Pretty Spiky

Yesterday while I was walking the dog I was keeping my eyes peeled for some conkers. The green, spiky fruit of the Horse-Chestnut splits open when ripe to reveal the most marvellous, tactile seeds; literally chestnut coloured, smooth and perfectly shaped to be held in the hand.

I'd read that they emit a noxious fragrance, almost undetectable to us, but very unpleasant to spiders. My friend Kate has a total phobia of arachnoids, and always has a few conkers strewn about her house to combat them. I thought if I picked a few up I could replenish her supply.

We got a few, although Rocky was not the most patient companion while I tried my various tactics to get them down from the branches I could reach. Eventually though I had about 15 or 20, and carried them home in a Poo-Bag ( God bless poo-bags, the things I have carried home in them which have been non-Poo related!).

And here they sit in a bowl on my kitchen table, and have ended up being tonight's emergency blip as I did not have time today for anything else. Tomorrow I'm going down to Burntisland to babysit for the Bandits as the other grandparents (who usually do Tuesday's) are on holiday.

I'm going to take the conkers with me, and explain, a la Oor Wullie, the rules of conker fechtin', and how to steep them in vinegar to make them extra strong.

All youse non-DC Thomson savvy boys need to Google 'Oor Wullie - conker fechtin' to figure out the rules of engagement about to be employed in the P2 playground at Burntie PS!