Swipe!
Pat the Cat
Good morning to Speckles my stray cat. We have just had early breakfast together, sitting on the cottage verandah.
A tendency to revert...
Lately Speckles has been behaving like an unsettled hybrid (striped Phormiums come to mind), showing a strong a tendency to revert back to his hissy, wide-eyed, wild origins.
Don't be fooled...
Don't be fooled by his soft, relaxed eyes in the photograph below. More often than not he reminds me that he is a wild thing. So there I was this morning with my sweetest voice, trying to be soft and safe, stroking him gently, no sudden hand movements. Thought we were getting somewhere - he even started gurgling, his feral version of purring.
Swipe!
As I stood up Speckles claw-swiped my bottom. Explained to him that a bottom is an integral part of a lovely older lady. Having dodgy knees, her bottom might well stick out a bit when she stands up. It is not a threatening gesture. Or a dismissive one, as happens when she shows her bottom to a barking dog.
Speckles Looking Rather Relaxed
Also reminded Speckles that she has been feeding him, loyally, getting very little in return, for a year and a half. He looked unimpressed, gave his own bottom a cursory lick and then wandered off. Rude cat.
Thursday March 9th
Goodness. March 9th? Nine March days and not terribly much to show for them. This afternoon I've been trimming. Started the big clean out of the Island Bed - pulling out the Alstroemeria tops and clearing a space for another rhododendron - both on my list of things to do and plants to buy.
Shrubs in the House Garden
Then it started raining quite heavily and I got wet and cold, so I retreated to the house and changed into dry clean clothes. Almost as quickly the sun came back out. Oh well. Now I'm off to take those dogs for a wee walk. They are much more rewarding company than a bottom-swiping feral cat.