It's lurgy season.

It's that time of year when lurgies seem to await behind every door! Number one furry and Baggy, both had an extremely odd one over the weekend. No matter how warm the house was, neither of  them could get warm. Calum had it worse than Baggy. At one point Freda Fretter was trying to decide whether she should get him to hospital, he seemed so poorly. Bear in mind Baggees, that this is the man who walks around in the snow, with just a t-shirt on; then visualise him laying on the sofa fully clothed, still wearing his thermal jacket with the faux-fur hood up, under four throws - shivering! This coldness was combined with aches everywhere, and a total inability to stay awake.

Clever Bird knew that it was a lurgy, because Baggy had felt similarly on Saturday, and had fallen asleep on the sofa in the evening for two hours! Apart from the fact that this is unheard of for Baggy, who can usually only fall asleep in bed, it was also really annoying, as number one had only got home from work on Saturday. So, on Sunday, when Calum had all the same symptoms, albeit worse, Furry Mama tucked him up, and attempted not to panic, because it seemed to burn-out after twenty-four hours.

Furry Mama had to get Calum to hospital for 9.00am on Monday morning - not lurgy related - but to have his eyes checked. The optometrist had concerns about a drainage tube in Cal's eye, that seemed too narrow, and if it got worse could lead to blindness. To get there on time, Baggy needed to be ready to leave at 7.15! Fortunately, Cal seemed to be feeling a little better - unfortunately, Baggy was feeling a little worse. But the good thing about being at a clinic early, is that usually you get into your appointment vaguely on time.

After numerous checks, Cal was given the all clear, apart from what appears to be a mole in his eye. The consultant, who by all accounts was top dog (being a Clinical Fellow), is convinced that it's benign and nothing to be concerned about, but wants to see Cal again in four months to be sure. 

Much to Furry Mama's relief, Pepper Pooch was curled up in Billy Bob Jalopy campervan, patiently waiting for his mum and dad to return. Freda Fretter had shut him in with all the curtains closed, and the thermal window covers over the front windows, so he was in a large private kennel. As a reward to him for being so patient for over two hours, Cal and Baggy took him to the nearby Gorleston beach.

Calum, who was once again feeling awful, and now had space-monkey dilated eyes to go with his achy-tiredness, wandered along the promenade, while Furry Mama and the pooch played ball on the beautifully sandy beach. Every now and again, Freda Fretter did hand-signals to Calum, to check whether he wanted to head back; receiving no response, she and the pooch carried on. As Baggy began to feel quite ill herself, with a pain through her stomach that was almost doubling her over, she decided to head back anyway. Once back in Billy Bob, which frankly wasn't easy as it's quite a height to climb into when you're in pain, Calum pulled his hood up, and went to sleep; having informed her that he hadn't been able to see Baggy on the beach, other than as a distant blur.

Both he and Baggy felt frozen on Monday evening, even though the thermostat on the heating system was set at 28 deg.C.!!! Cal went to bed early, as he had to get up at 4.00am, and Furry Mama piled extra blankets over him, before curling up on the sofa herself, under four throws! Fortunately today, both Baggy and Calum seem to be feeling okay again. Baggy is just forever grateful that the lurgy got them this weekend, and not for her birthday surprise weekend!

Truthfully though, Clever Bird believes that we need a proper cold snap, to kill off some of these lurgies! Poor old nature seems to be terribly confused! Gloria Gardener spotted these today and is worried that they have got a bit muddled about which season England is currently in.

Gloria was also a little unsure about the pruning that has been done on the oaks in the garden. But their branches were way too low and they will benefit from having a little breathing space from each other, so that they can flourish.

Other progress has also been made. Today while Furry Mama took Pepper to the beach, and Grotty Groom had some quality time with her Boy, Steve got on with building number one furry's new shed.

Clever Bird will observe (from afar) with interest when the old shed is relocated, as, as she suspected, building the new shed around the old one, is proving to be rather more complicated than it seemed! Watch this space Baggees...

Note to readers: For the avoidance of any doubt, every character in this blog is Baggy! No Baggy was harmed in its writing, although some of them get pretty confused!