Curveball

Good night, early morning – poor Mewly! He’s came under the duvet to cuddle and Lady Jane walked over him, like she does with me – I’m not sure whether she knew he was the ‘lump’ she stepped on.

I think the Mippies are beginning to understand about ‘quiet time until I’ve had my coffee’ – or maybe they were simply more relaxed this morning. I could actually finish my coffee in relative peace and quiet today – okay, so Lady Jane came for a bit of reassurance, which I give freely. But Mewthos didn’t try chewing my USB stick for attention – although he did make several ‘I’m gonna topple the waste bin!’ ... play-acts.

At work I take it a bit leisurely, but get into the horrid visa application – now I’m waiting for a reply before I can continue. And then I get a call: management has changed their mind about clearing the site! They will think about it some more, and make a decision ... who knows? This puts me in an awkward position, because part of the job was already done by the company management had selected – they did so, even though they had no Purchase Order ... That’s MY name going down the drain, if they don’t get paid! I sent mail to management to that effect – and now have to sit and hold thumbs that they pay!

This curveball really sucked me down, until now we all worked towards a specific goal – and now none of us know what we should prepare for. And everyone still on this site (okay, so that’s only two people, but still) is looking to me for answers!

I came home feeling drained and down – I wouldn’t go as far as saying depressed, though. I make time to go outside so the Mippies get a bit of a run – but they seem to catch my mood, and aren’t really running much. The weather has been really strange all day: cold in the morning (it had rained during the night), then warming up, then rain – more like drizzle, but a kind that goes right through everything. I was actually cold at work half the day. In the afternoon the sun came out again and it warmed up a bit. But the evening was cold again.

As I’m watching the Mips cavorting in the garden, I see Ziva around the corner at the bottom of the stairs. Instead of coming to me for belly-rubs, she stands there looking at me ... so, on a hunch, I go to her. As I approach, she goes up the stairs? Huh? She never goes inside when I’m outside. I follow her and all becomes clear when I get to the passage: Ziva wanted to show me the Gecko she had caught! She had communicated her desire to show me something quite effectively – she is such an intelligent girl!

Unfortunately my presence upstairs lures Lady Jane up as well – and as soon as she spots the Gecko, it’s hers! She simply cannot resist a movement – anything that moves gets her full attention! Soon Mewthos follows, and poor Ziva is deprived of her prey – but I did make quite a fuss over her! As much as I hate to see any living thing suffer, I have to endure it for the sake of my pets. She no longer brings in birds, and there has to be some compromise from me as well.

As it gets dark all three cats happen to be inside, so I shut the door. Ziva is highly upset and lets me know that – but I just give her a sad look and tell her I love her. With me feeling the way I do, I get to bed very early – and all three cats curl up with me.

This morning I find the whole flat covered with signs of dire rear! Patches on the carpet in the lounge, the passage, just about everywhere. Yikes and Yuk! Well, I have to go to work today, so I’ll worry about that when I get home. I’ve still got that curveball at work to deal with finding one at home as well ... I’m not very cheerful.

I get to work and the SA electrician is busy getting the Store Container ready for transport – I try to let him know we’ve been thrown a curve-ball but he tells me to shush while he recites to me what he’s done and what he’s planning. Fine. When he’s done I tell him ... and his face drops! Yeah – what now? He asks me!?

We have one parcel to be sent asap, so we focus on that – he looks for materials to pack the stuff, eventually finds an empty box that fits, and packs the box. Next we need to weigh it. We decide to leave that for Monday when the store-man comes in.

I decide to ask our electrician – the German one – for his advice. He’s been with the company over thirty years, and when it comes to politics or how best to deal with management curve-balls – he’s the best! First I discuss his visa application – progress, requirements and the way forward. And then I tell him about the curve-ball ... and he just shakes his head in disbelieve. Since everyone here is looking to me for answers, and I have nobody to ask – he suggests I get the parcel sent and when that’s gone ... go home. For however long it takes FFT to make a decision, and send everybody home as well. I should hand over the Visa application – or work it together with – FFT Germany. I can do that from home – I’m not concerned about charging for the time (if we do it together) since he’s been there & helped me often enough over the years as well.

Well, I do what I can – which isn’t all that much – and then I’m off home.

Back at home, the garden disservice has been … active. They mowed down Nasturtiums, Cosmos, and the sole Marigold in bloom and a Carnation! And again they add insult to injury by carefully placing mowed down flowers in bloom so that they don’t look damaged. That is just such an ugly touch of malice!

Well, it’s a sunny day, so I’ll spend as much of the afternoon in the garden, as I can.

Ha ha ha, oh those little mippies! Seeing my back within reach they just cannot resist jumping at it in hopes of getting on! Lady Jane needed a cuddle session, but Mommy wasn’t in her cuddle-chair, so she had to find a way to get her needs met in the garden. She rolled around and jumped at me with absolute abandon! Poor girl actually fell off my shoulder at one point! She also tried sitting on my neck. Mewly also showed up for some attention – he is such a ham! And so loving! When I finished weeding along the rain drain, Lady Jane was in her tree. So I stood next to the tree, offering her my shoulder, but she wasn’t ready to come down, yet. Then I saw a weed, bent down to pull it out … and Lady Jane jumped onto my back! Ha Ha ha! Fortunately she didn’t try to sit down this time, but just used me as an easy way to get to the ground. Mewly jumped up on my leg for attention – just like a puppy! He does that quite often, when I’m standing and he wants attention.

Sigh, now that I’m upstairs, Mippies are upstairs – and they are zooming around like pinballs! My curtains are getting the worst of it! So, I better go back outside.

Back outside, Lady Mip wants cuddle time. Jumps on my back as if I’m wearing a carpet outfit! I’m wearing a knitted jersey, so I understand her misunderstanding – she thinks her claws don’t go through! Sigh. Mewly is sitting like the cutest ornament among the cosmos. When I call him, he comes running like a happy puppy! Only – since Lady Jane is throwing herself all over me – in cuddle mode – he stalks past and settles down a meter away. He looks so beautiful!

When I got to bed, all three mippies were cuddling together on – not only their feather duvet, but mine as well! I have to move cats to make room for me to sleep. But I struggle to go to sleep, so I get up again. When I come back, Mewly and Ziva are lying side by side both staring at me! Lady Jane is curled up by Mewly’s side. And I finally fall asleep.