The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2631 by Angharad Copyright© 2015 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
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Once Trish had recovered her composure, she thought David’s joke was an absolute hoot. So much so that when I collected them the next day I was questioned by the headmistress about cannibalism. Taken aback I floundered until she mentioned us eating a rugby player and a golfer... She roared with laughter while gave an embarrassed smile thinking that she ought to get out more.

It was the Thursday of a week that ended in a Bank Holiday, or should that be, the following week began with a weekend, as they mostly occur on Mondays, or perhaps just, a holiday weekend. It was also my turn to feed the dormice and on a whim asked the headmistress if she’d like to see them. She practically jumped up in the air agreeing in an instant. We agreed on Saturday at ten. Of course Trish, Livvie and Meems agreed as well, so I’d have a car load to take with me. Danni didn’t say anything then I realised she was playing football. I told her I thought it was Sunday according to the calendar and we both checked it as soon as we got home. She was wrong, it was Sunday, so I’d have to go early to the university and then go to watch her play fitba’.

Of course there were several volunteers to come both days, so I told them they’d need to be up early for Sunday. I also warned them that it was going to rain on Saturday. Danni groaned. I suppose she knew she’d get all wet and muddy on Sunday. Honestly, she gets more girly every week—until she steps onto a soccer pitch and she becomes very focused. However, she doesn’t like getting dirty until after the first tackle. She still plays like a boy being fearless in the challenge and physically stronger in the tackle. No one has twigged so far and she’s by far the best player on the team, which is why she has an England cap and the others don’t.

Friday was its usual manic occurrence where everyone was rushing to get finished and off for the weekend. On collecting the girls, I reminded Sister Maria to come to the side entrance at ten and I’d let her in and show her the dormice.

David did cottage pie for dinner which I knew would go down very well, probably not touching the sides as it was swallowed. What I hadn’t bargained on was that he’d created some special ones for Trish and Livvie and Meems. He’d made a cottage out of potatoes which he’d filled with the mince and gravy, and when he grilled after brushing the top with butter and milk, it turned brown and looked like a thatched cottage. Everyone thought it was really clever, especially me. I’d never have been able to do it in a million years.

I asked Livvie to take some photos before they ate them which she did, the photos that is. David asked for a copy to put in his portfolio—he keeps a record of anything unusual he does, including a photo if there is one.

On the Saturday I and a car load of volunteers arrived at the university. I let us in and we each carried some of the dried fruit and meal worms from the technician’s store room to the lab where we have the dormouse unit. At ten I returned to the side door and there sheltering from the rain was my favourite headmistress. We exchanged greetings as I let her in.

“It’s horrible weather,” she said shaking her umbrella before I shut the door, “but it isn’t that cold.”

“I should hope not as it’s May,” was my response.

“Not a very auspicious start,” she said leaving her brolly in the bucket by the door.

“Don’t forget that, will you.”

“If it’s still raining, I won’t don’t worry.”

I led her down to the dormouse unit where my girls were waiting to greet her. Showing how fond of her they were, they all gave her a little hug which slightly surprised me but not her. I then let them show her over the unit while I hovered in the background to confirm or correct the information they gave her. Trish as usual did the lion’s share not giving the others much chance to grab the initiative, although it was Livvie who took Spike from her nest box and handed her to her teacher to hold, Meems handing her hazel nuts to give the patient dormouse.

She’s seen Spike before but I don’t think she’d held her and once again I watched as the remarkable rodent captivated and entranced another human. “She is so beautiful, Cathy,” Sister Maria said acknowledging my presence. “Oh look at her little hands holding the nut.” Livvie took a picture of the event which we’d print off and present her with next week, in a frame.

I recovered the greedy dormouse and deposited her back in her nest box with some meal worms. It’s disgusting to watch her eat those, especially the live ones, but it gives her some protein and other vitamins which she doesn’t get from nuts or fruit.

I made us some coffee and the girls had some milk. We talked about the history of the lab and my contribution to it. I’d taken over its running within a short time of being at the university and had been successful with various grants to expand its size and therefore its breeding success. We’d released over two hundred dormice over the seven years I’d been involved, of which at last summer two thirds survived for at least a year, giving them a chance to breed. Chipping them before release made accurate tracking more possible, though it was quite expensive.

I showed her the nest boxes we have made by a tertiary college which teaches carpentry, they’re about half the price we’d pay a commercial supplier. The corrugated plastic tubes we also use are bought through the Mammal Society. I explained the system of surveying and then managing a site.

When I showed her the latest photographs of the Cathy’s Wood and the Billie King visitor centre, she declared she’d like to have parties of the girls use it as part of their GCSE and A/S level biology coursework. I told her that we hadn’t officially opened it yet but as Billie had been a pupil at her school it seemed appropriate that they should have the inaugural official visit which I would arrange with Dan, who was the centre manager. In fact I sent him a text asking him to discuss it with me.

She left about half an hour later. “You know, Billie was very excited that her old school would be the first to visit her centre,” said Trish when I came back to the lab.

“I had a feeling she would approve.”

“Oh she does, but she’s also telling me to tell you that you work too hard.”

“Okay, I’ll try to do less.”

“She likes that, Mummy, and she says she loves you and always will;” which was when the tears came.