As if button eyes and lanolin content are not challenge enough, now it turns out that Lavender…yes lavender must not exit our shores.
Hamish MacColl, adopted by our community nurses granddaughter, was all set to venture to the far east to a world of giant bunnies and overgrown buttercups. He was made to suffer the indignity of an airport scan and then all furore when flower heads showed up in the stuffing. I’d forgive them for thinking he was doped to the eyeballs, I mean just look at the squiffy eyes not to mention the complete lack of motivation. However, the customs officer was dutifully informed that the suspicious substance in the stuffing was only lavender.
But apparently, lavender mustn’t venture. If anyone can tell me why I’d be delighted to know.
So poor Hamish has had to return to gloomy Manchester and goodness knows how he’s coping.
I’m going to tell you a secret now “Hamish’s brothers have been posted EVERYWHERE!”
Ignorance was bliss!
sarah campbell 
I love his little police ID board and profile shot for the mug shot! At least you can laugh about this crazy rule. How did your other creatures fare with the mean testing lab scientists?
oh my, shouldn’t laugh, but it is quite funny!, poor hamish, he’ll be ok in manchester, it’s a good place for christmas shopping!
i had no idea about lavender being so ‘illegal’ to ship, and i’ll bet most of ‘etsy’ doesn’t either!!
I knew lavender can’t go to Australia and I’ve had to send things unstuffed so to speak. Presumably it is to do with potential insects or fungal diseases – I remember having to offload all our babybell cheeses (for 3yr old on plane) before going through customs last time we visted Australia (and I’m sure no organism could possibly survive on a babybell)
Poor Hamish- when does he get home? Travelling canbe very tiring, especially if you never arrive.
J
x
Maybe you should just stuff him with drugs and then no one would notice!!
my husband is an agriculture inspector and used to work for US Customs — I’m sure it’s a disease control measure.
I’ve heard lavender can do some pretty crazy stuff. Induce relaxation and sleep, for instance. Those pilots can’t get even a single scent of this stuff!
I was about to send at least one Hamish to New Zealand. Only idleness prevented this great blunder. But of course I should know that agricultural regulations there are extremely tight. Hamish could have been quarantined and affected the Gross national product all unwittingly. Phew.
This is both funny and sad,
and you are a good writer! monika
Am just catching up with my reading and had a good chuckle over the point that the brothers MacColl had been posted everywhere!
he does look a little shifty eyed, though. he might have said something insulting about the customs officer mom; you’re lucky they didn’t chain him up to use as an example to other stuffed critters. poor boy, the years of counseling he’s going to need now!
i think you can perhaps have a little slip of memory; blame it on age, or hair color, or too much sun.