Tuesday 15 April 2008

What a Difference a Day Makes

Yes in just 24 hours, the world looks really different.

Toiday started early for me with Hazel bringing in a fast food snack a good couple of hours before I wanted to wake up. This snack was fast enough to get away from her so then she and Cid played chase the mouse round and round the bedroom. I gave up trying to sleep and got up, had a cuppa and read the blogs posted over night. Three quarters of an hour later she finally caught it again so had breakfast and I went back to bed.

The day finally started and it was lovely and sunny and the cold wind had gone. The temperature made it to the high teens by the afternoon, which cheered me, no end. First thing on the agenda was a trip to the garage; I got there but the boss man was away and not due back for half to three quarters of an hour.

No time to do anything at the house so I went round to see how Ann was doing with the dog fencing she’s putting in and to discuss what time I would help her out with the Vide Grenier (it literally translate to empty attic, in other words a car boot) over the weekend. Ann started off by catching and sterilising the 30 or so feral cats and kittens in her tiny village. Now there are thankfully only a few that move into the village and she feeds the sterilised strays but she does also get given kittens found left by the rubbish bins or found in barns too. The money from the Vide Greniers goes a little way to reimbursing her costs.

Back to the garage and the boss man is there. He will look at the car in the afternoon and if it requires a part he will order it and I can bring the car back later in the week. So back home again and as the weather is so lovely it’s time to get the ride-on mower out and see what it’s like after its repair and service. It was oh so much better, no clunking and it felt tight. I was able to whip round the lawn extension – mowing it last week with the walk behind was worth it, and I even had time to do a bit of the front lawn and round the house.

Another cuppa and then it was back to the garage. I left the car there and started on the 9-kilometre walk back to the house. About halfway back I telephoned Eric to arrange a lift back to pick up the car in the evening and he came out and collected me on this trip as well, which was lovely of him. While the weather was lovely and I had had a lovely three quarters of an hour walk, it was nice not to have to do the rest of the walk in the heat especially as I had forgotten any sunscreen. I then showed Eric what needed to be done to put the chickens to bed, as he will be doing that for me this week if I’m not back from my trips in time.

We had only just got round to the chickens when the plumber and electrician appeared, so the final lagging of the pipes and the fitting of the overflow has been done, which means that the first major chunk of updating work has now been completed. The thermostat on the immersion has been turned up – it was just about possible to keep your hand under the hot water in the morning, by the evening the tank was only luke warm. When they had finished I mentioned the stuck screw and that too has been removed. The use of the screwdriver and bit that had been used to put it in and that they were able to lift the sink just enough to get a straight line access to the screw and the job was done.

The shelf isn’t in yet though as they only finished just in time for me to walk round to Eric’s to get my lift to the garage to pick up the car. The verdict on it is that the right rear sensor is faulty so as he thought the brakes are fine, just no ABS. So I will be driving like we used to have to drive cars; be in a suitable gear, anticipate and use progressive braking and lift off and reapply should the wheels lock. The car will go in to have the new sensor fitted on Friday.

While the workmen were here, I took advantage of the lack of wind a managed to burn some of the tree prunings that have been clogging up the front lawn. By the end of the day I was really smoky and it was so nice to be able to get into the shower to get clean – I’d thought to put the immersion on for a couple of hours to make sure the water was hot. Talk about simple luxuries.

I then settled down to watch another episode of ‘Allo ‘Allo for a good giggle and nearly forgot to lock up the chickens. On my way back through the kitchen I saw a slight movement to the right and was just in time to see a cat shape slink past the curtain and into the room that leads to the loft stairs. I called to Mr Tibbs and then walked round and peeked the other side of the curtain. For the first time he had stopped when I called, even though this was also the first time I’d seen him inside the house. The door to the loft has been open for months but if he’s been down, and I’m sure he will have been, he’s only done it when I’m not around or asleep. I told him I’d get some food and went to get it, I turned round and he had followed me back into the kitchen. I put the food down and started to stroke him, eventually sitting on the floor with my legs curled under me. He ate a few pieces of food and then came and curled up against me so I could stroke him. I decided to try something, I lifted him and straightened out my legs and put him on my lap. He didn’t panic at all but just curled up and purred. He is a cat that just wants to be loved.

His coat is now silky although he is still quite skinny and practically all the scabs round his neck, head and in front of his ears have now gone. He, along with the other cats is due the next dose of Stronghold so I hope that he will soon be free of the lasts scabs before long.

5 comments:

VP said...

Deborah - our two have declared the open season on take away snacks too!

I'm now returning the compliment - you need to come over to my place to collect an award on Friday. Hopefully Google will behave itself and my post dated for then will pop up and all will be revealed!

Georgina said...

I fed up of mopping up the red soup from take aways. I think it's that time of year. At least I'm not spending too much on cat food though. I'm glad your feeling better about things. Debs

aims said...

Your life is so different from mine. Out in the fresh air and getting things done.

I am not one to leave my house for the unknown very often. I don't mind as much with The Man - but otherwise I get all anxious. A leftover...and I'm struggling to get control of it.

But at least it gives me time to write. Notice I didn't say a lot of time - just time. I have to work it into everything else.

So glad you got that counter thing all fixed up. Sometimes a strong man comes in really handy...and the right tools. Sometimes just an extra set of hands help as well.

Debra in France said...

Hi Deborah, we get snacks/toys bought in at all hours of the night. Usually it is one of the older cats who leave it on the door mat, then Misty the kitten brings them upstairs. Rosie bought in a beautiful mole the other morning, it must have died from shock as there wasn't a mark on it.
My car needs 2 new front tyres to get through the control technique. Bloody cars!

dND said...

Hi Dabra,
Patches is my mole catcher and she left another on the lawn for me this week. That's her fourth or fifth this year and the molehills are finally diminishing on the lawn.

As with Rosie's mole, there isn't a mark on the moles, I'm now thinking I should have skinned the others and go for some moleskin trousers, (only joking)

Cars! Well mines had the timing belt changed and 4 tyres plus the ABS this year. That said I've had it 18 months and I don't think much was done to it before I bought it. But I do hope this is it for a while and the next control technique is a year away.