Hello again

Things have definitely improved since the last entry! That was a crap couple of weeks without doubt.....

What to tell....Oz is back at school and happy. He went on his first school trip to Godstone Farm and had a blast - keeps telling us about a pig that ate it's own poo. And a lamb. It obviously made an impression!

I have a new phone which is fab - and which means I can take pictures again...Toby and James playing together

And bouncing together!

Toby wedging himself in a cot at playgroup (I've no idea why)


Daddy's shoes.....
My boys at Rascals...


My boys after Rascals (Oz was still awake though)And I can take movies again so here is my first one at Youtube

I also need to say again HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sis - she turned 40 yesterday.

And I wanted to share one more thing (though my Mother will lecture me when she reads this). I've always had a passion for Orangutans - I've always loved all primates but Orangs are my favourites. For my degree show I devised a piece with Jenny Livsey called "From Borneo To Bangkok" about the illegal trade in orangutans and we did a lot of research. I learnt more about Birute Galdikas and her amazing work at Camp Leakey. It's still an ambition of mine to go to Borneo one day and volunteer and work with rehabilitated Orangutans - one that might never happen but I really hope it does.

I stumbled on BBC 2's Orangutan Diary tonight - they're based at a different Orang Rehab unit called the Nyaru Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project in Central Kalimantan run by Lone Droscher Nielsen. It was a very moving wonderful documentary (on again next week, 8pm BBC2) They looked at a lot of orangs at different stages of rehabilitation but it was one that really touched me - her name is Kesi and she lost her hand to the same machete that killed her mother. She was coping amazingly well with her disability and was very cheeky - spitting water and chasing her babysitter around. Both Rob and I felt reminded of Toby! I do joke about my two ginger monkeys - they do remind me of baby orangutans....

I went to the website linked above and decided to help in any way I can. I wish I could fly out and be there in person but that is not exactly practical. They're running an adoption scheme where for £5 a month you can sponsor an orangutan. And there was Kesi - so I adopted her. I have my little indulgences at the moment and one I do every week is buy OK Magazine. I don't need it. It's not vital. And I'd rather give that money to Kesi so I hereby pledge to pay her £5 a month and get my trashy gossip online instead.

Some people would rather give to human charities. But these amazing, beautiful creatures are in such danger - some think extinction within the next five years as their natural habitat is ravaged and more and more orangutans are slaughtered as pests or for bush meat...

So my money is going to them. And to this little girl in particular. I think she'll fit in with my little ginger family quite well.

Here's Kesi...