Home Improvements
Posted: Thu 4 December, 2014 Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Getting Organised Leave a comment »This week, I’m finally getting two things sorted that’ve been waiting for far too long.
Firstly, I’m getting a catflap fitted to the back door. (It only leads out onto the yard before the utility room, but it’s still a back door) Until now, the monsters have been going through an always-open window in the kitchen, which is OK in summer, but bloody cold in winter. Both cats are used to being able to go out at will, and the Bengal in particular gets very twitchy, prowly and noisy when I close the window and restrict her movements. (This is part of the breed specifics for a Bengal, in fairness – they’re not good at being cooped-up housecats)
Having the flap installed should mean I’ll be able to keep the window closed, and the house will be warmer, without restricting the freedom of the mogs.
Secondly, I’m replacing the curtain and (revolting) net curtain in the front window with a vertical blind from Tuiss which I’m really pleased with (so long as I’ve measured the bloody thing correctly!) and should look ace. (And purple. But that’s par for the course, with me)
It’s taken me a long time to get round to getting these things done. That’s partly because neither of the problems they’ll fix have been overly huge/relevant, partly because I just wasn’t that bothered, and partly because it’s a rented place. But when I renewed the tenancy last time, I asked the landlord if it would be OK to do what I planned, and he agreed.
I’m getting in a local person to do the work, mainly because I want the things to be done right, and I’m fully aware of my own practical limitations (and completely wonky eyes when it comes to ‘things being on the level’) but also because it’s not my place, so it only seems sensible/reasonable to get it all done properly.
Really though, I’m just looking forward to having the jobs done, to ticking off two more things on the list – and of having a slightly warmer house this winter…
Changing Places
Posted: Thu 9 October, 2014 Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Weirdness Leave a comment »When I moved here, I got a fairly large ‘activity centre’ for the cats, so they’d got their own places. I’d hoped it was going to stop them from sleeping on the other bits of furniture etc. It’s got a range of places for them to sleep etc. – and of course, being cats, they hardly use the sodding thing.
In fairness, every so often they do use it. The Mau used to make use of the sleeping places. FatCat never has, and the Bengal tends to avoid it.
And now the Bengal has changed her mind, and is sleeping in the little cubbyhole/box, for some unknown reason.
The Bengal is definitely weird. I can’t believe I’ve had her nearly four years now – sometimes it amazes me that she’s survived this long, because she can be an absolute cowbag. She’s deeply change-averse – one would almost say autistic – when situations alter. Yet she changes things herself every few weeks – the sleeping place is a case in point. Sometimes she goes back to places, other times it’s all new. The cubbybox is definitely new – I’ve never seen any of them sleep in there ’til this week.
There’s no real point to this post, it’s just one of those odd things that makes me think.
Squish (Follow On)
Posted: Thu 10 July, 2014 Filed under: A428, Animals, Commuting, Driving, M1, M25, People, Thoughts, Weirdness Leave a comment »This year, I’ve seen a lot of roadkill – as I’ve commented before – which is at least somewhat related to going back to doing a fair amount of driving on fast roads, dual carriageways, motorways and the like.
I don’t mind that too much – although I think it’s quite sad to see it – but there’s something that bugs me about it, which is this.
No matter where the bodies are on the road – including right over by the edge and (particularly on motorways) right in the middle, near the central reservation and safety barrier, right out of the traffic lanes. Yet within a couple of days, the bodies are flattened, all bones crushed and so on.
It’s not decomposition – OK, it could be, but I’m pretty sure it doesn’t happen that fast.
All I can assume is that there’s a certain breed of driver who feel it’s acceptable (or perhaps even amusing, I don’t know) to run over the bodies, even if it means curving out of the lane, towards the crash barrier in order to do so.
And really that just boggles my little mind…
Squish
Posted: Fri 11 April, 2014 Filed under: A428, Animals, Commuting, Domestic, Driving, People, Thoughts 3 Comments »Maybe I’m more aware of it this week, with Death of the Mau, but on my drive to and from work I’ve noticed a lot more dead animals by the roadside this week.
Uncommonly, the great majority seem to be badgers (of varying sizes and ages) which I always find very sad. At least these are on dual-carriageways, rather than the completely-intact bodies I sometimes see on the edge of other roads. (I’m never quite convinced that these aren’t actually from farmers/people gassing them, and using the roads as a convenient excuse/reason for dead badger, and disposal thereof. But I’m horrifically cynical)
In my opinion it’s always sad to see dead badgers – they’re awesome creatures – but particularly seeing younger ones depresses me.
I suppose it’s that time though, with semi-mature ones making way for new litters and exploring the world, and also post-winter-sleep. (I know they don’t ‘hibernate’ as such, but they certainly appear to slow down significantly over winter) All the same, you’d hope that a driver would notice a bloody big black-and-white creature lumbering across a dual-carriageway. (I know they don’t, because they have issues noticing other cars, let alone animals. But still, we can hope)
Mau Down
Posted: Wed 9 April, 2014 Filed under: Animals, Domestic 1 Comment »Back in October 2012, I added Cleo – an Egyptian Mau – to the household. She was an adoptee, where no-one had wanted her from the litter, so I ended up with her.
Yesterday I went out to get some fuel, and while doing so I got a call from a random stranger, which turned out to be from a local vets. Cleo had been found (by the person who drives the local pet ambulance, which is lucky) by the side of the road, having been hit by a car. She was alive at the time, but apparently died before she got to the vets.
From what I/we can tell, it was all pretty fast, so she wouldn’t have suffered. In some ways I’m sorry I wasn’t there – in others I’m quite glad I wasn’t. I’ve been present when putting a pet to sleep before, and it’s something I’d rather not repeat. (Of course I will when I have to, but still, it’s not a fun experience) Hearing the news from a stranger over the phone (she was obviously identified from her Microchip) was unpleasant, but I have to say that I think he was more upset than I was.
I am upset by it, but I’ve also been expecting it. I’ve seen her (and the Bengal) run across the road several times, and I know they both roam like demons, so to know it’s happened isn’t a massive surprise.
There’s paperwork to do – insurance etc. – but that’ll be handled tonight. In the meantime, I’ll also have to deal with a very change-averse Bengal, which will be a challenge in and of itself.
I don’t blame the (unknown) driver – I know the speed they dash out to cross the road, I know there’d be no chance to avoid them – although I do think it’s pretty shit to drive off and not even stop. I know, it’s not reportable etc., but when near a parade of less than ten houses, I might at least stop to let the inhabitants know. From the timescales, I was at home at the time, and must’ve just missed the people finding her.
I won’t be looking at getting a replacement (I’m happy to have just the two for the moment) and I won’t be getting back the body/ashes – both of which have always struck me as pretty gruesome, to be honest.
Anyway, it’s all a bit shit, but these things happen.
Missing Moosen
Posted: Fri 6 December, 2013 Filed under: Animals, Domestic, Festering Season, Mooooose!, Thoughts 1 Comment »
Long-term readers will know that for a long time back at the start of D4D I had a fair collection of moose and reindeer soft-toys. This collection also received substantial additions from Herself in the first Christmas we were together. It wasn’t a serious collection – probably more of a conglomeration than anything else – but it amused me, and I liked most of the moosen therein.
Post-Herself, and over four moves, a lot got despatched to other homes. Charity shops, toy stalls, friends with kids, all that kind of thing. And the remaining ones got abused to various degrees by the cats, and particularly the bloody Bengal.
So now I have no moosen.
And it’s stupid, but at this time of year in particular, I kind of miss having a couple of stupid soft-toy moose/reindeer around the place. I know they’d fall foul of the felines again, but I may just end up buying a couple if I see any I particularly like.
And yes, I’m 42, and should know better. But you know what? I really don’t care.