This is getting to be a habit

Yes, it's yet another three Journal entries in a single post.

Friday, 30th January

We have noticed that Hobson has put on a significant amount of weight recently, so has been on restricted rations for about a week.  He has also had his exercise regime increased.

Yesterday 30% popped in to the Vets and took Hobson along to be weighed. His weight has increased from 29kg to 35kg in the past twelve months.  Basically he has put on the best part of a stone!  Whiffler and Traitorous Bastard are around 30kg in weight. Both are slightly smaller than Hobson, and Whiffler is nearly twelve years old. Based on their weights it is clear that Tubby needs to loose at least four kilos ... The diet will continue.

This afternoon I took Hobson and TB out for a walk. I have changed my route after yesterday's encounter with a runner, and now cut off the Three Miler and continue along the lane. It is much quieter with very few cars, and other walkers are a rarity. It looks like this may be my new regular walk.*

This evening TP turned up, as we will be attending an Arena Motocross event tomorrow. He is currently having car problems, so I was required to pick him up from Shrub Hill station.

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* There are also bridleways and footpaths to explore, as soon as the ground dries out.

Saturday, 31st January

The morning saw another walk out along the lanes. TP accompanied me, and we walked as far as Pete the beekeeper's house, before we about-turned and headed back home.

The afternoon was relatively lazy. TP and I headed over to Birmingham in the early evening for three hours of Arena Motocross.  This was a Christmas gift from 30%, and neither of us was exactly sure what to expect. I can report that we had a great time. The BP arena had been turned in to a motocross track complete with berms, jumps, triples and "whoops". 

The track looked exceedingly narrow, so we were amazed when up to thirteen riders completed in each race. I can report that it was full blown racing with all the contact expected from a motocross race. The races were interspersed with some freestyle motocross demonstrations which featured huge jumps and somersaults. 

It was great entertainment, and I would definitely go again.

Equally entertaining was the carpark chaos, as we left the NEC. That also featured full body contact, fortunately not my car, and a significant amount of car horns and shouting!

Sunday, 1st February

Today I did bugger all. 

The only thing of note was that I dropped TP off at the station, and I had a moment of clarity.

Later this month I will be attending the British Beekeeping Show up in Telford. I have my shopping list prepared, and am very much aware that one of the most expensive items on it is sheets of foundation.* A sheet of premium foundation is about £2 and I need around sixty sheets.

My moment of clarity was when I remembered that one of the beekeeping suppliers will exchange foundation for clean beeswax. Now I have fairly large amount of beeswax stored away, and rarely use any of it.**  I realised that their wax exchange would significantly reduce my spending.

All I need to do now is gather the wax blocks together, weigh them and work out how much foundation I will receive.

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* Foundation: a wax sheet that is impressed with a hexagonal pattern. The sheet also has a wire embedded in it to provide support.  Foundation is fixed in to the hive frames to give the bees a foundation from which to build comb.

** The occasional batch of leather cream or furniture polish