A Lazy And Rainy Friday.

 The plants are rejoicing.

In fact so was Bob. The forecast had predicted a day of rain which equated to his having a rainy day off. Provided it would rain before he normally set off for work and by pure chance or perhaps by his performing a rain dance, the heavens obliged and heaved a fair amount upon us. Enough to stay home.

Naturally a rainy day didn't portend well for the daily walks. Yikes, despite me covering his every step with a huge umbrella, he smelt the rat or rather felt the rain and turned tail after his most pressing needs were seen to. The rascal, but what can one do? Be sure to know that the rest of the day he stayed nice and quiet in his basket, avoiding all eye contact which might lead him to be taken for a walk....

The rain is doing wonders for all our gardens and yesterday a lot of us were seen and heard pushing the old lawn mower up and down lawns. Yesterday it was a hot and sunny 22 degrees and today a nice and chilly 8. April weather is all I can say.

Just now our little Mausi had one of her mutinous streaks despite having been nice and cuddly all day with either of us. Bob was sitting on the couch playing a game on his phone and she was strutting up and down the window sill, keeping an avid eye on the bird-house. They must have been guzzling up the sunflower seeds I had put there earlier because nothing else sets her off than to see them fly in and out of their feeding station.

A cat can whine like a teenager. Non-stop and with an annoying pitch of voice. She wanted Bob to open the window so that she could hear the twitter better but he was lost to his game, only occasionally shushing her to keep quiet.

Not satisfied with this, she hot footed it over to me, sitting at the kitchen table. Gosh, you should have heard her moan and complain. I could almost translate it;

     " Nobody ever listens to me! Why can't I get my way? The boy always gets his but I don't. Life is so unfair!!!! "

Whoever said that animals are just that, clearly hasn't spent time with a beloved pet. Each has their own character, each has their own foibles and each has captured our love...

Biggi

Coming Home After A Three Hour Stint In Oberwart.

 A welcoming committee of note.

  Just like Bob and I know the sound of my parent's car even with our eyes closed, so too our pet family know the sound of mine. Before I even slowed down to turn up our driveway, the first kitten appeared.

Gosh, he almost jumped with joy and ran ahead of the car while out of the corner of my eye I espied another kitten, well cat actually, sitting atop her feeding place. I swear one of them gave me the hairy eyeball, wanting to know why I took so long. Cheeky lot.

Over the last five months I have started to acquire routines. For Maxi because being almost blind, he needs routine and sameness. So, once I have parked the car and closed the gate I let him out of the house. No leash. He loves it when I get back from anywhere-gets up to greet me ecstatically at the entrance and then goes back to his basket. Too cute and the order of the day is that he can hop outside whilst I bring in the groceries.

Today he took a flying leap over the tomcat hovering at the top stair, trying to smuggle himself inside the house! Unbelievable how youthful Maxi can behave when he wants to. A real sprinter! Anyway, he ran around the garden followed by his adoring fan, the tomcat. Both are the same size and seem well on the way to become besties. 

Mausi is equally happy to have me home and takes turns sniffing out the various produce peeking out of bags and baskets. Nosy little parker likes to inspect everything. She then walks with me to the back bedroom, also known as our larder and fridge abode, and watches me put everything away. As each bag empties she climbs into it, trying to find the perfect hide and seek place! Often she wriggles herself into it so successfully that I don't see her and only when she moves about do I know her whereabouts. 

Granted, I have been a bit naughty by giving them a treat each time I come back from the weekly shop and perhaps it is the lure of the impending treat more so than mummy coming home that makes them hop about with such happy and gleeful abundance.

Biggi

Monday's Log.

 Another day in my own little paradise.

It's official. The feral cats have turned domestic. All of a sudden a new measure of normality has settled over our household.  Me thinks they have adopted manners and etiquette of domesticated felines. Even though they look through the window and follow Mausi's antics, I don't think they have gleaned manners from her as she is as spoilt as they come!!!

This morning whilst trotting around our garden taking out the plastic rubbish, I couldn't help but notice the thank you gift left by one or perhaps both of them. Luckily I did as it could have turned out dire for me. Yes, what previously I had only gleaned from urban legends has happened to us. A gift of momentous proportions, that is to the feline mind.

Two slightly dishevelled but dead mice where strategically placed mere centimetres from our front door. Not a pretty sight, but how are they to know that such a delicacy could induce the vapours in us silly humans?

Ah, obviously they are appreciative of our daily meals put out for them as mice, previously a hearty meal, have morphed into toys to be gifted. At least they do that. God only knows how many more mice are scurrying about our place. All to do with the farmer tilling his maize field next to us. Where else should this horde of field mice go apart from our place?

The afternoon saw some  threatening clouds hovering and with clever foresight I scooped up the boy and quickly took him outside for our afternoon excursion. He obliged and trotted the whole way nicely next to me and it seemed that the other dog walkers in our village had the same idea. Whereas normally we don't encounter any dogs being walked, this afternoon we encountered three. A proverbial feast for Maxi's voice box!

A normal day, yet more so. To me those little details of domestic bliss with our pets and the short encounters with other villagers are priceless and far above bland and normal.

Biggi