The good news has to be that I found CatMinders again. The blog I mean. I've been Ms Catminder13 on Twitter for ages though thats been dwindling of late.

I didn't even know if I could find the blog. I did. It worked. I haven't been here since 2014 and I've stared and pressed buttons for ages before I managed to work out/ remember how to post a post.

And - still I haven't posted one yet so - we shall see.

A lot has changed.

To start with, I can't walk. This is dramatic and awful but temporary. I had unexpected surgery on my foot for a possibly cancerous lesion ten days ago and its become infected. So here we are.

I think I may have started this blog under similar circumstances when I had pneumonia or some other severe chest infection after I had pneumonia. I can't exactly remember. But I distinctly remember being laid up and reading Tim Wills lovely inspiring blog about his  baby son Freddy Wills. I would log on and read about how Tm was coping with Freddy's hospitalisation and he and his partner's life alongside Freddy as they all fought for Freddy's life. And I was inspired to start writing my blog- which was a silly thing - about cat minding and stuff. I had a lot of readers at various points. I can't quite imagine how. I took a lot of photos, never spoke about my professional life, and loved looking at my statistics online to see which people were reading and in which parts of the world.

I see from the most recent posts that I still have the same heart on my front door. Its probably not the same one as the original one was stolen and I replaced it. This one has therefore lasted years. Its looking battered but demonstrates that theres a welcome inside, I guess. I shall come back to tell that tale, though maybe not now, maybe later this week. Suffice to say its about our Formerly Homeless Friend, whom I shall call M, who found us just before Christmas.

Looking at the pictures, we no longer have Alice, our black greyhound, or Kitty our gorgeous eldest cat, who usually appeared in photographs looking a bit grumpy and very overweight. I don't know if Im ashamed to say this or not, but I still  put out water in my room every night for Kitty. Ok its also for the humidity factor but well ....
Bernard and Edmund are also no longer with us, and we are a piggy-less home now.

But we have five cats still - the three Birmans , and a lovely young greyhound, Kizzy, fondly known as Piggy. Im sure - if I come back - photos will follow.

Ive written almost-a-novel since last time I was here. I wrote 60 000 words in around seven weeks. And then stopped. And started a new one, because I had a different idea.
Then I started a third.

I should finish them one day. Maybe when retirement arrives.

Ok so now I need to see if I can post this.

Please let me know if you read it? I might be inspired to continue :) xxx

Forgotten how to blog

Anyway it seems I have forgotten how to blog. Forgotten how to edit and make changes . That first / last post went off at half cock never to be retrieved.

I got distracted by a flurry of emails alas requesting cash advances rather than services.

I am still offering services as I said.

This morning I visited one of my great favourites whom I shall call Tiny Shouty. She is usually more of a Croaky but today she was extremely shouty. I guess her idea of what time breakfast should reasonably be served differed somewhat from mine. On a Saturday I thought eight am reasonable given she has a snack served in a feeder which opens earlier. But as I opened the door I was greeted by a barrage of screeching and the thud of heavy footsteps clattering along the wood floor of the hall. I pinned myself against the door fearing the worst (intruders arriving to off me ) and the teeny little lamb crashed into me then pointed me to the kitchen and the box of wet foodstuffs. It was a good ten minutes before she calmed herself and led me upstairs so that I could sit and read Simon Hattenstone's article on Amanda Knox with her in the sunshine overlooking the seafront . I showed her the picture of Ms K and asked her what she thought but like my own Kitty would she stared inscrutably into the middle distance. It's not so much lack of commitment as preferring you to make your own mind up.

Now let's see if I can publish this one without the whole kerfuffle of the re edit and the black line going through everything with Preview written on it. Eek.

New Blog? Or just revive the old one?

I'm still cat minding. But blogging has ground to a halt.

Writing hasn't. I've been writing in all different sorts of ways, mostly with a pen and ink. But cat minding probably needs boosting a little , with the demise of so many of my old friends , so here goes.

I'm now cat minding in a new way. In the old days I would find the cats. Or rather their families would ring me and I'd go out to meet them and it would take off from there. Now , that still happens , though less, probably because I haven't been to the vets in ages to replace my cards and I get the occasional call from the website, ok maybe twice I had calls that way , though every month I get people ringing to ask if I will take the cat that has turned up in their garden , or can I help them with a cat that's scaring them on their window sill or some such query.
Now though it seems cats are finding us.

Martin , see attached picture, has been living rough in the vicinity for ages.Likewise  another two cats  one at the back and another at the front of the house . Finally took pity on Martin and asked myself why am I keeping him out in these  freezing cold temperatures? No good reason. So he came in. M

Yes , looks like I'm back....Happy Holidays!

For years - all my life probably - I've wanted a wreath and only ever had one , when we made one at Nat's primary school Christmas fair the year she was .. oh hang on I forgot my short term memory is no more.
So anyway this year I bought this one . I love it.

Goodbye Hedgehog Hello Bernard and Edmund

Bernard and Edmund

18 months since I added to the blog. 

So much has happened - including the demise of our beloved Hedgehog the guinea pig pictured here with Kitty our eldest cat who has unexpectedly mellowed into the most loving and loyal of friends . We initially acquired Pearl our senior Birman because of Kitty's unwillingness to act as lapcat when Nat was little , not to mention her tendency to bite scratch and kick(with claws) at every opportunity. Now Kitty appears whenever I sit down , assesses the best angle of approach ( Kitty has never been stick thin or particularly agile) and thud she is snuggling at my chest purring and crooning. 

Hedgehog had survived the death of her companion pig Tinkerbell and even in her last weeks shouted for a hand fed grape every time the kitchen was entered. At the end she moved less and less and we knew it wouldn't be long . She finally died on Remembrance Sunday 2012 early hours of, with her human friends with her. 

Kitty and Hedgehog

 It wasn't a week before I started researching rescue piggies and was soon emailing Layla at www.NorthEastGuineaPigRescue.co.uk . Once Layla had checked us out and ensured we had an indoor run area as well as the hutch , we met Bernard and Edmund two piggy brothers who moved in with us around a month ago. We are realising the benefits of enrichment , ie giving the pigs floor time of at least six hours per day when they are out of their hutch and have space to run skip and popcorn as pigs like to do. We set the pen up every evening and then pigs can come and go as they please. Its easy enough , a waterproof dog car seat cover , no longer functional for the car due to the straps breaking , covered with newspaper then a £3 fleece . Enclosed by a dog puppy pen which folds away flat when not in use this gives the pigs the ideal space to run about and enough room for their hideys , food bowls, trays of hay and readigrass  and toys. 

Elders Day Out Kirkharle and Goats on the Roof

Time for the June Elders Day .
Our original plan to investigate a secret garden not far from here had to be postponed due to the torrential rain forecast and the fact that we were in charge of the Dog. As seen above however we managed to dodge much of the rain and had coffee and scones outside at Kirkharle Courtyard , where sadly the recession seems to be closing many of the outlets , though so far not the coffee shop. Alice was not happy about the fact that we had forgotten a blanket for her to lie on , though eventually she threw herself down onto the gravel under the table . She is forced to lie straight onto her side or on her back ( most undignified ) as being a skinny greyhound her elbows and knees dig into the ground if she tries to lie down like a normal dog . hence the reason at home she always has to have a sofa or a bed preferably heated . Next time she comes with us I will remember to take a thick towel - all I could find in my bag this time was the bag my handbag came in and this spread out made a very  thin sheet for her to lie on . She wasnt very amused .
At Fontburn where the Goats where delightfully clambering on the Roof as advertised we set out for a walk along the banks of the reservoir and almost immediately were forced to seek shelter in the one of fishing huts . The much vaunted torrential rain had caught up with us and we sat around looking at photos on the walls of large trout in the arms of small children whilst nibbling on Grazebox snacks before setting out on our walk as the sunshine reappeared.
On our return the piggies were playing out and Mother Pig came to say hello bringing her seven ginger babies - how delighted we were....
... and so energised was I by the day that I managed to start a new CatMinding assignment that evening in great style by setting off the house alarm _ a thing I havent done in many a long year ( month ? )
It was lovely to make the aquaintance of a new pusscat though - an elderly girl who is very quiet and affectionate and likes me to sit down with her once the jobs are done for a chat about our respective days . .....CatMinding is just great !

"Jack Wills : Fabulously British Clothing- The Best of British " - I dont think so!

I love my Jack Wills Bodywarmer, known to the company as the Dudmaston Gilet .
I know this because the one I purchased above last Easter in Salcombe at what seemed to me the rather high price of £98 is no longer viable as the zip has failed. At the time I bought it I had no intention of making such a purchase , entering Jack Wills only to accompany my daughter  N who wanted to try on some item or other within their hallowed portals .
 But - there you go - in order to come with her into the changing room - Readers - I picked up the Bodywarmer and -  I fell in love . And as N said to me - It might seem  expensive but it will last you forever . And I wear mine all the time. And I was on holiday .  And so I was sold .
Down the river it would seem .

I wore the jacket for a few weeks until the Summer and it was great - ideal for dog walking. Though it wasn't suitable for work and too ot for the Summer  and so didn't get a lot of wear . It was then stored until Autumn when again it got a few weeks wear , when again it was stored as too cold with no sleeves for Winter.
 I took it out three weeks ago , to find the zip had failed . I compared it to my daughter's and discovered a tiny crack in the plastic of the zip explaining why it wouldn't work.

I rang our local branch of Jack Wills and took it along complete with the receipts and they duly sent it off to their  Customer Services section .

I was therefore astounded to receive a reply from "Fabian" at Customer Services explaining that any faulty items would only be covered for six months in line with Trading Standards and that any other failing would be put down as "wear and tear ". They therefore were unable to replace the zip for me or repair it for me and were returning the gilet for me forthwith and apologised for any inconvenience.

I wrote back expressing my surprise that a quality item was only expected to last six months. As a woman of a certain age my clothes are well cared for as is reflected in the garment and Fabian would have been well aware of this in examining the gilet . My daughter's gilet is  stored on the floor of her room ( and I daresay is occasionally trodden on by passing trade)  is six months older yet her zip continues to glide up and down perfectly well . I assume therefore that my zip is a  faulty item.

I then received a reply from "Mimi" restating their case and suggesting that my local tailor might like to repair the gilet .

You know what ? I have a sneaking suspicion my local dressmakers  will make a better job of it but thats not the point .
Shame on you Jack Wills !

Doesnt the good reputation of a company count for anything these days? how much would it have cost you to have fixed that zip? Whether or not you were legally bound to or not is surely beside the point ?