SWAN SONG

1. You know how much I love swans and this is a little tribute to my favourites, the gorgeous Mr CJ and his wife, who for the past 4 or 5 years have been resident on the stretch of Canal which runs through our town and in whom I've taken a great interest and featured often in my blips over the last 500 days. These two have successfully reared a family of several cygnets each year. This year I was privileged to witness the nest building, the sitting, the hatching and the family's progress over the following months until the sad events of Mr CJ and 3 of the cygnets demise in September when the RSPCA had to put them down following an acute illness. Our canal just won't be the same without you CJ.

2. 500 blips today (whoopee!!) Our Lady Findhorn said it would be addictive in a nice way, and she's not wrong!! but after flagging for the past few weeks (these dark nights don't you know) I thought it might be a blip swan song for me too - but I don't think I could live without you all, my lovely blip companions, so I expect I'll still be dropping by and putting my two pennyworth in from time to time!! Sorry I've got so behind with commenting lately.