"There's fleas and ticks and that."

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"Time for bed" said Zebedee!

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Now why would I be taking a stout pair

of leather gloves into the bedroom?

No.

It's nothing to do with leather boots I assure you!

Nor "fleas and ticks"!

It's to do with hedgehogs.

- + -

I am very fond of Hedgehogs

Which makes me want to say,

That I am struck with wonder,

How there’s any left today,

For each morning as I travel

And no short distance that,

All I see are Hedgehogs,

Squashed. And dead. And flat.

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But not on my back yard.

In the summer the cats like to be fed outside.

Hazel has just had a pick around,

and wandered off (on the left) to look at the stars,

and Mrs H moves in quick....

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And polishes off everything that is left.

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Now last week, Wesley came through the cat-flap in a bit of a hurry and broke the little door off. Of course the hole was still there and guess who decided to come in and snout around for food?

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Mrs H.

I heard this snorting in the bedroom and there she was.

Lost her bearings and couldn't navigate back to the conservatory.

This happened three nights 'on the trot',

hence the leather gloves..

- + -

A Hedgehog cannot make you laugh,

Whistle, dance or sing,

And she ain’t much to look at,

And she don’t make anything.

Except baby hedgehogs!

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This 'mother' hedgehog has been bringing her three babies round every evening to show them where to get a really good 'takeaway'.

I now scrape the leftovers into a plastic 'plant saucer',

They make less mess with it's higher sides.

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I couldn't get a picture of all four.

They are quite shy.

- + -

And in amongst their prickles,

There’s fleas and ticks and that,

But there ain’t no need to leave them,

Squashed. And dead. And flat.

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The wee bits of poetry are of course,

by the talented Pam Ayres.

And......I have fitted a nice nooooo flap,

and I no longer need to take gloves to bed!

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UPDATE: I did try a go at filming Mrs. H.

Not very good, I'm afraid, there was poor light.

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