Damp and Soggy

Never has Myself seen an animal try so hard as is OLAHF. Hours of chewing and picking at the bandage on its sore paw. And with very little result apart from a soggy bit of pink sticky tape stuck to its nose.

The robins have moved out of TB's Chewing Shoe. Must have been rather too damp for them after all. TB is not impressed with the muddle of grass and unmentionables they have left behind.

After The Games

Horribly disturbed night - TB went out on The Howl after it had been told off about the daffodils. (Rather, lack of daffodils.) This set the pheasants off. And the BB's, A & P, and finally Our chickens. So everyone is grumpy now.

OLAHF paid a visit to the vet and is sporting a natty bandage on the sore paw. Is not pleased with it and attempting to chew it off. Difficult as the vet sealed it with sticky tape.

Badly Thought Out Games

OLAHF got clobbered by the BBC. (Baby Bantam Cockerel) Is now limping and most sorely. Don't think Pokey Paw will be played again for a while.

TB will be out howling tonight. Had invented a game with the daffodils - Involved racing past them at maximum speed and attempting to chomp off a flower as it went by. Not only is the garden full of slobby yellow petals but there are enormous skid marks at the end of the lawn where it tried to avoid the conservatory.

Birds Again

TB has relinquished its Chewing Shoe to the pair of robins. 'Tis truly a beagle of delicate sensibilities. (And some cowardice.)

A Great Set To in the BB pen. 3 of them, all going at it hammer and tongs. One even picked up an adversary and shook it. We all gathered to watch. (Clearly was not our fault. No way.) Neighbours came out with 2 cardboard boxes and calm was restored. The remaining BB cockerel in the pen strutted its stuff and tried to make crowing sounds.

New neighbours leave Ally & Pally out all day. So He lets our chickens out too. (Otherwise they get horribly wound up inside their pen and make lots of noise.) By the end of the afternoon A & P were in Our pen and ours were testing out A & P's hut. Bird brains.

Birds

TB lolloped out to its chewing shoe that had been left under a bush and had a shock - A robin was in residence with a half-built nest. (Personally speaking there is almost nowhere on earth Myself wouldn't rather nest in but there you go. No accounting for tastes.) It was undeterred by the slobber and general dampness and of the firm opinion that it was there to stay. TB sat and watched and waited for a bit and then gave up. Robin 1, TB 0.

We now have 2 BB's which are cockerels and another is making similar noises. Much staring at each other with nasty glints in their eyes.

Wet

Is excessively stiff. She put some fresh water in the pond yesterday and one of the plants floated to the side. Seemed stable enough but when Myself stepped delicately onto it - Disaster. Was deposited into the water with a sideways twist and lurch. Dripped My way back to the house and managed to sit on the chaiselongue (velvet) before They noticed the damp. ('Tis still very wet this morning.)

TB continues to chew the old shoe We found in the hedge. Why??

Another BB is making odd noises. Thought those birds were all supposed to be female.

Good and Bad

One of the BB's laid an egg. From the noise and the fuss Myself was thinking something was terribly wrong. (But didn't go to investigate because like TB, knew Myself would get the blame.) Everyone came rushing out, cuddled the little BB in congratulations (not a happy bird at that point) and bore the miniscule egg back to the house.

Returned almost immediately as another BB started making noises. Not the 'Aren't I clever I just made an egg'-type, but more of a guttural rusty crow. Rather like 'Aren't I marvellous 'cos I'm a cockerel'-type. Oh dear.

Gross. And Hairy

TB's old shoe from the hedge has turned into a Favourite Toy. Takes it everywhere. Occasionally tripping over the remaining lace as TB's legs are definitely on the short side. (Tested the shoe Myself when TB wasn't looking but tastes utterly gross.)

OLAHF is returned to its former hairy glory. When it gallops it sort of streams in the wind. Looks terribly peculiar when the wind blows from behind though - Halo effect with a seam down its back.

Bits

Ok. So being brushed is nothing like as bad as Myself had imagined. Quite soothing in fact. And reaches lots of places Myself can't quite scratch. There is now an appreciable amount of soft white fur being fought over by the great tits and other birds.

Out front there are 2 male blackbirds which both think they own the territory. Neither will give up and there are dark feathers all over the lane and 2 increasingly tatty birds.

Likewise the Freds. Terrified Ally & Pally yesterday when they had a set to. A & P rushed and hid behind My chicken pen.

Findings

Oh dear. She found the mouse Myself had forgotten under the cabinet in the Music Room. Had been wondering where it had got to as was undoubtedly dead and therefore not about to run away. ('Tis even more dead now and rather smelly.)

TB and Myself spent a grand time rootling around the bottom of TWWLUTR's hedge yesterday afternoon. Quite amazing what there is to be found in there. TB proudly took an old shoe home. Left it in the garden after a slight argument as to whether it could go inside.

Put Away and Not Put Away

The brush has been put away. She is sporting a large plaster where She was bitten. He has a highly interesting pattern of claw marks on His leg. Not surprisingly They are both in a bad mood. Especially when the silk shirt, the mug and the orchid are taken into account.

New neighbours have taken over Ally & Pally. (Why? Old neighbours are still here.) Let them roam all day, every day, everywhere. Our chickens get rather heated as they are kept in and A & P smirk at them through thye wire. (In is the best place for chickens if there is no-one around to watch them. Otherwise they turn into vandals and scratch at everything.) Will be interesting when He starts to plant things on the allotment.

Not My Fault

Is in disgrace though any fool could see it was Not My Fault. She approached stealthily, brush in hand (Wanted to leave out some of My fur for the bird nesting activities) (Without asking permission) as Myself was snoozing on the sofa in the conservatory. Next to Him who had just eaten lunch and was also snoozing. She sprang and grabbed Myself by the neck. Not surprisingly I jumped.

Afraid Myself landed rather heavily on the side of His leg and held on tight to stop falling to the floor. He jumped, threw His mug still half full of lukewarm tea in the air and tried to brush Me off. (Think My claws troubled Him a little.) That was not a kind move and in the uproar Myself accidentally bit Her. Screams all round. Particularly when the tea came back down and the mug smashed an orchid.

Apparently Her silk shirt is ruined and the mug cannot be repaired. Nor the orchid. Know exactly how TB feels when it gets blamed. Any fool could see it was Not My Fault.

Gross

OLAHF still plays Pokey Paw with the BB's. Stupid bird brains - You would think by now that they would have twigged they can't peck the paw before it's removed. But there you go. Excessively noisy game and makes TB nervous because it knows it will be blamed if anything goes wrong. Again.

She cut His beard and put the trimmings on the bird table. Most gross. All the small birds however immediately descended to take it to line their nests. Noticed Her eyeing My fur with a brush in hand.

Did NOT like Sausage Casserole. That too was somewhat gross.

3 Are Upset - Like the BB's Yesterday

Yup. TB got the blame for the BB fracas. Went out in the night and howled loud and long. As always when it's in trouble.

OLAHF was quite upset - Or rather TWWLUTR was quite upset when she saw OLAHF - Horribly, gloriously muddy. All its re-growing fur matted (again) and after she had spent all that money at the vet getting its fur sorted. Promptly dunked OLAHF in a bath of water and held it there while she shampooed. Dried it with a hair dryer and brushed it hard. Now OLAHF is quite upset as well. Sitting in My garden sulking. And enormously fluffy.

BB Stands For Baby Bantams But Could Mean Other Things As Well

Last night's steak was everything Myself could have hoped for. And I helped with the preparations which meant that quite a few small pieces fell to the floor in front of Me. Sausage Casserole today. Not sure what that is but will undoubtedly find out.

Oops 1. TB was chasing OLAHF - or was it the other way round? Hard to get to grips with the situation - (incredibly muddy the pair of them ended up) and banged into the BB's pen. Which overturned. Which meant that all those BB's escaped. All over the place. Oops 2. Tried to round them up but they weren't having any of it and scattered. Right into the path of Our chickens which He had let out. Oops 3. Ours decided in a split second that the BB's were unwelcome and attacked. The noise was incredible. The feathers flew everywhere. Some of the BB's gave as good as they got too. Nasty little things they are even though so tiny. Myself and OLAHF made a hasty exit. TB stayed to help but gave up when it remembered how sharp the BB's beaks are. Sat down in the mud and howled. (Think it knew it would get the blame.)

Lots of Plusses

Very very very cold this morning. She got up to make tea and put on several layers under Her dressing gown, and socks and furry slippers and put the heating on and then got back into bed. The tea had to wait until the house had warmed up a bit. I nested between Them for a while and heard Them discussing Food - She always cooks when She's not terribly happy or is cold. (And when She is happy and warm too.) Decided on steak for tonight. Shall ensure Myself helps with the preparations. Also asked Him is He likes Sausage Casserole. ?? Sounds interesting.

Our garden is full of fluffed up hungry Fredettes. All waiting for breakfast. Plus dozens of equally fat-looking small birds. All hungry. And some blackbirds. A magpie. Several pigeons. And a robin that is nearly banging on the kitchen window to make Him hurry up.

Wound Up and Nested

OLAHF's game of Pokey Paw is winding up the BB's (Baby Bantams) something amazing. Don't think they are afraid, merely hopping mad as the paw is always removed a split second before they can get at it.

Very very cold this morning. Have nested in Their duvet until it warms up a bit. Was going to bring up the mouse I had been playing with but remembered the last time I did...... (Left it under the cabinet in the Music Room.)

Consequences 1 & 2

The rats out with Our chickens are very very unhappy - Since He bought a new chicken house and pen He has been shifting it daily which means the rats have no time to dig beneath it. (And there are no holes for Her to fall into.) Consequently they have had to move back into the compost heap. Myself hasn't the heart to tell them He is planning to burn it all and move it round the corner in a few days but wants to wait until the hedge hogs (??) have gone. Shall go wait to see one. Thought that was what the prickly thing last week was, but on reflection it looked nothing like a pig.

OLAHF has invented a wonderful game - Pokey Paw with those noisy bantams. They don't much enjoy it (OLAHF does) but cannot resist darting towards the small amount of grey paw that is poked through their netting. It always gets withdrawn just before they can attack and peck at it so their beaks hit nothing but empty air or occasionally the wire. This causes maximum fuss on their part. OLAHF smirks and repeats the process as soon as they have calmed down. When the neighbours come out to investigate the noise OLAHF slips neatly into the long grass. Shall have to try this Myself.

The Noise Was Not My Fault

Those new baby bantams are going to be a Real Pain. Noisy at the best of times but the shouting and yelling if Myself goes anywhere near has to be heard to be believed. Yesterday for example Myself was sitting in the long grass, hoping a mouse would wander by as breakfast had been all meat and no jelly and thoroughly disappointing, when one of the BB's saw Me and bellowed, closely followed by a loud chorus from them all. The neighbours came rushing out and thought Myself was the cause of the upset and were Quite Cross. Most Unfair. (Had a close inspection the day before and they are scrawny little things, all beak and claw and very flappy. Not worth the bother of catching. Even when breakfast is as bad as yesterday's.)

Sweet and Pugnacious

Both of Them spent a long time watching the long tailed tits with Myself. Sweet little things - All cheep and flutter.

OLAHF celebrated its partial nudity by inadvertantly catching one of the neighbours new baby bantams. Oops. It yelled extremely loudly and OLAHF was so surprised it dropped it. Wet and rather mangled and Very Angry it was. Had a real go at OLAHF. Is only about a tenth its size but remarkably pugnacious. Pecked it hard on the nose and OLAHF went and hid until it thought we had all forgotten. (We hadn't.)

Again, We Can't All Be Kitties Of Superior Breeding and Sensilbilities

Mental note to discover where the long tailed tits are building their nests. Might well be some scraps I could use.

OLAHF isn't any more. Is still large but not so hairy. (Everyone seems to be losing hair and fur round here.) Poor thing has been partially shaved by the vet as its fur had become very matted. TWWLUTR got a right telling off and was made to buy a proper, expensive kitty brush. Now if it were Myself that currently looked like that I would be devastated. (Not much left on its body - surprisingly skinny it is - but lots still on its head and tail. Remarkably silly appearance.)

Spiders Webs

Most annoyed to be awoken by a rattling and squeaking at one of the Music Room windows. Tapping too. Turned out to be a long-tailed tit frantically collecting spider's web. Must be nest building - But much too early. Watched them at the mirror on the fence too. Three of them all pinging around and wiping their tiny beaks in the webs.

TB no longer itchy and scratchy but very spiky where the fur has started to re-grow. And if My tail looked like that I wouldn't show Myself in public. But there you go - We can't all be a Kitty of Superior Breeding and Great Sensibilities.

Dear Dear

Dear dear. She was so very cross about the state of the Music Room after He reversed the vac motor that She went out and spent lots of money. She certainly felt a lot better but Myself is not entirely sure how They will fit all the meat into Our medium sized freezer. (Steak last night for dinner and They gave some to Daughter too.)

He has obtained a new chicken house and run which He spent a long time screwing together on the lawn after most of the dust and stuff had been removed from the Music Room. (Still makes Myself sneeze. Her too. Cleaning lady will have lots to do next time she comes.) Just as well He finished it as the chickens were blown away again early yesterday morning. The new outfit is much lighter so They will not have so much difficluty moving it around. Myself investigated it thoroughly of course and was Not Amused to be carried out to the allotment in it. (He had some problems carrying it as His hand is still very sore where it got bitten during the vacuuming debacle.)

The Utter Indignity Of It

The Indignity. The Utter Indignity of it. He decided to vac Myself to rid Me of the fleas. Held Myself down with one large and heavy hand and wielded the vac nozzle in the other. NO WAY was I going to submit to that so scratched Him and when that didn't Make Him release Myself, bit Him, hard, in the fleshy part of His thumb. Most satsifying. He swore and I made My escape into the garden.

TB has scratched itself all over its rear and has chewed its tail. Is thus only partly hairy at the moment. Its nose is still very red too.

Later Myself heard Her being very annoyed: All my fur blocked up the vac and He hit on the idea of putting the motor into reverse to flush it out. (Sometimes Myself wonders about His mental capacities.) She has gone out in the expectation that the Music Room will be cleaned up by the time She returns.

Almost Worse

Almost worse. But not quite. Everywhere Myself goes in the Music Room gets a dusting of dark spots. And if I shake it's like dark snow. Those fleas are dropping off in their hundreds.

Understand TB is similarly afflicted. In addition to its sore nose.