What I did on my holiday. I cleaned. Then I cleaned again. The End.

I’m a sucker! As I’m going to bed, Ziva wants back in … yeah, I opened the door for her. Sigh. I had to shut the fanlight in the bedroom, though, since she kept perching there. The problem with that is that the Mip Mips all try to follow her – and that involves climbing up my curtains! So, despite the heat, I shut the fanlight.

It was so hot and humid last night, it took me a long time to fall asleep. But I woke up nice and early. Well, first wake up was at five – to let Ziva out – but I went back to bed. I got up at six.

 

Ziva sitting outside, trilling to her offspring

It had rained during the night, and was still overcast this morning, although it has cleared up since then. I don’t know exactly why – it certainly wasn’t planned – but I found myself picking up all the scraps and bits of paper and feather in my bedroom, followed by a thorough vacuuming of the same. I guess I’d just had enough of looking at that horrible mess everywhere. I cleaned the passage and the lounge as well. Then folded up the laundry – which is quite a challenge when you have four curious kittens ‘helping’. They paw at the laundry, climb into the basket and disappear when I open the closet to put things away. I should still do the bathroom …

While I was vacuuming I couldn’t help wonder about the directions I had read on a product for eliminating fleas from carpets. It says to ‘work it into the carpet until it’s not visible’ – do they mean to sit with a brush and brush it into the carpet? The whole carpet? Ok, but then they say ‘do not vacuum for three weeks’. Hello? Three weeks? When you have pets? Who lives like that? Yeah, ok, so before I had this feline infestation, I’d sometimes leave a room for two, maybe even three weeks; but with pets? Who comes up with such directions? Needless to say, the product therefore has zero practical value! The kind of person who cares to have their home flea-free will not go without vacuuming for three weeks!

When I moved in here, the entire carpet was infested with fleas – I had red rings around my ankles for weeks! I just sprinkled flea powder everywhere and left that for about a week. Ok, so there’s white powder on the carpet, which doesn’t look very clean, but only for a week. And until the kittens were born, I never needed to do that again. I don’t know where the kittens get the fleas, though. I had treated Ziva when she first arrived, and again after they were born. I’ve treated the kittens a month ago, and again yesterday. At least I’m not affected – I don’t have a single bite on my anywhere, nor have I had in all this time.

Now it’s noon – Mip Mip Siesta time = fur-granny freedom! I really should take this opportunity to take the trash out – but I’m exhausted! I went into the room to get socks & shoes – just in case – and noticed Mewthos had settled himself in the tipped-over basin!

 

Mewthos

Where was I? Oh yeah, the Mip Mips were on their noon Siesta and I was too exhausted to take out the trash! So, guess what I did? I cleaned the bathroom before taking out the trash! Not spick-n-span clean, just the rough stuff. Remember those school essays “What I did on my holiday”? Yeah, that’ll be pretty short: “I cleaned. Then I cleaned again. The End.”

My life is a sitcom, the title should be something like “All I did was shelter a homeless cat … now I’m servant to four felines and a bird” or maybe “There once was a little old lady who liked cats …” or what about “One cat started it all” or perhaps “I used to have a life, then I let a cat in …” although it would be more accurate to say “One Servant, Six Masters”. Those may sound a bit too grim, how about “Help! I’m Cleaner to Five Cats!” or “Cats may clean themselves – but someone still needs to clean up after them!” or “One Cat, Four Kittens and their Servant”. Personally, I think “It all started when the cat walked in” gives just the right amount of mystery, allowing a lead-up to my suffering! He He.

About those cornflowers – maybe tomorrow. I’m still busy with the bathroom, the enamel in the bath has been gone for ages, so it doesn’t clean easy. Doesn’t clean at all is more like it – I’m throwing everything I’ve got at it, nothing works. I also still want to change the sheets. And clean the litter corner. And, and, and … it just doesn’t end.

When Rose visited, we came up with a new game: Treadmill! Turn that large flower pot on its side, throw in a toy and when any Mip Mip gets in, start rolling! Lizzy got in mostly and entertained us wonderfully!

Ziva and the Mip Mips behaved quite well while I cooked, then ate my dinner. Ziva is very restless again, insisting on going out. She jumped out the window onto the roof, but seemed hesitant to take the next jump. I called her back and let her out the door. She came back before dark – but continues to try to get out. Not tonight, sweetie, I’ve shut the fanlights.

 

See how they've grown?
Earl, Mewthos with Ziva behind him.

Ziva playing with Mewthos

Here’s something I don’t fully understand: Why is it necessary for some people to deny everyone the pleasure of fireworks? I don’t know any pet-owner who doesn’t bring their pets inside on the 31^st December. I don’t want to get into this, but when it was ‘Ban Fireworks because Children get hurt’ … I’ll shut up now.

The moonrise was quite beautiful at sunset, so I took a couple of photos.

 

Beautiful colouring from sky blue to pink to sky blue again then ocean dark blue

I re-filled the kibble dispenser with the Purina and they all fell on it like hungry wolves! Evidently they like it more than the Iams. I also gave them some wet food, which they, too, wolfed down. It was already half ten, and I hadn’t processed the photo’s yet, so I’m posting this first thing in the morning.

Happy New Year!