Shadow

It is Monday and I don’t have to go to work. Not today, not tomorrow, not any day in the foreseable future. Well, unless I get called to work. Since that’s not a definite, I’m considering myself on leave. Hmm, maybe I should call my employer and let him know? Maybe tomorrow.

Anyway, that leaves the big question: So, what now?

Well, there are a couple of tasks I’ve put on hold for this period. One of them is taking the car for repairs. I called and booked it in – the earliest date available was next Monday.

Another one of those tasks is renewing my German Passport, starting with a call to find out what documents I’ll need. I’m not in the mood for that today, so I’m postponing it … tomorrow.

For today, I’m taking it easy. Being non-productive – which goes against my nature, so … I washed the windows, did the dishes and pulled a couple of weeds helping our gardener.

For the first time today I got angry with our gardener: he sawed more branches off that fallen over tree after he had been told not to. Firstly, it’s not my responsibility to remove that tree, it’s the owner’s and I do not appreciate spending my money (his time and my drum) for someone who won’t even lift a finger or spend a penny unless he absolutely has to. My bedroom ceiling, for example. And secondly, the cats absolutely loved those branches! Especially the one that idiot sawed off today, which was ideally situated for them to stretch and scratch their nails off!

Anyway, the rest of his work was good, as always. Rose re-planted a host of geraniums into our rockery, which is coming along beautifully!

After he left, we saw Shadow in the far corner of my garden digging herself a hole. Rose came around the back and when she called her, Shadow came running to her happily! We were distraught to see the state of her nose: her entire nose is one large seeping and bleeding sore! We decided there and then to take her to the vet, so Rose held onto her while I went upstairs to get the cat carrier. When we had Shadow safely in the carrier, I went upstairs to shut the Mips inside and Rose got her keys and off we went to the vet.

Since the antibiotics worked before, the vet decided to try them again with a follow-up in two weeks. Until now, her nose had never been worse than just some spots. But with no-one caring for her well-being, it has got so bad, it looks painful. Poor auntie Shadow! When Rose was in hospital for five days, Shadow ‘defected’ back to the first people who fed her – my neighbours. But they only feed her, nothing more. They are kind, but not pet-people. They neither feel nor take any responsibility for the stray they are feeding. And poor Shadow doesn’t know ‘home’. Rose trapped her and had her spayed, and she stayed with Rose. Then we moved her upstairs, then back with Rose – and then Rose went to hospital. Shadow showed up the first two evenings but never set paw inside when no Rose greeted her. When Rose came home, Shadow had ‘settled’ next door again … she wouldn’t come back. Poor thing must be quite confused … so Rose has decided to keep her shut in her bedroom for now. See how it goes, hopefully keep her until her nose problem is completely cleared up. Last time was just before Rose went to hospital. Let’s hope that this time we can a) get her nose completely healed and b) re-establish Shadow home with Rose.