iblog

Caroline: A report published recently by a parliamentary group for animal welfare, makes shocking reading. It is estimated that at least 4,700 greyhounds are killed each year because they are too slow to win races. We are not talking about humane euthanasia by a vet either - a Sunday Times inquiry last year found that a builder's merchant from Co Durham was single-handedly responsible for the deaths of thousands of dogs which he then buried in his garden with a mechanical digger. As a result there have been calls for the racing bodies to do more for animal welfare. Thankfully about 8,000 greyhounds each year are rehomed. They make excellent family pets and contrary to popular belief they do not need huge amounts of exercise.

Caroline: Whale "whisperer" Bernie Krause has become involved in an attempt to save a mother and calf humpback whale after they took a wrong turning on their normal migratory path from Mexico. Both are feared to have been injured by a boat propellor and are now almost a hundred miles inland having gone down the San Joaquin river delta in California. Krause played a succesful part in rescuing another humpback whale in 1985 with the help of whale sounds which he had recorded. Sadly this tactic has so far failed and mother and calf are being given time to recuperate before further rescue attempts are made. In the meantime the waters are being kept clear of commercial shipping and sightseeing vessels. As anyone who has seen these great creatures in the wild will agree, there is something majestic and awe-inspiring about them and we can only hope that this story has a happy outcome.

Caroline: Friends and family agree that it is totally out of character but since taking delivery of my new steam-cleaner on Thurs I have been cleaning like a woman possessed. With dodgy wrists and elbows I have not been able to have a good old clean for ages but with my new toy I am catching up on all the spring-cleaning that should have been done years ago. So far it has proved itself great for windows, kitchen floors, wall tiles, shower cubicles, taps, lime scale on baths and spots on carpets. It comes with an impressive array of attachments and is easy and light to use. I even took it to my son's flat today where it proved equal to the task of some tough cleaning. It cost almost ninety pounds but so far it seems to be worth it, especially considering how much cleaners charge. There is a hand held model in the same make but I have heard that it is not terribly effective. It's even good for the "green" conscience as you don't need any chemicals. All I have used so far is some vinegar to get rid of some stubborn limescale. I'm not usually one for gadgets but as you can tell I am feeling positively evangelical about it. I'd better not mention the make in case I am accused of advertising but if you have a look on Amazon you can't miss it as it is bright yellow!