Zoo Day (No 6).

After yesterday, I needed a day without hassle, so I popped off to the Zoo. It was such a misty morning, you could hardly see the castle on the way through town. I’d forgotten how neat it is to be down town in the (fairly) early morning.

Our Zoo talk today was very interesting, as usual - the moral and ethical questions involved in our dealings with animals. One of the questions was ‘In the search for knowledge is it acceptable that an individual animal suffers?’

She gave examples, such as how the scientists measure fish stocks in order to set quotas. They do this by measuring krill. How on earth do they measure krill? Turns out, they use penguins. They will grab a penguin as it comes to feed its baby/babies. And they make it sick so that they can measure the amount of krill it has caught. And how do they make the penguin sick? They hose water into their stomachs… Then, of course, those baby penguins go hungry that day. There was lots of audience participation and a good discussion after the talk.

Talking of penguins, I had a wander over to see them. This chap was waiting by the gate, pacing up and down. I think he saw the ‘other penguins’ and wanted to join them.

My hedge trimmer chap called off because there was a bit of drizzle… so I knew what I had to do… I had to ring the house insurance people again. But no worries, we were half way through and we had a password, so we didn’t need to start at the beginning...

‘Could I speak to Jackie?’

‘No this is Hayley. Jackie is off till Tuesday.’

‘No worries. We have a password. Maltesers.’

‘Sorry. Only Jackie can do that. I’ll have to start at the beginning again.’

‘NOOOOOOO!’

I was honestly almost tearing my hair out. I had to listen to the recorded message part (again!). While it was droning on, Uncle A rang my mobile. I went to answer it and say I’d ring him back. And Jackie heard it!

‘I’ll have to read the message to you again. I heard a phone ringing.’

‘NOOOOOO!’

I then very quietly re-arranged jugs and did things, hoping she didn’t hear me and start again. Then I popped open a beer, but I told her. On two occasions, after we had finished, she rang back. Once to say that I had to fax in my passport and a utility bill to confirm my identity in order to change my address. The second time, in a matter of minutes, to say no, I didn't need to do that. It had been changed without them.

Each time I recognised her voice and just said, ‘Maltesers!’ which she ignored and just went on with her spiel -

‘What is you full name?’

‘What is your date of birth?’

‘What is the password?’

‘MALTESERS!’

And then, after all that, the new insurance quote is £150 more than the last flat, which was much bigger. Why??

I should have had a more appropriate password...