Festive footie and loved-up pup

Funny old time, Christmas, writes

.

For most journalists, the festive holiday is no really a holiday at all. More like a couple of weeks of chaotic - and hungover - working times.

And it isn't really that much different for us video journalists.

Despite the sherry, mince pieces and poorly-made Christmas specials, there is still news to be reported on, however you do it.

Here at the Shropshire Star, we have decided to concentrate heavily on sport, with regular match highlights from AFC Telford and Telford Tigers, plus fans opinions from Shrewsbury Town.

All very good - until they start coming thick and fast.

That was very much the case over Christmas, when we had something like four football games and a couple of ice hockey games to fit into out normal schedule.

Thankfully, myself and Tom Moore - the faithful assistant - managed to plough through most of the holiday with little incident... and we still kept our normal quality.

Talking of wierd and wonderful (I wasn't, but it makes a nice link), Stitch the meerkat became one of Shropshire's most famous residents for a little while this week.

Our video shows the youngster in action at Becks Bird Barn near Ellerdine, where he causes general merriment on most days as an adopted pet. Well, except when he's with Richard and Judy.

This was, in fact, a great chance to show some new filming techniques.

The riskiest was the low-down shot as Stitch walked on his lead... if he didn't comply (and he was scared of the camera) all would be lost.

This gave a couple of advantage - a shot we hadn't used before and of course, life form his angle.

The shot of Stitch with the puppy was not a one-take effort, either. Think more like ten and you'll get the drift - never work with animals.

He did, however, lick the lens - check out the smudge mark on my video. But it wasn't all plain (ish) sailing.

In a piece of footage that has now been mysteriously deleted, some of the puppies escaped from their enclosure and your truly was tasked with chasing one across the farmyard.

Sweet enough - until you realise that I left the camera running and looked like a tubby version of Baywatch as I heroically bounded back to the enclosure with a puppy struggling furiously in my arm.

Talking of puppies - my young Welsh Red Border Collie is certainly growing up. In the most teenage way possible.

Claire and I have worked out that with his now being about 18 months old, he is approaching puberty and should be taking an interest in girl dogs.

True enough, he has started taking an interest. Unfortunately, the subject of his desire is not a girl. It's a boy. And it's not a dog. It's our cat. And yes, he does appear to be in love.

Thankfully, our cat is sharp-minded enough to run as fast as his little legs with carry him when Blue comes calling. And hide under the bed.

I trust we haven't reared a totally warped pet and this is just some sort of growing-up phase. Does anyone know where his behaviour is connected with male dominance in the pack, or something else a bit more explainable to visitors? Especially on Christmas Day...