Merely meerkats

It all started with Baby Oleg.

After having a ‘hands on’ meerkat experience at a Norfolk zoo about ten years ago I really fell in love with the cute little creatures so when a certain insurance comparison site brought out their meerkat adverts I was hooked, though as I never get any insurance through them the chance of ever getting one of their meerkat toys was absolutely zilch. Three years ago however, I saw a Baby Oleg in the window of a local animal charity shop; he was new, boxed, and a very good price so I couldn’t resist. I brought him home and he’s been sitting on top of the bookcase in my study ever since.

Just prior to my most recent weekend in North Wales I was mooching round a town centre charity shop when I spotted Sergei for sale at a ridiculously low price – a bargain not to be missed, though as I was paying for him the guy behind the counter said “His mate’s up there if you want him as well” and up on the very top shelf was Aleksandr. So they both came home with me and joined Baby Oleg on top of the bookcase.

Sergei and Aleksandr

Now I don’t know how it came about but while I was recently visiting Eileen and her hubby the meerkat toys were mentioned and it turned out that they had several duplicates which they were willing to let me have if I wanted them – so I ended up with the other four from the original seven plus a couple of extras. The one I really liked though – Ayana as Elsa from “Frozen” – wasn’t a duplicate but I was more than happy with the ones I’d been given.

Following that weekend away I searched the internet for Ayana and found her, new, boxed, with her certificate and at a reasonable price, so I sent for her and a week later she joined the rest of the meerkat family, although they aren’t all on top of the bookcase.

Yakov and Vassily

Maiya and Bogdan

Agent Maiya

Safari Oleg and Ayana as Elsa

Although when I originally got Baby Oleg three years ago I had no intention of making a collection the meerkat family has recently multiplied very quickly thanks mainly to Eileen and her hubby, but this is where it must stop – although if I can find Ayana as Belle from “Beauty and the Beast” at a reasonable price I might be persuaded to add just one more meerkat to the family.