Cam

I swear I'm not looking specifically for funny or cute animal pictures when I plough through the news sites each morning, but sometimes they're hard to resist. What caught my eye today were the pictures taken by retired post lady, Kathy Pruyn, in Tampa. Apparently she has lots of peanut butter and time on her hands - I'd say she's putting both to excellent use!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/gardeningpicturegalleries/8862663/Quirky-grey-squirrel-pictures-by-Kathy-Pruyn.html

It's silly, but I like it.

Halloween Hordes

I thought we were prepared. I'd been collecting yoghurt pots for months, the ones shaped like cauldrons, and we'd sprayed them black, then filled them with gruesome sweets. We had loads - we thought! This year though the trick or treaters were roaming in packs. Each time we opened the door there was another horde!
It's always a good natured affair around here, and they all make a massive effort with costumes and face paints, so I felt properly miserable when we ran out of cauldrons before the last couple of groups!
Next year I shall be less ambitious and go back to bags of party size sweets, cookies, and of course, jelly eyeballs! To those who arrived too late this year, I really am very sorry!

The Tiger and the Toddler

I seem to be developing a thing for tigers lately - maybe I should upgrade my failed bird catcher cat! - but I stumbled across this story that's circulating at the moment and had to share it.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2055257/Easy-tiger-Remarkable-moment-baby-holds-hand-Bengal-tigers-paw-dont-worry-theyre-separated-glass.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Amazing pictures, though I do wonder what the tiger was really thinking. It appealed to me because the little girl made me think of my own little girl, who isn't so little anymore. She would have reacted exactly the same way at that age, totally fearless!