This vixen, walking on the garden wall, looks in peak condition. The dog fox is out of sight on the other side of the wall. From the noises when he leapt down into the other garden, something was being killed and eaten.
Sunny Vixen
We were supposed to have storms this afternoon. We were expecting thunder, lightning, clattering raindrops. It didn’t happen. a blackish cloud hovered, menaced. We braced ourselves. I was talking to a neighbour who was grimy from DIY. We retreated to the lee of his house. Here it comes we thought. The cloud squeezed a few warm drops that dried as they hit the pavement. That was it. I rather hope it does rain tonight. Streaming torrents from about ten thirty would be nice. Then everything will be beautiful and green and the neighbours will not stay talking in their gardens until two in the morning.
My neighbour Carol, who does not stay talking in her garden, demanded I take more photos of her clematis. She is particularly proud of this purple one.
Purple Clematis
She feels it is overlooked as people notice the pink stripey one which grows in such abundance.
Abundant Clematis
Around the time that Cat died I posted about a naughty but handsome ginger who had appeared. No one knew where he lived. He was one of the reasons why NotCat wears a collar as this lad quickly acquired a reputation for raiding kitchens and marking his territory. People were letting him know he was not wanted in these parts. The last thing NotCat needed as he adapted to his new environment and learned about the great outdoors was neighbours shooing him away. Hence the bell and notice given to all and sundry.
Then Ginger went away. I have seen once or twice, but today he showed up in our garden and has been there all day.
The Ginger Stranger
The first I knew of his presence was when I found NotCat sitting on the gatepost looking pensive. He jumped down to greet me and Ginger appeared from under a shrub. I can’t work out his intentions. NotCat seems to want to be friends. But there’s evidently some tension between the two.
Watching
Ginger is not feral. He has sniffed my proffered hand but not advanced further. However, when I gave NotCat a tummy rub, Ginger came over and biffed him.
NotCat wants to be outside with him, so he can’t be too worried.
Take Two
With all the rain, our plants have leafed out, grown tall and green. Perfect cover for a young feline adventurer.
Watching and Waiting
He is very happy, hiding in his private jungle.
Hidden
Mummy’s Boy
With all the excitement of being at the marina, going for a ride in the boat and seeing the birds, Z needed a cuddle under P’s jacket.
Bloody. Awful.
Actually that’s not quite true. There were some great moments; several absolute highs. Yet I still came home in low spirits, bad headache and only the fear of loss of income stopping me from writing the letter of resignation.
Take heed you bosses. I worked my socks off today, but in an unostentatious way. I saw great results from my preparation, planning and leadership. My staff were well deployed and working effectively.
My boss walked through the area where we were working. One sour faced comment to me. Later, she spoke to one of my team, praising him for what she had seen him doing. Great. He deserved it.
Not a word to me. Continue reading
One of the drawbacks of being untechnically minded is that I am clueless when it comes to boat maintenance. I peer hopefully at the engine, check the oil and top up the diesel.
I have had the boat serviced by Someone Who Knows About Boats rather than try tinkering with anything myself, as I reckon I had better stick to doing what I know and pay him to do what he knows. I want the boat to go up to the boatyard soon for washing and painting, plus a few repairs. Before I left on Monday, I checked the oil only to find it horrible sludgy. Apparently this is due to condensation. Who knew? Certainly not I.
I also found what I fear may be a small leak. So that needs to go on the boatyard list. But my first problem is changing the oil. It sounds messy and as though I could do it all wrong. Cue sleepless night. Then some lovely people who own the same sort of boat as I do emailed me and told me it should be fairly easy. I had been in contact with them about ant-fouling and whether or not to do it, and in my last message told them of my new woes. I almost understand the instructions.
With a bit of luck, das Boot will finish the summer looking fine and dandy, and not like this sad abandoned boat.
Abandoned Boat
Rope
I am off to bed now, but I just wanted to post this picture taken last night. What an idyllic way to spend a Sunday evening.
Idyllic
After nine and I have just eaten. Honestly, my stomach thought my throat had been cut. I don’t know yet who is London’s mayor. The gungho forecast at breakfast that it was Boris was rather less gungho by the time the PM programme came on Radio 4 at six o’clock. I am rather hoping it isn’t Boris as although I think he is funny and charming, I also think he is completely ruthless and untrustworthy. And he keeps endorsing extremely tall buildings as prestigious housing projects and the prospect of an airport on the Isle of Sheppey depresses me. It’s a vanity project.
I can’t say the idea of Ken as mayor fills me with delight either. The best thing that can be said of either of them is that they are not in their parties’ pockets.
Now, how did that paragraph happen? I didn’t mean to talk politics at all. Last time I was at das Boot, I took the winter covers off the bows. As a result, draughts are whistling around the fore cabin tonight. Consequently, over my legs there’s a pink fleece blanket the colour of apple blossom that was Mother’s. And three layers of clothing and a silk scarf on my top. The heater is on too. NotCat is asleep a foot or so away from me, which is good news for the daddylonglegs hanging from the window. He is wearing his harness. He had a little explore from the car, but alarmingly managed to back out of part of the harness (sold as a garment that cats could not shrug off) and I had visions of him disappearing up one of the numerous trees. I had to exercise a patience I did not feel to coax him from under the car and to safer territory. Continue reading
