Media Frenzy Around Perfect Poppy

Stress Level Today: No hair left!

Its been a stressful week trying to fit in all things Ardent and homelike around work. There wasn't one day last week where I didn't end up doing more than my rota'd hours.

There has been some good news in that Poppy the stray dog has appeared in the local newspaper. Bad news is that Ardent Pets was not credited properly with saving her life. We have also appeared in Our Dogs which was very exciting.

Her blog is coming along nicely and the number of followers are growing slowly, We have also had our first enquiry about giving her a new home which is great.

I have got to grips with some video editing software and the result is posted below. Business widow goes technical!


Other fantastic news THE PIT HAS BEEN TIDIED!!! so we apologise for any freak weather changes cause by this organisational oddity. As a result my Monday mood is not too bad today as I am not in danger of being drowned by teetering piles of paperwork.

Our aim for this week is to cope on minus hours sleep, not drink and get at least 40 new items listed on the Ardent Pets website.

We haven't forgotten www.highstreetprices.com (the place to go for fantastic gift ideas and to compare prices on that unusual or personalised gift) it is ticking along nicely and hopefully will increase in popularity as we get close to christmas.

Thats all for now, Go visit Poppy's Pages for up to date information on our special stray.

Licenced to Scan, Stop or My Wife Will Scan etc etc

Stress Level Today: 2 Grey Hairs
We have a new toy! It's a very exciting bar code scanner and stock inventory software. I have had lots of fun scanning in stock codes so we can keep track of what we have at any one time. It even goes beep but I'm not sure of its range. It would be great if I could scan a tub of hermit crab food from the other side of the pit whilst fending off the huge pile of filing threatening to engulf me in an avalanche style way. I think all of the hype surrounding the new James Bond film may have gone to my head reading that last sentence again.

We have also had another first this week with our first job application letter. It was very flattering as they must think there's an army of Ardent Workers all frantically picking and packing in a huge warehouse when in reality its just Karl in the spare room. We will definitely keep him in mind though as he has some skills and interests which would be useful when we are ready to expand the empire!

That will have to be all for now as I must fit in some hamster training before it gets too late.

Lord of the Websites: Return of the Fireworks

Stress Levels Today 5 grey hairs

You would have thought I would learn not to write a blog entry on a Monday morning before going into work but no here I am tap tapping away in the most hideous foul mood that you can image because I have to go into work in an hour. Lets try to imrove my mood by turning to all things Ardent.

I've managed to squeeze in some spring cleaning of our categories and am currently making sure the heading Dogs is lovely and orderly with all the items snuggled nicely just where you would expect them. At the moment its a bit of a mess as I'm halfway through and theres a lot of fantastic items falling into the Dogs category. Just have a look at the Aquatics section for an idea of how it will look when I'm finally done if my soul hasn't been sucked out of me by then.

Selling has been a little quiet lately due to the impending doom of the economic climate and E Bay deciding to change how it works just enough for all the neophobics to run for the hills, away from the furthest wifi reaches. Hopefully it will pick up soon otherwise food is going to become an optional luxury again.

I've wheeled out and dusted off my surviving the fireworks season epic article again. It is just what you need to get through the next 4 months of small warzones in suburbia. If you want a good read visit our squidoo lens at http://www.squidoo.com/ardentpets_fireworks.

Karl has been showing a little favoritism between our two babies and has been spending more time on http://www.highstreetprices.com/. It now has a lovely collection of Google ad campaigns to lure all those fiscally fabulous Christmas shoppers through our portal to a virtual mall of wonderful bargainous gifts for all.

Now my bad mood is under control and simmering nicely, I'm off to do a little bit of picking and packing before dragging myself kicking and screaming to work. Come back next week for another exciting installment.

Fat Cat, Forums and Falling Sales

Stress Level Today: 5 grey hairs



Well Christmas has come and gone with enough socks to last me for the next year. Work has been the usual increase in vomiting and diarrhoea after many pets overindulging at Christmas. Mr J. not to be left out took part in Christmas dinner (see above) and thoroughly enjoyed his prawn cocktail starter and turkey dinner. Having a smaller stomach than the rest of us he did need to go and have the obligatory christmas nap in front of the TV much earlier than everyone else. Now the New Year has arrived it is time to start his diet as he is definately 'looking well' as Nan Osborne would have said. If he can shed those few extra grams it will take some of the strain off his 3 little legs and hopefully reduce the chance of his lower urinary tract disease reoccuring. (Yes I am the proverbial overprotective pushy mum!). He is also supposed to be visiting children at a local school in the next few months and really wouldn't set a good example if he doesn't fit into the cat box.
As far as Christmas sales are going my psychic prediction of 2 sales on Christmas day was correct. We've just got to wait for people to stop being selfish and spending money on themselves, pay off the credit card bill and then they might think about buying poor little Bob the Hamster a new harness and lead or even a deluxe cage ( in our dreams). Stress levels are simmering nicely in the post holiday sales lull.
The new year has got off to a good start in some respects as I've finally finished the assignment for my post graduate diploma due in next week. I intend on spending the rest of the day relaxing after I've caught up on the cleaning and washing and ironing that I've been ignoring whilst writing the damn thing.
The new year also sees the birth of the Ardent Pets Forum (http://ardentpets.freeforum.me.uk/index.htm) where anyone can drop by to chat or read the supposedly funny comments posted by some of our family members (You know who you are). At the moment Karl has links and Feeds coming out of his ears and can only speak in html so watch this space for more exciting developments.