Like a fox having fun and the BlackLOG survival guide to Christmas music hell (Patent Pending)

Like a fox having fun

I often moan that we never get much wild life around here, yet I keep overlooking the foxes - the place is simply awash with them. As I drove back from a friend’s house the other night, a journey of less than a mile, I passed four of them.

So when I looked out of the window the other evening and saw one hanging around in the street, I grabbed The Beast and shot outside. It was like the fox was waiting for me, not only that he was posing in the street. So there we were just a few feet apart, bad light and no flash. In my haste I obviously hadn’t thought this one through….. I can report there was a fascination by both man (that would be me) and animal, the fox came within just a couple of feet. The Beast happily clicked away, hardly batting a lens shutter at the close proximity.

As it was a rather cold night, the only other people about were dog walkers and they were very interested in my attempts to capture Mr. Foxy. I think having The Beast made me some sort of honouree dog walker* - they were all eager to talk about their fox experience. They reported instances of either being stalked by a fox, or a fox wanting to play with their dog or one person who said that the fox just sidled up to them and sat down right beside her dog. It sounded almost like a chaperoned blind date.

* For pity’s sake don’t tell The Beast, or for that matter McG and Mischief, or I will be ostracised….

Sadly the fox had no fear. I say sadly because I suspect that this will not end well. Cunning as foxes are they don’t seem to have worked out that head butting a car is not a species enhancing trait…The only two other occasions that I have got as close to foxes were:

1). As I drove along a dual carriageway a fox ran out about three feet in front of me…. a distraught Mrs. B gasped and got very emotional. I assured her that the fox had crouched down and managed to avoid the worst of the collision. It might have a bit of a headache but was otherwise OK. What I failed to mention was that a headache was the least of its trouble as I suspect that its head was no longer attached to its body….ouch….Is there a vet in the house?

2). The second instance came a couple months later and coincidently I happened to be discussing the fate of the first fox with a friend of mine. Within seconds another fox ran (and this is no word of a lie) at the car and managed to take out one of my fog lights…..again this proved less than conducive to a long and happy life for the second fox….

Incidentally I got almost as close to President Obama, when he was travelling along the M11 a few years back – fortunately there was a crash barrier in between us, which prevented him running across in front of me. Otherwise I suspect that might have taken a bit of explaining to my insurance company……..

See the Photo finish section at the end, for The Beast and my attempts to capture Mr Foxy...


Christmas Music
It’s that time of year where you can’t escape those unbearably cheerful festive tunes escaping from every shop, radio and gramophone (don’t let it be said that the BlackLOG does not at least attempt to cater for the older reader – Yes Grandad Mitch that was aimed at you….sorry could not resist. Congratulations on the birth of your first grand daughter). Love it or hate it, unless you lose your hearing you can’t escape from it, so you may as well bow to the inevitable. So here is the BlackLOG guide to what Christmas music you should be listening too:-

You can’t go too far wrong with the Bob Dylan Christmas album. It pitches Christmas at a really depressing level, which I think is a good thing ….

Now readers don’t go all girly on me, hear me out…

It’s like when someone builds something up to such a degree that it can never hope to live up to the expectations (i.e happy jolly Christmas songs) whereas when your expectations are set low you can cope with even the worst Christmas. How much lower can your expectations get than Bob Dylan massacring Christmas songs? After a couple of hours of listening, the dog running off with the turkey, the Christmas tree lights catching fire and burning down the house and your partner giving you a handkerchief as your only present (with the wrong initials on) can all be taken in your stride….

Anyone for a Leonard Cohen Christmas Album? I think the in-laws** have invited themselves around and are insisting that everyone goes vegetarian for the festive season….. If things get worse than this you might have to call out the big guns and step up to Hitler's Speech at the Nuremberg rally in 1936. OK so that might not be very Christmassy to you but while I was growing up one of my friends had an uncle who insisted on playing the speeches over Christmas dinner.

** Please note no in-laws were hurt during the production of this blog comment. Any derogatory remarks were purely for attempted comedy effect and I can report that my in-laws are not in fact vegetarian and apart from a passion for giving really naff presents, very nice people….

After a few weeks of reduced comments I’m blatantly attempting to up my comment count with an irresistible and hard to ignore question:

What is your idea of heavenly Christmas music and/or Christmas music hell?

"Energy watch"

Monitoring our way to a fortune (or not) with our Solar Panels

(Not taking into account how much we have saved by not drawing electricity from the national grid)

KW Produced so far - 75
This has earned us approximately – £32.20 so far
A relatively disappointing 10kw this week but with so much snow and cloud not a great surprise

A record of the week

Fox on the run by Manfred Mann

Photo finish
I had said on one blog that I commented on that I was not going to take any snow photo this week unless something interesting happened...

Do you remember the game Hakee 1-2-3 (or variant)

Where a designated tree was home.

I think Mr Foxy was trying to play it with me....

Ice skating - whatever next? Those foxes are

getting way too domesticated....

In case you were interested this was a white stiletto shoe.

Looks like some poor Essex girl didn't make it home last night

Taxi Driver - "Taxi for Essex girl!"

Mr Fox - "No mate, she decided to make a hop for home..."

  

I do hope that's not Bolivian marching powder on his nose.....

I fear  it was drugs,  those eyes look spaced out to me....

Anyone know how to get rid of white eye in a photo?

"Hakee 1-2- 3 ready or not I'm coming to get you...."

"No officer I didn't see a taxi driver or an Essex girl...."

"Burp!"

"Oops, sorry must have been that vegetarian curry...."

That's it I'm off...Tune in next week

or I'll eat your Hamster....

Until next week or as Foxy told you - The Hamster gets it....