The world's a nicer place

Do you remember when we were discussing the possibility of getting the GPO Post Office to pay the customer when sending helium balloons in the post, because the postal charge is based on weight, and enough helium balloons would make the parcel lighter than air, so logically should incur a negative fee? Sadly it doesn’t work in practice, because Ned’s brother’s family sent him just such a parcel for his birthday yesterday, and they had to pay postage, even though the empty box is genuinely heavier than when it was full of balloon. Perhaps they didn’t send enough balloons.

They also sent him a strange toy chicken which squawks and dances when you press its wing. This served to drive the dogs into a frenzy - very entertaining for a while until Harry was brave enough to launch an assault, grab it by the beak and wrestle it to the floor. Time to stop the game. Unfortunately Beattie decided to extend the game a stage further this morning when one of our neighbours' new chickens stupidly decided to explore our garden. It didn't lose too many feathers before I managed to chuck it back over the fence.