An Unwelcome Visitor.

I was sitting at the PC this morning catching up on a few blogs while having my breakfast when I looked out of the window and saw a big dog fox strolling across the garden. My photographer's instincts overcame any concern for my hens as I ran to get my camera. The first shots were taken through the conservatory window as he walked by the little pond. I ran back through the house, out of the kitchen door and then carefully tip toed up the drive.

I don't think he had actually seen me because he carried on walking about and sniffing at the plants. Once I'd taken a few pictures I yelled at him at the top of my voice and he legged it. Hopefully I've scared him away from the garden for a while. I don't want my poor old hens to be eaten up.

I had a dentist appointment this morning, not as traumatic as I was expecting but being NHS he did a whole mouth x-ray but didn't develop it straight away and will contact me if I need any further work done which I'm sure will be the case. He replaced a temporary filling but apart from my inbuilt aversion to drills it wasn't painful. It's the anticipation that any second the drill will hit a nerve that has me in total terror. Also unlike my lovely private dentist who tells you everything he is doing, this one works in silence only asking occasionally if you are all right. And I had to put my foot in it by being a fussy old woman and ask why the instruments laid out ready to use in my mouth , had brown marks on them. I thought stainless steel was just that. He assured me that everything was sterilised in the autoclave and they were just water marks. I did wonder if I had antagonised him but after he had done my teeth he said that it wouldn't hurt to mention it to the manager at reception and maybe they would get some new handles for their instruments, oh and not to say that was his suggestion. So that is just what I did in a very polite and quiet manner. I had to laugh at the fact that they had removed all the magazines and leaflets from their waiting area and put up a notice saying they were following government guide lines about swine flu. There was no lack of magazines and leaflets at the doctors' the previous day. Perhaps you can only catch swine flu at the dentist. Maybe we should put away all paper work at school in case we transmit flu germs.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day so I took the scenic route via Landkey and Swimbridge to Mole Valley Farmers at South Molton to buy some corn and other stuff. I so love that shop, It is a posh change from the old shop which was just a set of sheds. Inside and in the 6,000 sq ft of the yards you can buy everything you need for the farm, except livestock though there is a customer noticeboard with plenty of local livestock available. As I wandered round the store the signs above the aisles spelt out rural dreams to me, plough parts, animal husbandry, electric fencing, saddlery - this area had a life sized model horse wearing rugs from head to foot with a polite notice saying Please do not climb on the horse. The rack of tools held pitch forks, muck shovels, yard scrapers and hand held scythes. I hung around the pharmacy counter to ask for advice on the best flea control for the cats as the drops don't seem that effective on Elwen and she is licking the fur off her legs and tummy. Came home with a strong spray for the carpets as well as drops instead of wormers which are a bit easier to administer. I've been busy hovering the carpets and I'll blitz spray the place before we go to bed. After that I'll need to keep up with the flea drops and hopefully I won't need to put the bucket back on Elwen as she didn't like wearing it. Taught in the afternoon, staff meeting after school - the dreaded tracking and associated mountain of paperwork, and then home for a quiet evening.