There's been little to blog about of late, with so much to think about: Haiti, trials of children who seriously harm other children, the Iraq Inquiry on television exposing my strange ability to watch paint dry. What I might write about is terrifyingly trivial in comparison, but these other subjects are too weighty and distressing to discuss in a lightweight bear-of-little-brain blog like mine. Yet they weigh heavily on my mind, as they do on most people's.
But life here does tiptoe lightly on, regardless. Hamish was lured into the cat carrier by small furry toys, and almost captured to go to the vet for microchipping and the second part of his vaccinations (started before he came to me), but as I closed the cat-carrier's door, it fell off.
No big deal, you say? Just catch him, he's only little, you think? Ha. Hamish was out of that carrier like greased lightning, and hasn't come within ten feet of me for nearly a week now. He's lived here since December 9th, and I haven't lifted, petted or carried him yet. I did manage, pre-carrier incident, to stroke him at arm's length very occasionally, but now I am the Evil Trapper-Woman, and must be given a very wide berth. It does something to a woman's self-esteem, you know, to see a small cat running away, bristling with outrage and betrayal, every time she enters the room. Even when she's bearing treats...
A trip to Australia this year is looking less likely, but for a good reason; my old friend isn't as poorly as I feared, and even has a Vietnam holiday planned for October, so unless things change, there's less need for a friend to act as post-op nurse/housekeeper yet. So the Devon/Dorset plan - which has never faltered, just waited patiently - comes to the fore again, with a second exploratory visit roughly sketched in for early Spring.
Spring feels like a long way off today, in the dreary dank gloom. Meantime, there's this to look forward to, at Howick Hall in Northumberland. Snowdrops and a wonderful cafe with home made cake, and, just as you'd expect, decent tea, in lovely surroundings: now there's a plan to uplift the spirits!
From the archives:
8 comments:
You do rather sound in need of cake and snowdrops !
It's a January that has seemed endless . I fled yesterday for no other reason than a burning desire to look at something that I hadn't seen for the last six weeks .
Glad I did . It's snowing again . Any cake left ?
Devon/Dorset sounds a wonderful idea; spring there is so much earlier than in the North. I can sympathise re Hamish; my giant rescue cat is still unwilling to be held, despite best efforts and a winch. Oh, and I can sympathise re the cataract - found out I had one at 57, but I'm assured it's very treatable.
Jan
Did you see QI last night when Stephen Fry claimed that it takes 8weeks for spring to travel from the south of Britain to the tip of Shetland? And someone mused that if you walked along very slowly you could see daffodils bursting into bloom all the way?
Those snowdrops look wonderful. Roll on, springtime.
I enjoyed catching up with this and previous posts. Your four-legged crew are always delightful with their antics, but a shame about Hamish and his experiences.The last thing you needed was the door breaking. Good luck with it all. I had my eyes retested recently and was informed of a cataract in my left eye, which will need treating eventually. I'm eye phobic! I'll be running away as far and fast as Hamish I'm sure!
Rupert's carrier door broke years ago. String is so handy, don't you think?
When I woke up this morning, the word obfuscation came into my mind, in connection with TB, our ex-PM. Clarissa Dickson-Wright (one of the Big Fat Ladies cooks off the telly) knew him years ago, and what she says about him in her first biography is so telling, and terrifying at the same time.
Roll on Friday's installment of the inquiry!
Howick Hall looks wonderful - just the ticket. Cake and tea, and a daydream of life how it was.
ahh . . . the January blues. This is the time of year that we are in need of things like cake and snowdrops. My snowdrops are peeking through. Can spring really be very far away? I think not! I hope things improve soon between you and Hamish! xxoo
Now there's a great idea..the daffodills busting into bloom all the way!Love it!
I hear snowdrops are around, cups of tea and good cakes are always available somewhere for cheering up purposes I imagine it's getting a little easier to get out?
Cats!Mine is now 7, hates being picked up because I took her to the Vet for her op 6 1/2 years ago.They don't forget and don't forgive!
I think the advent of 24-hour news (as entertainment) has had a serious effect on our collective mental health (and I say that as someone whose first job was as a local journalist and then in PR dealing closely with the spin teams at Govt level. Not nice people.
That is why we need your blog! This is real life - concern for our animals, sensitivity to the seasons, the pleasures of good cake. So thank you for helping us to cope with those horrible headlines!
Hamish will come round in his own good time. I had a semi wild older kitten whose strength was a zillions times his size and he now craves a lap and good cuddle.
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