Frozen coot

The Safari is having one of those days. Up at 05.30 to help Wifey get off on her snow-bound business trip, minus 6 on the thermometer and Frank's up and at em too and wants to go out.

Then the snow started, couldn't really get away with not having any when the rest of the country looks like an iced bun. Taking Frank to his dog-sitter's the Land Rover once again had sub-zero fueling issues and we're beginning to think it mighgt be something to do with using 'sustainable' bio-diesel during the summer, although it's six months since we put any in and plenty of high emissions 'normal' stuff has passed through the injectors since then - you'd have thought there wouldn't be any left by now. Suffice to say we now have a flat battery as well as syruppy diesel...dohhh.

Being sustainable is gonna cost a lot of dough! Case in point the new fire fueled by scavenged 'free' wood. If we can knock 10 quid off the monthly gas bill for the winter months it'll only take til we're 100 years old for it to have paid for itself!

But what about those Coot? This what's happened to our resident bird on the pond at Base Camp.

Why the pipe sticking out like that and not running down the waterfall - the Field Mouse gnawed through it under the rockery and it had to be shortened, thankfully the naughty little rrodent left us just enough. The pond was losing 75 - 100 gallons a day! Thank the lord we aren't on a meter for our water.

In the meantime if you're a UK reader, or even European, keep a look out for any colour ringed Coots and let us know their details

Where to next? A garage if the damn thing'll start.