Lady Hermann not her usual self

ruthiepo

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Dear Ruth - I wish I had been able to see your emails sooner - the electricity board were replacing and updating our electricity poles along our road, and so everything was off all day - it was bitterly cold this morning too ! So it was a real shock to read about Pete - I would of course have replied at once. Richard was upset too, as I have been keeping him updated with his progress, and he asks me to give you his heartfelt understanding and best wishes. I haven't mentioned anything in front of Zola, but he can sense I'm a bit weepy - his way of distracting me has been by attacking my shoes !
We went out with Zola for quite a long drive this morning, to keep him warm with the car heater mainly - and then he spent a long time under my fleece, but, of course he has had his routine disrupted a lot - we had hoped to have a generator , but the workmen couldn't get it to function. Still, now we are all sorted out.
I hope Teztez is being kind to you - you did all you could for little Pete, and gave him so much love and care.
Love from Angie xxx
That must have been so challenging to deal with. Did you have much warning?
So glad you could keep warm in the car.
Hope everything is working again now.
Love to you all. ❤
 

zolasmum

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That must have been so challenging to deal with. Did you have much warning?
So glad you could keep warm in the car.
Hope everything is working again now.
Love to you all. ❤
Dear Ruth - we managed to keep Zola warm quite well all day, and he has had a warmer and more interesting day today - we went to a small weekly craft market in Bude - it has only just re-opened for the summer - Zola met several (human ) friends again at their stalls, and we let some of them hold him, so he was cuddled by five different women ! He enjoyed it - and then his dad took him out for a walk by the sea later - he got a bit over-excited by the time he came home, and was in one of his "I don't know what I want, but I want it NOW " moods. He has calmed down, and has just been put in his sleeping box - tomorrow we go to Barnstaple, and he will probably enjoy the ride.Maybe he will get cuddled again by the radicchio lady !
We have been thinking of you a lot, Ruth, as I'm sure you know.
I'm glad Teztez is helping.
Love from Angie and Zola xxx
 

zolasmum

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Dear Ruth - here is a photo of a leaping lamb ,taken by Richard today from the window of our only upstairs room, with his long-distance lens. He thought you might like to see it.
`a26s.jpg

We did go to Barnstaple today, and Zola was cuddled by the lady in the radicchio shop, and then by her daughter, who happened to be there too. They were almost overwhelmed by the experience, but he ,of course, took it all calmly, in his role as Tortoise Ambassador !!
Love from us all -
Angie xxx
 

zolasmum

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Hello dear Ruth - I hope you are doing something nice this Bank Holiday. I wished yesterday that you could have been with us travelling to Barnstaple - it would have cheered you up.The journey was as lovely as I have ever seen it - we go down a number of smallish roads , lined by trees, and the trees were at that halfway stage, showing lots of young bright green, but the branches all visible as well - and bluebells and celandines among the grass verges. And it was sunny, so the greens were extra bright, and the shadows making even more of a contrast.
It is raining today, but Zola had his ride to the sea - and then Richard lit the fire, and I drew the curtains and sat with Zola for his stroking session. He really seems to like that -he knows I am fully concentrating on him, I'm sure.
I hope Her Ladyship is well,and fully recovered from her hibernation. Zola will enjoy a chat with her, I'm sure.
With much love and best wishes from us all.xxx
p.s. Zola still says goodnight every day to Teztez
 

ruthiepo

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Hello dear Angie, and lovely Zola, thank you for your kind wishes, your visit to Barnstaple sounds very pretty.
We have been fairly quiet, catching up with some work, the grandchildren were very sad to hear that poor Pete had been put to sleep. One of the little boys who loves soldiers and the army came to visit and marched down the garden to Pete's resting place and stood at the salute very solemnly. He observed a minute's silence. One brave boy giving military honours to another. He had been born 9 weeks prematurely and was in intensive care for several weeks. We will always be grateful for the NICU unit at Bath Royal United for saving his life and our daughter's.
Teztez seems to know that she is in sole charge once more. She is very relaxed and active and no longer guarding her hut but making her way outside as usual.
I'm glad we have got her, she was resting her head on my hand this morning and turning her throat around to be stroked.
She joins me in sending fond regards and good night wishes to Zola and you both xx
 

zolasmum

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Thank you so much, dear Ruth, for telling us about your grandson's tribute to Pete - it was very moving, and such a fitting action on his part - as you say, one brave boy to another. It has been such a hard time for you and those who loved Pete, and he will not be forgotten , even by me who never really knew him. I am so glad Teztez is giving you love and comfort
It has been a quiet day for Zola so far - there is some sun, but a cold wind - He went out this morning to see the sea, of course - I am going to sit with him now in his conservatory, and hopefully give him a cuddle and some cucumber treats. He was enjoying eating dandelion flowers, but has gone off them, for some reason - a pity, as we have lots in the garden !
Maybe I can sit by the fire with him later,and practice my tortoise-stroking skills.
With love from us all, Angie xxx
 

ruthiepo

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Hello Angie, that's a gorgeous photo, makes me smile, thank you for sending it.
It's funny how tortoises appetites change, they are so capricious and amusing.
It's so kind of you to care about Pete and very comforting. It has hit the grandchildren quite hard as they were all fond of him, having seen him living here as a baby. They like Teztez as well of course, what different characters tortoises are!
You have beautiful surroundings, with the sea so close and lambs in the fields.
It's lovely to have the sea; I grew up in Bournemouth. When there is nothing much to do one can always have a walk along the beach, breathe in the sea air, more enjoyable out of season on a bad day than when the place is heaving with holidaymakers and the sand is invisible.
 

zolasmum

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Hello Angie, that's a gorgeous photo, makes me smile, thank you for sending it.
It's funny how tortoises appetites change, they are so capricious and amusing.
It's so kind of you to care about Pete and very comforting. It has hit the grandchildren quite hard as they were all fond of him, having seen him living here as a baby. They like Teztez as well of course, what different characters tortoises are!
You have beautiful surroundings, with the sea so close and lambs in the fields.
It's lovely to have the sea; I grew up in Bournemouth. When there is nothing much to do one can always have a walk along the beach, breathe in the sea air, more enjoyable out of season on a bad day than when the place is heaving with holidaymakers and the sand is invisible.
I grew up in Northamptonshire, but I had an aunt in Torquay, and every summer we used to go to stay in her flat with her - two parents,three children - I always loved the sea, and Devon. When Richard and I decided to move out of London, we looked for somewhere near the sea. When we got here, I felt that I sort of belonged. My surname is Thorne, and I was amazed to find it is a very common name round here - there is Thorne farm, Thorne Manor, and a small village called Thorne - all quite close to us, and it is quite a common surname - I realise now that I have some sort of real connection to the place that I have had nowhere before. I kept the name Thorne when we got married,of course. My brother looked up the name, and we found that it was historically the most common one here by far. It is lovely to feel that connection with my ancestors !
I must go to sit with Zola, or he will be destroying his conservatory!
Angie xx
 

zolasmum

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I grew up in Northamptonshire, but I had an aunt in Torquay, and every summer we used to go to stay in her flat with her - two parents,three children - I always loved the sea, and Devon. When Richard and I decided to move out of London, we looked for somewhere near the sea. When we got here, I felt that I sort of belonged. My surname is Thorne, and I was amazed to find it is a very common name round here - there is Thorne farm, Thorne Manor, and a small village called Thorne - all quite close to us, and it is quite a common surname - I realise now that I have some sort of real connection to the place that I have had nowhere before. I kept the name Thorne when we got married,of course. My brother looked up the name, and we found that it was historically the most common one here by far. It is lovely to feel that connection with my ancestors !
I must go to sit with Zola, or he will be destroying his conservatory!
Angie xx
Hello dear Ruth - my mama and papa took me to look at the sea, because it was very clear and sunny here - when we got to the bay where we usually park - there was no sea at all !!! But they explained it was just the sea fog blowing in, and the sea was still there underneath - thank goodness. So we went back home a longer way, to make up for missing it - but I was a bit cross, all the same.
Has the Lovely Lady Teztez ever seen the sea,do you think ?
Love to you, Ruth, and deepest humblest regards to the magnificent Lady from Zola xxx
 

zolasmum

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Hello dear Ruth - my mama and papa took me to look at the sea, because it was very clear and sunny here - when we got to the bay where we usually park - there was no sea at all !!! But they explained it was just the sea fog blowing in, and the sea was still there underneath - thank goodness. So we went back home a longer way, to make up for missing it - but I was a bit cross, all the same.
Has the Lovely Lady Teztez ever seen the sea,do you think ?
Love to you, Ruth, and deepest humblest regards to the magnificent Lady from Zola xxx
Hello again, dear Ruth - we finally got to see the bluebells yesterday ! It was sunny towards the moor, so we set off -everywhere looked so pretty - greener every day. We parked in a little space just across the small road from where the woods begin - and when my Mama opened the car door, there was the most lovely perfume outside !! There were lots and lots of bluebells sloping up into the wood - it was wonderful. We didn't go very far into the wood, as the path is rocky and full of tree roots, and my mama is a bit wobbly, but it was blue all around us, better than we have seen it ever before. Naturally, I thought of the Lady Teztez, and how lovely she would look arranged on this carpet of blue !!
We then went towards Meldon reservoir (where I helped with the sheep once previously) - we met a very nice horse on the way, and the girl riding it was delighted to see me - then, by the lake, we met a group of boys doing the Ten Tors walk, which you may have heard of. They were excited to see me,too.
So it was a very good expedition in the end, and I was quite tired when I got home.
It's time my mama came to give me my tea, so I will just say I hope you are having a good day.
Love from Zola ( and Angie) xxx
 

ruthiepo

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Beautiful! That sounds a perfect outing Zola! And you made new friends as well..
You are a brilliant ambassador.
Teztez will be very interested. She really likes bluebells, we have a few clumps in our garden and she likes to surge onto them and go to sleep with her head wrapped up in the leaves! I tried to take a photo of her doing this for your amusement but my phone memory is full and it wouldn't send it. She has never seen real bluebell woods as far as we know but she would love to wander among the delicate fairy bells with you.
Her hut has been moved outside now and she is still getting used to it. She can relax under her heat lamp and look out of her doorway. She may be a bit lazy as I have to turn off her heat to encourage her to emerge into the warm sunshine and get some exercise. Then she has her warm bath which she enjoys and then she devours her soggies and cucumber and dandelions. She likes sow thistle and hawkbit as well. She climbs over the door step and comes inside looking for her hut in its usual corner as she hasn't really understood that her boudoir is outside now for the summer.
Hope you have a good day in beautiful Devon, with much love from Ruth and Lady Teztez xxIMG-20220430-WA0005.jpeg
 

ruthiepo

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IMG-20220510-WA0006.jpegin my cosy boudoir, my retainer has just served my morning soggies.
It's grey and mizzling so I will remain in my private hut and look out at the garden.
A pigeon was looking at my breakfast longingly.
 

MenagerieGrl

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Beautiful! That sounds a perfect outing Zola! And you made new friends as well..
You are a brilliant ambassador.
Teztez will be very interested. She really likes bluebells, we have a few clumps in our garden and she likes to surge onto them and go to sleep with her head wrapped up in the leaves! I tried to take a photo of her doing this for your amusement but my phone memory is full and it wouldn't send it. She has never seen real bluebell woods as far as we know but she would love to wander among the delicate fairy bells with you.
Her hut has been moved outside now and she is still getting used to it. She can relax under her heat lamp and look out of her doorway. She may be a bit lazy as I have to turn off her heat to encourage her to emerge into the warm sunshine and get some exercise. Then she has her warm bath which she enjoys and then she devours her soggies and cucumber and dandelions. She likes sow thistle and hawkbit as well. She climbs over the door step and comes inside looking for her hut in its usual corner as she hasn't really understood that her boudoir is outside now for the summer.
Hope you have a good day in beautiful Devon, with much love from Ruth and Lady Teztez xxView attachment 344502
Ruthiepo, is the flowers at the bottom of this picture, what your calling Bluebell's? I have those in my yard, and they are called Forget-me-Not's, the blue bell's I'm familiar with are a bulb, with Blue arching flowers.
In any cast they are beautiful.
The other plant against the stone wall, I don't know the common name, I just call it "Sticky Weed" as it seems to cling to everything, with it's raspy leaves....
 

ruthiepo

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Hello, yes you are right, they are forget me nots that grow wild all over our garden. That was just a random picture of Teztez that I put in. We call that sticky weed "lad's love" a funny evocative name!
I'm afraid there are a lot of weeds in our garden but at least they come in useful for tortoises.
We have clumps of bluebells as well, it's funny how Teztez likes to sit on them. She doesn't try to eat them but pushes her head under the leaves. Perhaps they are fragrant and cool.
I love wildflowers and would like to grow them all over the place. Sadly, poppies refuse to grow in our garden. The soil isn't right for them. I've tried lots of times, but they never come up.
We have lots of cowslips and primroses, lilies of the valley, grape hyacinths and columbine.
Have you got a tortoise too, menagerie girl?
Kind regards, Ruth x
 
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