Yesterday I volunteered at the Centre. It was just Gem & Andy and I had a really good day. Weighed Sheila and the green cable tie hawk owl. I flew Ruby & Titch with Andy and I was supposed to put Titch back but I ended up with Ruby by mistake. It happened because they were both on the same perch at the front. It ended up being quite good for me as I got to handle a female Harris hawk but it did mess up the bit Andy does at the end where Ruby shouts for her 2nd chick.

I phoned Coral when I got home because Mark was out and she told me to call Titch by shielding my chick away from Ruby. A good way to get the Harris’s down from the perches is to throw a half leg down for them towards the A frame.

I realised that all the upset I’d been feeling recently towards Andy was just unwarranted. He IS my friend. He’s trying to organise a BBQ for everyone and having me & Mark there along with Vickie & Kathryn. He talked to me a lot, gave me a lot of advice for getting birds out, talked about his plans for the Centre. Some of the birds won’t come out even for him so he doesn’t force them. He said to use a pick up piece, walk up to them slowly, talk to them and it is ok to get hold of a jess. So Mark was right, me thinking badly of people at the Centre is destructive paranoia.

Floyd’s India

I bought this book in 2006, after watching the TV series, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I tried a couple of recipes from the book but the quantities seemed way off so I haven’t used it for maybe a decade. Now it is going to the charity shop.

How to be Famous

The sequel to How to Build a Girl. Took me back to the 90’s and reminded me of the good bits. I like CM’s writing, I find it relatable and the story was uplifting. A nice read.

The Cows

I really enjoyed this. Characters are slightly caricature-ish but the main plot event (a women filmed masturbating on a train) is extremely brave. I found it immensely readable; its up to the minute contemporary and feminist. Don’t follow the herd!

Sober Stick Figure

I quite liked the stick figure cartoons – they were mildly funny and had novelty value. But I felt that the book read like ‘I did this, then I did this, then I did this…’ The book was ok but I’ve read several better drinking memoirs.

Property

Loved this collection of short stories. Beautifully portrayed characters and sharply observed. Utterly convincing as is usual for Ms Shriver. Occasionally deliciously disturbing, in the manner of Tales of the Unexpected.

Home Fire

I read this after hearing about it on Radio 4: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0929rxs

I don’t know the myth it’s based on but I loved this book. It truly reflects our time and it’s surprising and believable.