July 12th Newsletter. AI. Blind dogs. Pigeons and eggs...

What a weird few weeks.

On June 29th, in the midst of a humid-as-hell heatwave, I drove a few hundred miles to collect five rescued pigeons from a wonderful woman called Emma, who’d kept them safe after they crash-landed in her garden. Most likely following being released at a wedding, which is a cruel thing to do. Birds raised in captivity can’t survive in the wild.

Bringing them home blew my pet pigeon’s mind. Scratch was also a wild pigeon once, until a cat broke his wing. He ran into my house about one year ago all covered in blood. Which is weird because I rehab injured birds and already had one or two in rehab. Scratch healed very well, and I tried to set him free, but he ran back inside again and went to sleep on my bed. Scratch did escape for a couple of days once. He flew out of a window and then failed massively at being a pigeon. I found him two days later nearby, looking miserable as anything, with a cat stalking him. Probably the same cat. Scratch hates being touched, but he let me pick him up and bring him back inside. He didn’t stop eating for an hour, then slept for a day. After that, he went back to strutting around the house like a podgy pigeon dictator.

Then he met his new flock, which was funny, because the matriarch of the new flock, a big white pigeon I called Marcy, strutted out of her cage and seduced Scratch within about ten seconds flat. I saw his little pigeon eyes turn into hearts.

They were pigeon snogging within half an hour. Then mating by the next day. That was only ten days ago. She’s just laid an egg. They don’t hang about. That’s for sure.

But then we went from the humid heatwave into just a shitty, horrible heatwave of stickiness and sweating. Yuck. Which is making everyone super grumpy and snappy. I know that cos the amount of grumpiness and snappiness I’m receiving online has increased tenfold during this heatwave. Ooh, before I forget, have you seen this awesome ChitChat01K interface made by Sukhwant Lota (it's brilliant fun) - https://lota.co/chitchat01k/

But those negatives are massively balanced by the new pigeons living here. They’re settled. Confident. Curious. Playful. They roam free, and it’s a wonderful kind of chaos here in my house. I love it and wouldn’t change a thing. (I use IG to post all my pigeon stuff)

It's even more positive and lovely now that Marcy has laid an egg with Scratch, and they’re having a baby. I even did some grandparent incubation duties when Marcy toddled off for a walk and I think Scratch forgot he was on egg duty. He soon came back and took over.

And there is another nugget of amazing news. Bentley, my blind Golden Retriever. (I’ve known him since he was a pup, but he came to live with me in winter 2025.) I thought he had some birth defect that caused his blindness. But I had him checked by an Optivet, and while one eye has a detached retina and can’t ever be saved, the other one only has a cataract. Which is operable! That’s amazing. He’s booked in on 21st July. He’s two years old and has never had sight. Imagine being able to see for the first time. It brings me to tears thinking about it. He’ll be able to see Deli and Crusty, chase a ball, and see me smiling at him.

So yes. A weird few weeks. Overwhelmingly positive for the most part, and we’ve also got THE ENDER, a new Undead Presents book, coming out very soon.

This one is absolutely brilliant. Really strong writing and a strong, unique voice. Undead readers will adore it.

I do hope you and yours are well, and safe too, in this heat. if indeed it is hot where you are.

Much love 🥰