Well, the dirty (or rather undirty) deed has been done.

They've just had their annual (well almost) wash, and three days on they are just about talking to us. At least this time we have protected their modesty a little and have not posted pictures of them huddled up to a radiator drying out.

It's an exercise of almost military precision when they go in the washy-machine. First we grab Balloon as he's most likely to alert the others - off with his shirt and into a pillow case - then grab the Pig - ignore squeeling and wriggling , off with grubby shirt and into the bag, next Little Brown - he can't move as fast as the others (being a bit of a traditional Rugby Prop build if you know what I mean) , so it's an easy catch, shirt off and into the bag - then Rod, who is doing the happy dance because he thinks the wash is a flume ride at a fair ground, he jumps in the bag on his own once his shirt is taken off.

Then it's into the machine and time to turn the TV up so we can't hear the complaints from three and bubbly laughter from Rodney.

Once out it's time to face the music - they're not happy - even Rod looks rather glum as the fun seems to have worn off somewhat.

In the meantime it's new shirts for them all - this means a couple of hours sewing up shirts of different sizes and adding numbers and roses to them - finally we have four clean smeling and smart looking animals in England Rugby shirts again. It won't be long until they are in a state once more, but until then they are at least semi presentable.



Just as well the Pig hasn't figured out the clean up was all in preparation for going on holiday to Africa again................ May won't be his best month.

The problem with burrowing in bed has raised its ugly head again.

Everyone has their place and there's a place for everyone. An easy enough concept you'd think, but not for Rodney and Little Brown who still insist on making incursions into the Pig's sleeping place between the pillows.

It infuriates the Pig, making him madder than a mad thing on international mad day. When they do burrow in to his "lair" the effect lasts all of the following day with the Pig launching attacks at every opportunity as payback for his comfort being destroyed.


The problem is this isn't an easy habit to break. In Rodney's case we think he burrows just to be close to the Pig, and in Little Brown's case he does it for the devilment and doesn't care what we say or what the Pig does to retaliate. As far as he's concerned it's all good sport.

The one surprising glimmer of positivity here is Balloon Bear. BB doesn't burrow ever. I'd like to say it's because he has some sense of the hurt it causes the Pig, but the truth is it's because he's busy at work hugging. Thank goodness he's a professional.

Balloon Bear had a very nice surprise on Saturday - a hot air balloon nearly landed in the fields opposite the house.

What a flap though - we had to rush him upstairs to the window with the best view, and then there was no moving him for hours afterwards in case it came back (despite being obsessed with balloons he still hasn't figured out they don't choose where to go they get blown by the wind).

Later in the afternoon the Pig, Bears and Rodney sat down to watch the rugby on TV - England A playing Italy A in which a couple of their Leicester Tigers heroes were playing. You'd hope it would tire them out a little but no - they are as much trouble as ever, though at least the in fighting does get put on hold when they're all watching the same team play

It's early days yet, but the Pig and Bear have launched a web site (OK they don't actually do any of it themselves as the Pig's trotters and Bear's paws are way to chuncky for a keyboard and , of course niether of them can read or write anyway - so we have to do it for them).

As yet we haven't bought a short form address for them, but you can see what we're doing here http://balloon.giving.officelive.com/default.aspx

Happy Christmas
from Balloon Bear, The Pig, little brown and rodney. 

It's been a while since we posted anything, and now when we do it's not the best of news.

The boys had to go in the wash today. Balloon Bear had got quite smelly and it was clearly time for a dunk. The Bears and the Pig hate going in the washy machine. Rod on the other hand thinks it's great - something like the rhino version of white water rafting at the fair ground.

As you can see from the pic they are pretty down cast after their wash - though they do smell a good deal better.