Small Cat Diary

Scooter attempted to get me again last night as I bravely went off to bed on my own leaving Captain Butterfly watching something ghastly on the telly.   However, we had just been watching a programme about lion prides made by one of those wonderful guys from Big Cat Diary - the one who isn't Simon King - so I was sort of hyped up to face her.

She got under the bed to ambush my feet, but, using the sort of firm voice I would have to use in a similar situation in the Serengeti - "NO, that's naughty" - I got into bed safely (and very quickly).  

There were various clatterings and comings and goings and tramplings during the night, but nothing that kept us awake.

Jim came round last night!  Haven't seen him for years.  He is just about to be a granddad.  But he really doesn't look any different.  He really doesn't.    He and Claire are now living in town. We hope to get together later in the year.

Col is walking Ollie, I am waiting for Alana the Cleaner to arrive, then I have to go off and do some shopping.  Today is scheduled for Chutney making, so we hope to leave some jars of the famous Butterfly date and tomato chutney for our hosts.  

In Expatland The Captain used to make it with freshly picked dates.  Nowadays they are freshly picked from the Supermarket shelf.  Bought with our own fair hands.

Ken has started making marmalade again, so we have been enjoying it on our breakfast toast.

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Cat Attack!!

Scooter attacked Captain Butterfly's foot as he was getting into bed last night, and savaged mine a few moments later as I foolishly let a bit of toe slide out from under the duvet.  I will see if the valiant Captain can get close enough to the fearsome creature to photograph her for the blog.

We are in my Northern hometown sitting on Ollie the dog, the fearsome Scooter, and the elusive Daisy while my sister and her husband are at a conference, even further up North.

He also has a photo of a mouse on the terrace (so much for Ollie the Terrier) - plus some flower photos.  The garden here is always lovely.  It was my father's for many years and he and my mother were great gardeners and bird feeders.

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Sundays...

...are often busier in retirement than they are when working.  However, yesterday wasn't, as i spent the whole afternoon in bed, asleep.  The arthritis I think. Its an exhausting condition.  I did get to the meeting at the Hall  in the morning though, thank goodness.   Mick gave the talk, which was about why we fear Jehovah - and how that makes us happy and secure (unlike most fears).   I have certainly found that to be true and am more grateful than I can say that the God of Abraham sent his witnesses to my door all those years ago.

We also learnt that some people have a fear of the dawn - and that there is a name for it which I have since forgotten.  My two remaining brain cells are kept at full stretch remembering my own name these days.

A specific fear of the dawn is odd.  I can understand the fear of a new day.  I did not like Monday mornings in childhood as that meant back to school after the happiness of the weekend.  As for the dawning of the first day of a new school year...  aaaaarrrggghhh... I can remember the feeling even now.

But the dawn itself is so lovely and one of those times when you can feel the holiness of the world.  Its been a quiet greyish dawn today over the English Channel, which is very calm at the moment.

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On the doors with June

I spent the morning on the doors with June.  We started off by doing some return calls - found people in - had lots of talks - got lost on our way to the territory - so did another return call.  All in all, I hope, a productive morning.  I also bought two jars of homemade ginger marmalade off one lady we called on.  And that inspired me to make some marmalade cupcakes, which Captain Butterfly is enjoying.  He had a great time at his Dive Exhibition Thingummy, which no doubt will be written up in The Captain's Log.
Talked to Jackie, Jill and Audrey on the phone.
And Bob facebooked re updates on the Thai-Burmese earthquake.  Which seems to have been devastating enough.
Apparently some hot springs have disappeared since the earthquake.  Which makes me worry - Where have they got to?!

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An evening with Jackie...

...and Tom and Jill - and of course Captain B, who did his usual sterling job - and even did all the clearing up this morning, which was a lovely surprise.  Usually I do the cooking, he loads up the dishwasher and sorts out the kitchen while he makes the coffee, and I put everything away in the morning.
We had chicken, a dahl, a sort of Indian version of a tomato salsa, and some stir fried veggies - all courtesy of my Madhur Jaffery cookbook.   And a cheeseboard, and ice-cream.  Oh and smoked salmon to start.
We all laughed a lot so I hope they enjoyed it as much as we did.
Col has made an early start this morning as he is off to the dive show in London.   I am out on the door to door preaching work with June and am hoping that the rain will hold off for a few hours. It looks very overcast at the moment.
I always always pray to Jehovah that he will keep my precious cargo safe when I am driving my brothers and sisters.
Apparently there has been a Budget...  I have no idea what it says but it seems safe to assume that everything will cost even more than it does now.   Unless you are superrich, in which case it will all cost less, and you will probably get even superricher in some amazingly complex "the world" way.
No complaints though.  I know the country is in a big mess financially.  We are loving retirement so far and we can't hope for more than that.  But this must be a very difficult time for young families, just starting out.  Dare I hope the Budget offers some help for them?
And I can't help but wonder how they can always afford to start a war with someone - especially someone far away who poses no threat to us at all.
The mystery of politics.   In which I take no part.

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A Busy Day

A busy day for me.  Maggie and I did some of her magazine route calls and return visits, and found some of them in.  I still can't find my last magazine call at home. And then I met Louise at the Kingdom Hall.  Brian was there hall cleaning and I chatted to him until Louise arrived.  She had had a real busy morning at work.  We went and did some return visits and not at homes. I was able to explain to two people - using Matthew 24:14 - why we keep calling.  And the second lady said that we may call back.
El Capitano B shopped for the chutney ingredients and has a big pot of his famous chutney simmering on the stove as I type.  The chicken is in its marinade for tomorrow evening, and I am just off to the Hall for the Thursday night meeting.  I feel extremely tired and hope to sleep well tonight.
Its a cooking day tomorrow as I have to produce curries for five.  But first thing is a visit to the Optician.
What you don't realise before you retire is how much of your time will then be spent in propping up your crumbling body...
Looking forward to seeing Jacks tomorrow. We haven't seen her for over a week.

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Water off a duck's back

Our walk this afternoon was along the River Arun.  We met this baleful looking duck - some swans - and a couple of kayakers.   It was a lovely Spring afternoon.  The River was Danube blue - really high too.  Spring tides.

So I was thinking about the power of water and the tsunami in Japan.  The videos we have seen are chilling - especially the ones with the tsunami alarms screaming and screaming as the irresistible sea comes surging in.

One of my favourite childhood poems is Jean Ingelow's "High Tide on the Coast of Lincolnshire".   They had no videos back then, but how well she conveys the horror of it all to us in words. Especially how fast that water comes.

So farre, so fast the eygre drave,
The heart had hardly time to beat
Before a shallow seething wave
Sobb’d in the grasses at oure feet:
The feet had hardly time to flee
Before it brake against the knee,
And all the world was in the sea.

http://www.bartleby.com/246/604.html

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