The Name of the Rose

I was just taking a video of the kittens playing with my home-made toy – captured a classic mouse-action – when Shadow started blowing chunks right next to me! Urgh! I’ve no idea what could have caused it, since she doesn’t eat anything unique. Unfortunately the video is too large to upload, so a picture of the entire Mip Mip collection playing with my home-made toy will have to do.

 

Tiger tabby on the left, twins in the center and Quizzy Lizzy on the right

I didn’t have a very good night, coughing myself awake numerous times. When I opened my eyes around six this morning, I was facing Quizzy Lizzy again – only a more pleasant end. Silver hadn’t bothered to get off the comfy bed so her kittens could nurse – so they were all clambering up onto the bed!

I’m not sure if Shadow is still feeling unwell, or whether she fears some kind of punishment for ‘messing’ on my floor – she kept shrinking from me in fright! I’ve no clue why, as I didn’t so much as say anything when it happened. Just cleaned it up – after all, it’s not her fault! When I called her onto the bed this morning, she ran and hid under the chair?

With the kittens nursing, there was no need to feed them – but a peek behind the mirror revealed several more solid results, all neatly distributed AROUND the litter tray! Ai, ai!

At work I learned that the Pretoria project is not scheduled much past this one – and there’s no guarantee that I would have full-time work there, either. So it’s evident that staying here until the East London project starts is the soundest move. At least here I definitely have work, albeit part-time. Everyone’s hours are being reduced, since the project is winding down, so it’s only fair the same apply to me. As from now I’m on a four-day schedule – I opted to take Wednesdays off, that means I can fill the drum when the gardener doesn’t show.

Back at home I faced the shit. Literally. The Mip Mips dropped their loads and widdled all around their litter box. My neighbour suggested that I may have been a bit too stingy with the soil – it’s too shallow, so I added some more. Let’s see how that goes.

I asked my neighbour what alias she would like me to use for her on this blog and she chose Rose. So henceforth all those tedious ‘my neighbour’s will disappear. Since gardening is one of our shared interests, it’s an especially apt alias.

When I arrived, Silver was in the lounge again – I had closed off the entrance to kitchen and lounge, to keep the Mip Mips out, obviously it’s not effective against an adult cat, but I do wonder whether she can get back? Shadow and one Mip Mip were sitting in the passage just behind the barrier. And when I put down food, the Mip Mips ate quite ravenously! Well, all except Long-Sleeve, who will only eat food off my finger.

We saw Quizzy Lizzy investigate the water bowl, but as it is too deep, she can’t reach. So I placed a shallower dish with water down for her – and caught her first experience with water on video! Of course she put her paw in the bowl.

Rose baked another lot of biscuits, she’s been wanting to bake for some time now, but last week it was simply too hot. She gave me a healthy share, I love cookies! When she left, we tried enticing Shadow again to come back home – but, although she follows her quite a ways, she still keeps coming back to the kittens. Having forced her to move up here – albeit out of desperation – we don’t want to force her to move again. But she’s undeniably Rose’s cat and not mine – I can always tell when Rose is coming, simply by Shadows behaviour: she either turns her face to the door (if a kitten is with her) or goes to greet Rose, if she’s free.

Well, the wet towels are in the machine and I better see about dinner in between attending to the family of six in my bedroom!