Right - that is it, I am now totally convinced that all people who are weather reporters have to be manic depressives to get the job. There I was looking out of the window at the beautiful clear and clean and cold sky with the last suns rays disappearing, when I heard that in fact it was grey and overcast, dismal and depressing, and the night was going to be warm!!! Have they not thought of looking out the damn window for God's sake, what a bunch of pratts aaaaaaaagghhhhh. They should try my house when its a cold clear evening!! Good job I have five dogs, OK four and half to keep warm with!

Just got back from giving a lecture at Monmouth Girls School, it went well - on the Vulture Crisis, which is a topic I know well and they seemed to enjoy it, although my friend Linda Wright said that they are used to Politically correct people and I don't really qualify as PC - thank goodness!! I hope I never do..............

Tomorrow I have to leave for London at an ungodly hour and hope to be back for late afternoon and then on Friday I am giving a lecture again on the vultures at the Hawk and Owl Trust 40th celebration meeting which is apt as father was one of the founders of the Hawk and Owl Trust. Saturday should be fun, Holly is off, Adam and Simon are doing a hunting day, which leaves me to do all the demonstrations!! Hooray.

Now I know I complain about internet shopping, and rightly so, but I needed to order some flowers from us all to Joan in the Netherlands today. The first three website were crap but the fourth one - what a joy, they should be congratulated and if you want flowers internationally go to these people, great website, thought out, quick and efficient http://www.arenaflowers.com/ And you know how when you buy something online by the time you get to the final payment a ton of things have been added - not with these guys, what you paid on the outset was the final payment - very cool!

More lovely days, I know, you are getting bored with my telling you how lovely it has been, but its such a pleasure this autumn, I need to make sure you are all sharing it and enjoying it. This is such a beautiful country and I don't think any of us understand or appreciate it as much as we should. Its only when you leave and nearly can't make it back that you see what you lost.

I have two puppies sitting on my office chair, there is not much room for three of us, but they love to do it. I guess it will be OK with Sedge as he will never be large, I am damned if Acer is going to do this in a few months though.

I really am so very lucky, not only do I have some amazing birds, and wonderful dogs, but my staff are great, they have done such a good job with the birds that they have trained this year and Holly has never done this sort of work before. Adam has persevered with birds that I would have probably strangled and achieved good working birds. Simon has bred birds which should not have bred this year and Robin is putting up with all sorts of awful jobs as he starts to fit in. As for Jan, well, we none of us could do without her and the girls in the cafe have fitted in like a glove with the insane bunch that we are!!

As for the volunteers and work experience people, well we could not have done without them this year and long may they all keep putting up with the place, the jobs and me. We are all going out to supper tomorrow night, I hope I get back from London in time. I bet Simon chicken's out!!