Beetle Drive and Bump...

I won a prize! A real one! We went to a fish and chip supper and played one of my all time favourite games: Beetle Drive. Beetle Drive is a simple game, involving a bit of paper, a team of at least four and dice. The aim of it is to build your beetle by using the numbers from each roll of the dice. A 2 gives you the body, 6 gives you a leg, and so on - you can't put legs on without a body. If you have made a whole beetle, you shout "BEETLE" and the game stops. If you didn't shout, then each part successfully "collected" earns you a point when "BEETLE" is called.

We were playing against nearly 70 people, but we were clearly the fastest dicerolling team in the place - I won the first two rounds, but was trounced thereon.

However, all was not lost, as it's the grand total that won the game - and noone could beat my impressive score of 67! Mine were also the prettiest beetles, and I won a lovely box of champagne truffles to share - they're currently under the Christmas tree awaiting Christmas Day to be shared between whomever happens to be around. They'll taste all the more wonderful for being won.

It's been brilliant weather out here. I looked out the window and thought it was raining - until I looked down and saw the rain was bouncing! The hail's really rather something, laying thick on the ground. Hmm, no. It's "snail"; a combination of snow and hail. The stone I caught was as big as a frozen pea - so I ate it.

The dragons wisely stayed in their basket.

Whilst the weather slammed down skyrocks, we had a lovely afternoon at Nan &G's; being plied with extra pots of jams and bottles of wine, fussing over cats and laughing at the grand collection of 26 McDonalds straws brought in by one of the cats, until we were just about to leave - whereupon Nan shot upstairs to find a picture of a Pug and managed to smack herself one on the wall on the way back - prompting us to have an enjoyable family trip to A&E. She'll be alright, thankfully it's just a bit of a ding and it should heal up nicely with the glue and sticky tape they put on her. At least I can honestly say it's always eventful seeing family...

Turns out Mum's garden is home to a pair of gay pigeons too. I've seen gay swans, but gay pigeons is a new one on me. Apparently the daft little buggers have been taking turns too. Having looked into the issue on some top pigeon forums, this is quite common - you often get them going so far as to build nests and sit on pretend eggs. I thought they might like one of these lamps to advertise their choice. You can get your own HERE.