It’s 4.00am ish. I’m up and I’ve made myself a cup of tea because I’ve just let the cats out. We’ve had some really stormy weather overnight, high winds and lashing rain, so the 10.00pm, “I’m so cute and sleepy” cats couldn’t possibly be put outside in that. Cue 3.30am, when they’re sprinting up and down the stairs with surprisingly heavy little feet, dragging cardboard boxes around the spare bedroom, or are using the landing as a toboggan run courtesy of the zip up bag that our mattress topper was delivered in. Sigh….. The weather has subsided now, still a bit of light rain, so I’ve given them some breakfast (the first of many breakfasts for them I expect) and they were clamouring to get back to some nocturnal murdering. Although Figs headed straight to the field over the road for stalking in the long grass, while I expect Barney has headed straight back to the warmth of the kitty igloo in the barn. Not a fan of moisture on the floof is our Barns.

We have to try and leave to walk the dogs without alerting the cats or Figs will definitely want to come with us. Where possible we shut her in the house for her own safety. Lovely as it is to go for a walk with your kitten, she is extremely car averse, and while we only ever walk with her down the road at the side of our house which is extremely quiet, (I can go for weeks without having to move aside for a car), but should we encounter one, instead of running to the side of the road, she will run all the way back home, but directly in front of the vehicle. One time on a rainy night and post curfew, we were out with torches trying to find her in the woods because she hadn’t appeared for feeding, due to being spooked by a car on the earlier walk and running off. After some shouting and meowing, out she came, not running but sashaying out of the undergrowth like she’d just been waiting for us to find her. Yesterday, we thought we’d gotten away with it, but we rounded the corner and there she was, sprinting down the road to keep up. On the return to the house, she decided she was too hot and only had little legs, so I’ll just recline on the road for a rest! No you don’t kitten! So there I am, carrying the flipping cat, until she wriggled and kicked and demanded putting down again. As soon as we rounded the corner to our house she’s laid out on the grass recovering from her excursion. I’ve finally given in and ordered some collars for them both. Breakaway ones, so if tree climbing or squeezing through fences means they get caught, the buckle will give and they won’t get stuck. I feel like I need people to know that these cats are loved and looked after, and not friendly strays to be taken in. I’m too emotionally invested now, they are absolutely our cats, even if they don’t spend every waking moment with us. Barney spends sunny days now, like a big potato laid in our front border. He’ll sit there for hours, close to us, but doing his own thing. I’m glad they choose to hang out with us, they really do feel like part of the family now, but I really do feel like they are both living their best life.

Craig has this coming week off, so no real concrete plans to do anything other than potter about and maybe explore somewhere with the dogs if the weather allows. Nothing has reopened here yet, but soon, when restaurant terraces re-open, it’ll be a happy day indeed! we’re also looking forward to brocantes and finding a vintage record store that we’ve been wanting to go and rifle through for ages.

Also time next week will be spent trying to get a same day/next day vaccination appointment as the rules have changed slightly allowing for any spare vaccine or cancelled appointments to be filled by anyone, regardless of age group. All over it.

Laters…… V xx