It was our human’s birthday on Monday. We took her to York for the day.

She was very excited. She likes York. She also liked the vegan tapas bar we had heard about. We told her mother about the tapas bar and she looked it up on her iPhone and found its location. The food was lovely. We do like nice food.

Then we went shopping in all the fun shops and then went to the York Dungeon. Once we got used to the dark we had a great time. The humans were all a bit disconcerted by the squirts of water which sometimes shot at them. We hippos are not a bit worried by squirts of water. We like water.

Our human has had to go back to work. She’s moved us into a new house and she is getting ready to take us on a nice holiday in America, so she needs to work extra hard to fund all the excitement.

We have come to Cambridge to visit Frank Lyon at his place. The rest of the humans have come too.

Yesterday we all went into Cambridge with Austin, our human’s brother. He’s going back to Japan today and wanted to take a special present back for his girlfriend. So we went to a place where bears are born. It was very, very exciting to be present at the birth of our very new friend Oscar Bearrington the Third. Everyone bought lots of presents for the new bear. They bought presents for us too. We are now properly equipped with passports for legitimate international travel (no more skulking in the bottom of a bag hoping no one will spot us). Bernard also now has his very first mobile phone and Sleepy has some lovely new travel luggage. We do like presents.

Breakfast time. Outside in the sunshine in Frank’s garden, watching the rabbits hopping about. Then we might get around to pondering what we might do today. Although - we might do nothing at all.

Great excitement

We’ve been BUNGEE JUMPING!!!!

At least, Frank Lion and Bernard have. We were out on a lovely walk with Frannie, The Builder, Lindsey and Ian around a village called Stanhope. Suddenly we happened upon a hipo bungee jumping place. Bernard, despite being a *retired* business hippo decided he absolutely had to have a go. And he did. And it was great fun. Alas, it was a bit big for Frank, and Sleepy decided that he had had quite enough excitemen

t watching Bernard bouncing around at the end of the bungee rope.

We progressed on our walk. And just as suddenly we happened upon a bungee jump especially for small animals. Frank leapt at the chance to have a go too. It was all great fun and not at all what we had been expecting to do when we set out on our morning constitutional!

We’ve also spent a day collecting more Romans and more Roman bathhouses. We had a mighty picnic. We’ve been on more walks. The humans do worry a great deal about us getting wet. They worried very much indeed when we had to cross some stepping stones. We have to keep reminding them that we are *hippopotamuses* and are quite used to being wet!!

Now we are back at Frannie and Jim’s place. We are having a well-deserved rest so we are ready for next week’s set of adventures. Who would have expected quite so much activity. Normally we lead very quiet lives!!

Bernard and Sleepy Hippo - Ring Bearers

We have been having a really exciting time since last we spoke.

Last Friday we went to our very first wedding ceremony. We’ve been to receptions before but this was the first time we’d actually been invited to the wedding itself.

Not only that - we had a very important tak to perform. For we were to be ----- The Ring Bearers. My Preciousssssssssss. Oops. No, not that sort of ring bearer. I mean, we had to carry the wedding rings, ably assisted by The Builder’s granddaughter Rebecca.

It was a very lovely ceremony. Lots of people took lots of photos of us. The Registrar thought we were lovely.And said so. Our friend Frank the Lion and our new friend Travelling Camel were there too.

Then we all went off to have a picnic in the park. There was lots and lots of lovely food.

It was all just very lovely. Everyone was very happy.

In the evening all the humans went off to a pub for food and wine. We had a well-deserved rest.

Then on Saturday afternoon people came to Frannie and The Builder’s house and there was lots and lots of food. And even more people came on Sunday and there was even more food.

Then we stopped feasting and our human, her brother, sister and brother in law, her aunt and uncle, her mother and new step-builder and Frank and Travelling camel all came away on honeymoon.

And now we are having adventures. We have been to a Roman fort and played in the bathhouse. We’ve been on a country walk, where we managed to get lost (humans really are stupid, you know. The guide book said not to enter the penned area filled with horses and sheep. What did they do? Well of course they got lost!) and then found again by some friendly local humans. We’ve been to Durham where Frank went up the cathedral tower. We didn’t; tower steps are much too steep for small hippo legs. Frannie took us to look at the cathedral library instead. We’ve collected bridges, played cricket and croquet and recommenced feasting.

And we have been making friends with about a thousand chickens.

It’s all still very lovely.

We will tell you more. As it happens.