Hello, my name is Clodagh, I see you've met my sister, Immi. She's the glamerous one of the family. I prefer to live more quietly on my animal sanctuary Rainbow Ridge. I've lots of animals, some are suitable for rehoming and some will stay here with me. We've geese, chickens and ducks, a vietnamese potbellied pig called Rosie, Mr Sheen, the goat, rabbits, hamsters and guinea pigs. I've two donkeys, Miko and Pasquale and ignore Immi, they are not gay, donkeys are simply happier if they live in pairs. I've a cat called Clive and a large Irish wolfhound called Nigel that I'm minding for someone. Then of course there's Dave.
Dave is a parrot, he's rude and noisy and a bit vicious. Nell called him Dave as a joke. Apparantly it's her husbands name and for years now whenever she's talked about her plots with Mr Nell he has two suggestions - one is the plot from Lassie come home - well, that's clearly never going to happen. The other is to put a parrot in the story.
So she did and I got lumbered with him. Dave the parrot's former owner was the Madam of a brothel and Dave lived in a room where the girls took their breaks and made rude phone calls. He picked up their language. I've rehomed him five times now, the parrot that is - not Mr Nell, and like a boomerang he keeps coming back.
Nell is offering a prize today of a signed cover flat of Animal Instincts along with some other surprise goodies to whoever can tell her, and me, the most entertaining animal story. She'll pick a winner on Thursday so loads of time for you all to comment.
I'll be back tomorrow with another excerpt. See you later, I need to go and muck out the stables.
16 comments:
Morning Nell - enjoying the party? I absolutely love the idea of Dave. I just hope he behaves on Saturday...
Congratulations on the release Nell. I'll be searching the shelves! :)
My best animal story concerns our old cat, Boots, who used to love cake of any description and was an inveterate thief. But at the same time we had a dog called Rex. One day when my sister baked buns, the cat jumped up to eat them, but knocked a few down to the dog to keep him quiet. Poor dog was caught with a mouth full of bun cases like little wings on either side of his mouth.
Luckily for him, everyone guessed the real culprit.
Hi Phillipa, I'm sure he will. The belle's however I can't make the same promise.
Hi Ruth, Congratulations on the release of the Scroll Thief at Samhain. Love your story - poor dog!
ACK! I had it all typed into the box, hit the wrong key on my keyboard, and the story went buh-bye! WAAAAAH!
Okay, rekeying it.
Yesterday, I took Pikachu (our Shih Tzu) buh-bye car on an errand that culminated at the drive-thru at McDonald's. I ordered a sausage and egg McGriddle meal and drove around to the first window to part with some cash. Pikachu, on the front passenger seat, barked at the girl in the window, and at the other girl who came to gaze adoringly at my ferocious beast. I pull up to the next window to get my food, and Ms. Ferocious Beast barks at the gal there, too, but is diverted when I get the bag. "Mmmm... The bag smells delicious. What did you order me, Mommy? I know there's some in there for Pikachu to eat..."
I tell Pikachu that "Pikachu's don't eat McGriddles." In response, she sat on my purse, which was located in the catch-all box between the two front seats. "See how pretty I can sit? I'm a good girl. I'm certain you're wrong about Pikachu's not eating McGriddles, I'd sure like to try it and find out if it's true or not." So I'm driving, bag in my left hand. Do you know how hard it is to steer with a McDonald's bag? But I digress... I remind Pikachu that "Dogs don't eat McGriddles." In response, she rested her chin on my leg. "Awwwwwww..." sez I, wondering how to continue holding my bag while driving, reaching for my cell phone so I can take a picture of the dog without disturbing her when the absurdity of my thoughts occurs to me.
At home, she follows the bag inside the house and sits very pretty at my side, giving me the Woeful Eye. "I'm very certain, Mommy, that I'd like that McGriddle you're eating."
Yes. Dogs (and Pikachu's) do eat McGriddles. Or at the very least, bits of sausage that their mommies accidentally drop on the floor for them.
I'm posting a picture of Miss Pikachu on my blog. She's resting on my son's blanket while he's away at school. GGG
Aww! your little dog is so cute.
Hi Nell,
Congrats on your new release! I like the sound of this parrot who is "like a boomerang". LOL
--Dara E.
Hi Dara, great to see you here. Yep, Dave the parrot gets some fun spots in the book.
Oh, Nell
Do you remember those parrot earrings I wore at one of the RNA conferences!!
When our cat's kittens were about 10 days old we came in from the shops (we'd only been away a short while) and there was Mum Cat, Penny, sitting on the indoor window sill looking very smug. There was no sign of the 5 kittens. We searched everywhere for ages; I was so upset, I was convinced she'd eaten them. I pulled back the duvet and was going to lie on the on the bed for a good cry. And there, peeping out over the top of the sheet...
Yes, Penny had put right in the bed then covered them with the duvet. Of course my first thought was that they'd have been smothered. But no, they were all fine.
We kept one of the kittens and we had her for twenty-two years!
Hey, my release day buddy - we don't have long now!!!! I'll supply the zombies and you can bring along the talking parrot. Sound fair?!!!!!!!!
Hi Pat! Yes, I remember those ear rings! Aw - I'm so glad the kittens were okay.
Hi Amanda, My eldest daughter can't wait to read The Zombie queen of Newberry High! I don't know how safe the parrot will be with the Zombies tho.
Hahaha, that parrot sounds hilarious! And especially so now I know he's called after Mr Nell!
When I was four, I fell asleep while half way through eating a Crunchie bar (I know, what was I thinking?) My kitten was on my lap. When I woke up, I found she'd licked off all the chocolate.
I don't remember now whether or not I ate the rest of the bar. I'm seriously hoping... not...
Hi Christina, so funny - I hope you didn't eat the crunchie bar. My middle daughter ate a snail when she was a baby. She was in the garden and I noticed she had something in her mouth. At first I thought it was a small pebble but when I hooked it out it was a little snail in it's shell.
Congrats on your new release, Nell!
Best animal story. Well, there's the time one of our labradors brought a frog in from the garden, and gently deposited it in my mum's lap as a pressie. (The frog was fine - labradors have soft mouths!)
My spaniel did the same here, except with a hedgehog.
And then there's the time he put his paws on my uncle's knee and leaned up, in cuddle mode. My uncle fell for it and made a fuss of him. And then he gracefully arched backwards, snaffled the big big of chocolate birthday cake on my uncle's plate, and vamoosed!
Congratulations on the release Nell.
When hubby and I were courting, we went out one afternoon for a walk. It was a beautiful sunny day and we meandered through some country lanes and climbed over a stile into a field. We saw a big house in the distance and thought we'd wander over. Suddenly two huge Dobermans appeared on the horizon, standing erect, ears pricked, their interest very much awakened.
Hubby hissed, 'Don't move,' but these were seriously scary looking dogs. I turned and ran, the dogs, of course, gave chase and hubby ran after me, gallantly overtaking me, and disappearing back over the stile. He went one way and I went the other. I've never run so fast in my life and can still remember the fear and my poor quaking legs.
Oh my gosh, Maddie, how scary. I think I would have been running too.
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