Yesterday I wrote about the arrival of a new piggy, bringing my collection up to eight. I keep these colourful, squeaky pigs on display in my living room.

I love the pigs but find them extremely over-stimulating. They make me instantly and inexplicably excited and my tics overreact wildly. My friends generally know not to touch them unless they want me to go barmy.

But over the weekend I’ve had lots of younger visitors. Firstly, Ruth’s niece and three nephews who stayed over on Saturday night, and secondly Ruby and Leo who came to visit with Laura yesterday. The kids, especially the younger ones, were all drawn to the pigs and they quickly discovered that once squeezed, they’d squeal and that in turn made me squeal.

Ruth’s youngest nephews Zackiah and Shiloh were fascinated by the pigs and my reaction to them. Once they realised how overexcited the oinking made me they were careful not to squeeze them. But they enjoyed teasing me with them a bit and Zackiah did an excellent pig impression that sent my tics off the scale. As well as the piggies, they also really liked my new wheelchair and they combined their two newfound loves by putting all the piggies into the chair and carefully belting them in.

Leo and Ruby are younger and they were much more interested in the pigs rather than my reaction to them. But Laura found it hilarious to watch me flap about excitedly as they threw the pigs around the room, squeaking them repeatedly.

I had a lovely weekend enriched by all the kids and pigs. But I’m relieved that the pigs are now back in a quiet and orderly line on the bookshelf.

Festive Outburst:
“Lamp-posts are for life, not just for Christmas.”