Sleep deprived - again!

Not much sleep during the night, as Silver now takes to sitting by my face. Demanding attention by meowing right in my ear. All. Through. The. Night. Late start for me, as a result and almost no energy all day. Went to Builders, but they didn’t have what I was looking for. A few stakes, but fencing? None with the spikes at the end. So I took another roll – best of the lot available. Our gardener will be happy, since he’ll be allowed to put that fence up straight – not curved. Ha Ha.

Back home I tackled the bathroom. Silver finally took to the litter box – a bit over enthusiastically, I’m afraid. She’s turned the whole bathroom into one big litter box! Don’t ask about the smell! Well, it’s all cleaned up and sparkly clean now.

Then I cleaned the porch. Well, the bit in front of my door. I cleaned the shelf, moved it down stairs and washed the floor and the walls where Silver’s boyfriends have been spraying their testosterone. Well it’s all lovely and sparkly clean now. And I’m completely drained. It’s been a bit rough pushing myself when I felt the lack of sleep – but I am going to catch it up tonight. And Silver will start getting smacked if she wakes me up again.

My neighbour told me she’s spoken to a lady from CatCare about Silver. The lady suggested to take Silver, abort the kittens, have her spayed and bring her back. At first that may sound ruthless, but she’s got a point. What am I going to do with the kittens? So I didn’t just dismiss the idea, but thought about it. And I’m afraid, I can’t do it. I may end up having to put the kittens down anyway – but I also may not. It may seem cowardly, but I just can’t do that now. I’ve grown quite attached to the little furry jumping beans. And to Silver. I could handle if she moves out after the kittens have grown – but it’ll break my heart if I have to leave her behind.

Enough of such dark thoughts. They’re not today’s problem. Today holds no more problems, just my bed and a good night’s sleep!

Back to normal

Yesterday was pretty much a write-off. Woke up with a migraine, called in sick, slept. I didn’t even set foot in the garden.

Feeling much better today, so I’ll finally be posting this week’s blog. I set the ‘posted’ schedule to co-incide with the date of the blog, since it then shows up separate, with the date above whatever heading I choose to give it.

Since our gardener worked in my neighbours garden on Wednesday, he filled the drum with her waste (on my suggestion) – at least it didn’t go empty! I’m expecting the garden disservice again today – hopefully their damage is tolerable. I really must get more fencing so I can enclose all my flower beds! And I also think I need to start picking off my Zucchini! The more you harvest, the more they produce, I gather. Let’s see how that goes.

Back home the garden disservice has spared my garden for another week. Maybe the owner is saving costs and set them to once a month? But just how much can it cost for five minutes per visit? Collecting the drum costs me only R120 for four times a week! Well, no skin off my nose – it makes no real difference either way.

FINALLY the first of those tall mystery flowers has opened! They’re Cornflowers! Who’d have thought? So I took the camera and went on a tour to see what’s new. Quite a lot, actually! There’s a weed which looks like a yellow version of Chamomile. Then there’s what looks like a Tomato Plant – but outside the bed! I can only guess how it landed there – will have to move it tomorrow. The pink flower is still not open. And when I tried to snap the Gazania – Silver stuck her nose in the lens! Such a cute photo, though! And the Iris, which looks like a Lily is also still closed.

 

Here's that 3-leaved Carnation again

Just like it's blue and it's maroon & white counterpart

It looks like a yellow version of Chamomile

A wandering Tomato Plant

Still not open

Glorious Cornflower! Worth the long wait?

Silver sticking her nose in the lens just as I'm snapping the Gazania. Cute, isn't it?

Still not open

I've no idea what this
will turn out to be

My Lawn Ornament

After a whole day indoors, Silver takes her favourite position: As a lawn ornament! She’s really trying my patience though, she has it in for that poor black and white cat, who comes to eat here almost every night. She goes after that cat with a vicious ferocity and determination that quite ticks me off! I don’t get why that one cat is supposedly such a threat that she has to fight in her condition? I just wish she would get busy with labour! We’re at the end of the term by my calculations – though everything seems to be fine. Kittens are still moving inside, feels like little furry jumping beans.

Well, weekend ahead, blogs are posted – just this one still to go. 

Migraine

I had a very bad night, with the headache developing into a migraine throughout the night. I woke up several times and had some awful dreams. In one all the wildlife had invaded my home demanding food, birds – even parrots! A host of kittens, eyes still closed, and some strangely deformed rat-like things, with sable-like teeth along their backs. They were dark and skeletal, desperately hungry. There were also some buck, Impala I think. It was animals crying for food everywhere I turned.

I woke up still with the migraine – not too bad, though, so I got up and made my coffee and breakfast. As I ate the migraine evaporated, so I decided to come to work after all. Silver hadn’t received much attention from me last night, so this morning, after a short cuddle, she left.

My neighbour told me some upsetting news: Dark Silver had come into her home, and let her pet her. She took the opportunity to inspect and told me Dark Silver is definitely female. And by the feel of her tummy – also expecting! I think that might have influenced my weird dream.

The lack of sleep caught up with me just after lunch, so I left work and went straight to bed when I got home.

Flat battery

Had a bit of an anxious time when Silver decided to crawl under the duvet and curl up by my feet – which I said before don’t lie still, and the anxiety is for Silver trying to catch little wriggling piggie wiggies! About an hour later she wriggled out from under the duvet and lay in her accustomed place: by my feet on top of the feather duvet.

When I wanted to go to work, I found the battery flat. My own fault: Just before I turned into the driveway on Saturday morning, the radio had switched itself off – it usually turns itself back on some time afterwards, I should have checked on it Saturday afternoon or latest Sunday morning. But I forgot. A neighbour was just leaving, but she didn’t have jumper cables, so I called in to work – and our site manager offered to send a colleague.

While I waited, I noticed a new red flower next to the tall blue ones – so I took some photos. Silver was confused by my coming back after I had left for the day, and used the chance to come outside. I strolled around the garden admiring all the flowers and my hard work over the weekend. It felt strange to just relax and enjoy – completely unproductive. Without guilt. I should probably do something with the drum tonight. I took my colleague on a tour through the garden and when we walked along the rockery, I noticed a lot of those ugly thorns sprouting afresh. The rockery could also do with some weeding. Well, I’ve got tonight and tomorrow night to play with the drum. I was going to do dishes tonight – I’ve used a lot being at home three days; but I think I’d rather fill the drum.

At work I caught myself out good and proper! One of the guys made a work breakfast for everybody and I prepared a slice of bread with mustard, then put the sausage on and bit into it. And nearly spat it out! Wrong mustard! Spicy hot – my eyes were watering to the sound of laughter which erupted at my reaction!

With the late start I’m not really in the mood for work today – I liked having three days off in a row! I need to get to Builders again next Saturday, get some more stakes – the metal ones are much better than the bamboo ones. With all the peas I’ve planted, I’ll need more stakes. I also want to fence off the rest of the beds, protecting the flowers from the blind garden disservice, who mow right past the edge into the flowers – like that time they razed down the Iris, etc. And maybe I’ll try for Gladiola again, but I’ll plant them in a sunnier spot. Like alongside the path, perhaps. And get some more bean seeds. Beans are good for the soil. My mind is still in my garden, which gives me so much pleasure and joy! I really don’t want to have to reel it back to where I am: At work!

Well, at work is where my USB stick stayed – lonely and forgotten.  At home the wind was cold and strong, so I had a quick chat with my neighbour before the cold drove us indoors. I’ve had a headache throughout the day which was getting worse and worse. I was feeling ill, light headed and just generally miserable, so I fried myself a steak, ate and went to bed.

Holiday in the garden

Leisurely morning, enjoying breakfast and coffee. The wind was a bit cold in the morning, so I figured another day indoors – but it turned quite pleasant fairly early. As I went into the garden, my neighbour caught me to tell me she’d have to give the garden a miss today. She seems to be getting sick again, and the wind is still too strong for her to risk it. Since I’m sitting on the ground, it’s not so bad there. I cleaned the beds alongside the little wall to my neighbour as well as the gravel bit in front of them. The first bed looks a bit sparse, the Cosmos there are not as profuse as they were last year, so I sowed some more flowers. And also stuck the odd pea seed in the ground here and there.

And I finally managed to snap those tall blue flowers alongside the path!

 

In the vegetable patch I’m a bit disappointed with the Gladiola’s I had planted there long ago. They were the first bulbs I had put into the bed when I first ‘commissioned’ it. They didn’t fare very well, first all the radishes blocked their sunlight, and now the Nasturtiums in that bed are trying the same. I’ve cut back the Nasturtiums aggressively as well – only two Gladiola’s seem to still be alive, though. And they never flowered. I picked some peas in that bed, and tied up what I could.

Lastly I continued cleaning the lawn bit, pulling all them Dandelions out which have completely taken over. I got as far as the planter – and staked the sweet pea growing in there, so the garden disservice doesn’t mow it off.
By the time I got inside, I was too tired to write or post anything. I warmed up the 2^nd half of the chicken, made my lunch and got into a lovely relaxing bath.

Gardening discoveries

Another disrupted night! Silver insists on waking me up when she needs to widdle – not at all keen on the litter box. And she’ll sit right by my ear letting off a high-pitched meow – nobody could sleep through that! But I remain adamant – at night, use the litter box! At one point she was sitting half out the window, contemplating the jump – I’m glad to say she changed her mind. And used the litter box.

The wind was quite chilly in the morning, so I carried on with my chores. I thought Silver would run out at speed when I switch on the Vacuum cleaner but she just sat – albeit at a distance – and watched.

At about ten I went out in the garden – the tomato patch was in sore need of attention! I’ve picked at least half a dozen beans! Silly of me to have left them – sadly many were no longer edible. My neighbour came and joined me, knitting a grey beanie. We discovered some more flowers trying to bloom in between the Nasturtiums, so I cut them back quite aggressively. I also got a bit more aggressive cutting them off my path. I kept a lot of the leaves and flowers and used them as stuffing for my chicken – which is roasting nicely in the oven right now.

My neighbour reckons Dark Silver might be female as well! Well, whichever Silver is not defending her food bowl against Dark Silver! When I finally came in, the tinned Salmon was finished! And Silver followed me into the kitchen, sitting down in her ‘here comes my food’ place. Right below the counter, where I usually fill her bowl. I can’t afford to feed the whole host of strays on tinned Salmon! I’ve just had Ginger trying his luck on the Salmon – but I objected. When I got up to turn the chicken, I saw him sitting outside on the mat … as if he’s waiting for his food! When I open the door, though, he runs away. I filled the outside bowl with pellets. A little later I see Ginger eating happily away. Next Dark Silver comes – also tries to Salmon. I object. So he (or she) settles for the pellets. Inside though. I guess Ginger was still eating outside.

Right now Silver his highly disgusted with me! After she patiently sat through two and a half hours of chicken roasting in the oven, it finally comes out – she runs to her ‘feed me’ spot in the kitchen and … nothing! So as I sit down to eat, she clawfully reminds me of her presence – quite insistently. I have no choice but to smack her on the nose, not hard, mind. So she goes off into her corner and waits. When I get up she rushes to her food bowl – and is highly disgusted that nothing has turned up in it! So she went out in disgust. When she came back, suddenly the tinned salmon is good enough, again!

By the way, the Nasturtiums added a peppery flavour to the chicken. And now I’m going to try one of those new shampoos I got yesterday.

My neighbour identified these as Phlox

This is a Carnation, which didn't open properly,
beautiful detail!

Gazania about to open

Isn't this colour mix just lovely?

This is trying to push through the Nasturtium

Struggling for room past the Nasturtium
looks a bit like it's giving them the finger, eh?

I found these growing in the Tomato Patch

This is practically hidden under Nasturtiums!
Should open tomorrow!

The bed was totally overgrown! There's a pesky type of grass taking over this bed every few weeks!
Look at the Zucchini on the left! I've moved two beans to the front, tied up the new tomato plant
And there's a brussel sprout growing again - also a couple of Iris on the right.
Well, they don't look like Iris - we'll have to see.

Ginger. Gave the pellets a sniff, walked past and tried to settle for the tinned food.
I objected.
Oh, and I use the mallet & door-stop contraption to keep the door open just enough for the cat to come & go
as she pleases, without having the wind blowing me away.

Cats, Flowers and rain

Lovely day all round. Nice and early start. A bit too early as it turns out, I ended up waiting twenty minutes for the shop to open! I went toiletry shopping, since I had gotten all groceries yesterday already. It’s getting a bit frustrating, products are changing faster than I can keep up. Nivea products are disappearing one by one – and who wants to have to change brands? Can’t find any decent bath oil – except the extravagantly expensive ‘brands’. Shampoos now come in tubes – I’m trying a few new ones. Not exactly by choice. Well, let’s see what they’re like. And I couldn’t find any rose bath salts – only vanilla, etc. Stuff I’d put in my food, not my bath. He he. Yeah, I’m old fashioned!

When I came out, it was raining. Sigh. Not a gardening day, after all! So I got busy indoors for a change. I’ve been craving soft boiled eggs, so I’ve made myself a half dozen and had them on rolls. When the rain let up for a bit, I stepped outside just in time to see my neighbour come back from her shopping, too! We went around with my camera, taking photos of a lot of the beautiful flowers she has in her garden! Hers is really doing nicely, she has such a lot of ‘break-off-a-piece-and-stick-it-in-the-ground’ plants and they’re all doing really well! He He no wonder she’s looking for room – hence the rockery! She’s also put quite a few geraniums in ‘my’ garden!

I also got a dangly toy for Silver. She’s not impressed! A mouse on an elastic. Well, I’m having fun with it, teasing Silver! And I saw a food dispenser, one you can fill up and it comes out the bottom into a bowl. I had a water dispenser like that for Mynx. Gave it away when he died. And I got a brush. She likes that, at least! Ten minutes and it’s already full! She’s staying under my feet all day today – always hopeful when I enter the kitchen. Shame, she’s so big now, she can’t even curl up on the chair anymore, but lies there like a fat sausage.

Well, I wanna try some of the new pamper-toys I got for myself, so off to bath early!

Bump making her waddle

What's that you're pointing at me?
It needs closer inspection

See what I mean about Dark Silver? Just waltzes right in to the food bowl

Her favourite activity: eating!

Aren't these amazing? Weird but wonderful!

These bloom only in the morning,
at least I've never seen them open except in the mornings!

The Nasturtium leaves collect water beautifully

First Sweet Pea in bloom

Zucchini or cucumber? This one in full bloom

Like the one's in our rockery -
I didn't know they have flowers, too!

The Begonia in its pot

They turn to those wonderful autumn colours later on!

First Arum Lily in my neighbour's garden

Isn't this just adorable?

These are the newest addition to her garden
- now in full glorious bloom!

Her Lavender
never stops blooming

These Cosmos wandered from my garden into my neighbours
- our plants agree with us: A garden shared is a pleasure doubled

Beans! I didn't even notice them till today! Ready to harvest!

This is growing next to the Gazania - collecting rain water

Too big to curl up now!