Memory Lane

For once, all felines came to sleep when I went to bed! Lady Jane burrowed under the duvet to warm up my feet for a while, but then settled outside with Ziva and Mewthos.

As a result, I woke up at a reasonable time – around seven. I start telling them that I’m going to work today, so they may learn to associate the word ‘work’ with long absence during which they want to stay inside. Ziva went out and by the time I was leaving had not come back – I guess I left earlier than she anticipated. When I got to the door, Lady Jane stuck a hopeful nose out, but when I carried her back to the chair and explained that I must work, she didn’t sneak out between my legs. Mewthos had settled on their chair for a nap.

Someone once told me, that in his opinion, photography is anti-social. Well, when you are spending quality time with someone, who is focused exclusively on photogenic scenes – he’s quite right. Or, if you go for a walk in idyllic scenery – only for the photo’s. I’ve lived without digital camera’s most of my life – and there aren’t many photo’s of me. I bought the digital camera, cheap, four years ago – and there still aren’t many photo’s of me, he he. I’m not a selfie-taker. I would take photo’s of socials – like work parties. And then I started going on photo-shoot walks and drives – the architecture in East London fascinates me! I spent hours walking along the beaches – sometimes with, but often without my camera. Of the most amazing event I experienced in East London – being surrounded by jumping dolphins and whales – the only photo’s are of water ... the ocean. See, my focus at the time was on the experience, not capturing the perfect shot. Other times, I took loads of shots trying to capture the enormous power of the ocean, when a wave brakes on a rock. Trying to get a shot at just the exact moment when the spray is at its peak! While I sit there, my focus is on the waves, the ocean, getting a feel for it – so that I can snap the shutter at just the right moment. And sometimes I get so enthralled, I forget the photo!

I’ve taken loads and loads of photo’s of all the different flowers and blooms in my garden – I’ve also taken loads and loads of photo’s of the Mips and Ziva. But a lot of the ‘perfect’ images, are in my head. I’ve described them in this blog, and I can re-read the blog and that image is right before my eyes, as if it was happening right now. Like the time Mewthos jumped into the swivel-bin head first. Or Quizzy Lizzy in pink feather heaven – when I got her that pink feather duster and she tore it apart and sat there surrounded by pink feathers with a big grin on her face! Or Lady Jane looking out the window asking “Mip, Mip?” when I thought I could sneak out to visit Rose. Or Earl, having climbed up the curtains sitting smug but scared on top of the curtain rails in my bedroom! Or Ziva, after she had inspected my flat, sitting in front of me with a face that seemed to say “Ok, your flat has passed inspection, now: feed me!” I could go on and on – see what I mean about loving to stroll down memory lane?

Back at home Ziva greeted me with a roll-around at the garage – as usual. It is lovely to be greeted with such enthusiasm. Every day! Rose was outside, but on her way indoors, since the wind had gotten too cold for comfort. I gave weeding a try – and sitting on the ground, the wind doesn’t reach me. I cleaned up one side of the path for a ways – with a lot of help and curiosity from Mewthos. He would paw at the ground to see what I was doing, and then roll on the path in front of me to give me something to do – scratch his tummy! Even with me sitting near the garage, neither Mip went towards the road. At one point all three inspected the rockery, but when Ziva went her way, the Mips stayed very close to me.

Later, I cleared the grass around that little lonely bush of Alyssum growing near the overturned tree. Mewthos came again to inspect – and when I’d cleared some weeds around the bush, he used the hole for … business. Then got very busy covering his … business. Lovely!

I also cleared the grass around Rose’s Geraniums in the hope that this will spare them from getting mowed down tomorrow. I also cleared the grass around some of the cosmos next to the path as well as around the planter – it had grown an inch during the week! Not that that will stop them – we’re talking about a ‘service’ that mowed down my Iris in the middle of the bed, but leaves any grass growing close to the garage wall or any other ‘inconvenient’ place.

Upstairs, I picked my pajamas's off the passage floor and fed my felines tinned pilchards. The mini’s love it, but Ziva is being fussy. So I sprinkled some catnip over it – which made her rather agro. She went for the Mips a few times before retreating into my bedroom. Mewthos has some ‘bully’ characteristics – like his growling, when he’s got hold of a treasure. He also pushes Ziva away to take her food – I have to intervene. Lady Jane doesn’t let herself be bullied – but then, she’s his sister.

Ziva’s position is a bit different: she’s his mommy, she looks out for her kittens – takes responsibility, and when I started feeding the Mips mousse she wasn’t allowed to eat until they finished. It’s kind of like the older-sister syndrome (makes it sound so modern, calling it a syndrome, doesn’t it?). Like with my little sister. I’d be told to let her win at games because she couldn’t take loosing – I never minded loosing, though. Or when she destroyed my hated needle-work macaroni-belt – three times! And my mum supported her declaration of innocence and forced me to re-do it. My mum knew my sister was lying – and let me pay the price. Because I’m the older sister. I have a better sense of right and wrong, so I’ll do better by Ziva. And Mewthos isn’t really mean – just a bit selfish, yet he is open to learning. When I push him away from Ziva’s bowl, he tries again, maybe a third time, but then he gets the message and accepts it. In my family, everybody has equal rights. And everybody deserves respect.

I think I have an idea regarding the pooping around the flat. It’s possible when the Mips watch me scoop their poop out of the sandbox, one of them started thinking that maybe they should try pooping somewhere else, where it doesn’t mean work for me. Hopefully whichever Mip it was, realizes some time that I never scoop up any poop in the garden – that would be helpful!

Anyway, I’ve made my cup of of Chamomile tea, soon it’s time for bed.