MIRROR

MIRROR
A Poem by Virginia Kop
(Kop's Kattery)

The magical illusions of the mirror,
Whether on wall or stand,
Allow a glimpse of yesteryear
To the highest in the land.

The magical illusions of the mirror,
Are a myth to those without glass,
And when the sun shines through the trees
Pools of water reflect the beautiful lass.

The magical illusions of the mirror,
Allow a passing Prince to see 
The face of the fair damsel 
And he looks for her behind every tree

The magical illusions of the mirror
Whether on wall or stand
Show the Prince as he waits for the
Damsel to agree to take his hand.

The magical illusions of the mirror
Shows how happy and grand
The Princess and her family lovingly
Bring joy throughout the land,

Thunder!

Thunder - A dream

I am moving slowly through crowds of people, trying to find where I need to be! So many bodies they are stopping me from reaching my goal. Time is running out, I MUST reach my destination very soon, there are too many people awaiting my arrival - and this is the last step to fulfilling my dream destiny, if I fail now there will not be any more opportunities!! 

Finally my route is cleared of people, and all I can hear is thunder - yet there are no dark clouds. Slowly the realisation dawns that this isn't weather. People are waiting for me to fulfill a dream held by most of us. As I arrive the people stand and applaud even louder. There isn't a free seat, standing room only - and that is extremely limited. I like this kind of thunder, it does no harm at all.  My would-be Nemesis has joined me, and we prepare ourselves for what is to come. It only takes an hour then the thunder resurfaces, much louder than ever  heard before!

There is a new Ladies Singles Champion at Wimbledon, a 43-year old British woman, who only started playing tennis at age 40! And the pinnacle has been reached thanks to a wild card into qualifying!

ANYONE FOR TENNIS?
ANYONE FOR TENNIS?
ANYONE FOR TENNIS?

The Wee Saga

How A Minor Request Became A Major Battle!

On Wednesday, 24 July, I took Bracken to the vets due to changes in her body and behaviour. After an examination, the vet said she suspected there was arthritis in Bracken's rear legs, and she would like me to collect a urine sample and film Bracken walking, etc. After showing me how to turn my phone's camera into a video recorder, she gave me a pack of plastic pellets, pipette and some specimen bottles. I paid the bill and returned home

Our triangular tray

This oblong tray came when my youngest sister had to lose her cuddly cat a few years ago

Because I knew it would take time for Bracken to recover from her visit to the vets, I decided to wait until Monday, 29 July, to try for the sample. Cleaned out the triangular tray - which wasn't difficult as I had changed cat-litter on the Friday. The pellets looked lost in the big tray, so on Tuesday I bought another pack of the plastic pellets. The tray looked more appealing - Bracken kept smelling them and walking away! Thinking she might be better tempted with a smaller tray, I bought a kitten starter kit - hot pink - the next day. Feeling I had solved the problem, I stacked the other trays so she couldn't use them. Success?

No way!!!

NO!!

My lovely, cuddly cat was NOT amused. At about 4.30 am, she woke me up  had made so much noise to wake me that I was surprised some neighbour didn't complain! We went into the bathroom and she started trying to get one of trays down to use.  Not for the required wee - a bm. After clearing the smelly deposit out, I sanitised the tray and  both covered trays were put in the kitchen - nothing in there at risk of contamination.

Decided to make an effort to persuade Bracken to use the tray by keeping her in, which was a good idea except for the fact that by Noon Bracken was desperately in need of some grass to help  a fur ball come out of her tummy. When she returned and ejected the fur ball, she went straight into her normal tray to have a wee. There was no chance of her using the plastic pellets, even after trying to entice her by putting some crystal litter in the tray.

I should have saved the  crystals by leaving them where they were! But, desperate times call for desperate measures! Luckily I had a much better idea - buy a pheromone spray to entice her into the pellets! Shall hopefully obtain the spray on Monday and [metaphorically speaking] cross my fingers. Failing that, back to the vets - am sure she can find a way to  gather some urine - and could take a blood sample, which she may need to do anyway!!! Pheromone spray cost didn't fit into my budget and I saw on tv how a cat can be persuaded to have a wee - need a helper, but think I'll leave it to the professionals.

I remembered that I had really thought it would be very easy to collect a sample - totally wrong!! Bracken is such a stubborn cat!!

Cine camera - a doddle, I thought as Bracken loves to have her  photo taken - NO, she didn't like the lack of clicks so moved away! Back to the drawing board!

Early one Morning ..........

This morning I woke up and thought - ooh, at least 20 minutes until I have to get up! Then I looked at the alarm clock and discovered there was no time to waste. After having very late nights for three of the last four days, I changed the alarm clock's time by 30 minutes - and only 5 minutes left just not worth trying to have more rest! And Bracken, my cat, would start requesting food - no rest at times!!

The main reason I thought time was earlier than it was - dark sky with very welcome rain! It was too heavy for me to get to the downspout from gutters without being totally saturated, so I decided just to put a small container near my door to catch some - rain due for a few more days so shall have time to replenish the rainwater bin. The consequence of today's rain - highest temperature 22C - for about 30 minutes, just enough for us! Much appreciated by Bracken and myself. In fact Bracken has been beside me twice today already, which she doesn't do when the weather is too hot - after all she cannot take her fur coat off! Unfortunately she sometimes complains if I breathe, especially when my hand is touching her. Crazy cat!! So lovely with it, though.

So, we are back to our normal morning starting at 7.30 am, followed by 30 hectic minutes! Next Sunday I may try for 30 minutes more sleep, depending on how many late nights we have had, although some rainy days and lower temperatures generally mean my 9.45 pm bedtime will become the norm again. I really hope so!

Life Before The Kattery!

Before I returned to live in my home town, I had lived in a rented flat in London, where I was allowed to have numerous cats as long as other tenants didn't object.

The first one I acquired was  PIXIE, a large queen, black and white, who was very affectionate. Eventually she was joined by two other queens - PETRA and SHUSHU [named after Princess Shushila in MM Keyes book 'The Far Pavilions']. Petra was all black, whereas Shushu was a tabby/Burmese mix. The owner of Shushu's mother had been unable to spay her, so I was given the opportunity to adopt a kitten from the next litter - some grey and some black. Unfortunately the grey ones had abnormalities, so GEMMA, a black queen, came to join the feline family. And soon after PANDY, another black queen joined us, to be the last member of the family.

Unfortunately, Petra was unhappy with sharing the home with four cats, and showed her displeasure by weeing on carrier bags, magazines or other items on the floor. After discussions with friends who were also cat custodians, Petra went to live with a friend of theirs who ran a cat sanctuary in a flat. Funnily, Petra was very happy there - despite having to share with at least 20 other cats!

My Mum would often visit for a holiday, and one such time was very interesting. I had been to the pet store where I bought cat litter, and saw a new system which would cut down on time and mess. Based on a special tray with plastic pellets on top, meaning urine would go straight through yet solid stuff would stick on top of the pellets. Bought one tray and two bags of the pellets, removed the normal cat-litter tray and there were few problems through the remainder of the day. The next morning, before it was time to get up, I woke with an uncomfortable feeling behind me, and Pixie there as well. The cheeky cat didn't like the new system so she had wee'd on the bed between Mum and myself! Washing bedding, etc, and a frantic trip to the pet store, taking back unopened pack of pellets and having  our normal cat-lit delivered. A friend of a friend,  received the other parts. This episode came to mind after buying special cat-lit at the vets in order to retrieve urine for testing for my current cat, Bracken [24 July 2013].

Twenty years ago I realised that my arthritis no longer made travelling into London and then to Cambridge feasible, so had some very, very difficult choices to make, mainly about my cats. Moving into rented accommodation meant that I should be able to take two cats, so with a heavy heart I managed to have Pixie and Pandy re-homed. Shushu and Gemma, who took a lot of time to accept people, came up North with me. Initially we stayed with my parents, then we moved around for a few years before this house was offered to me to rent. That same year Juniper and Bracken came to live with us. The rest has already been recorded in The Tail of the Kattery!

Second Chances!

How things change very quickly!

Just a few days ago, I was convinced that I would be taking Bracken to the vets today and saying a very tearful 'Goodbye' to her. Then on Thursday morning I found she was very hot but, within an hour, her temperature was back to normal. From then on all she wants to do is eat and NOT the small cans we had changed to. But more than the pouches of wet meat she ate before.

Instead she wants a particular cat food - and is very pleased to have the same flavour all day!! That is a minor miracle as, until Bracken's change last week, no cats would ever do that!! In fact, she is eating more than she ever did before. Is my newly skinny cat going to pile the weight back on? Or, has she entered a new phase leading up to the end? Ah, if only I knew a vet personally so could get some answers! We shall go to the vets in the near future, but Bracken will return home with me. Thank goodness she doesn't seem ready to go to the Rainbow Bridge - yet. I am so happy that my lovable bossy-boots is staying around for however much  longer she is meant to be with me! 

Lasting just over 16 months longer than her brother so far, the runt is the strongest!!

She is back to normal when I take photos with my phone - posing like mad!

Life Without Facebook - Part II

THIS AND THAT AND A PUSSY CAT!

As I pressed the publish button for Life Without Facebook, words flew through my mind - words I had hoped to write! My fault, shouldn't have taken so long to write the blog!!

The thoughts were finally lost when I made my astral journey to Perth recently. Only way I could attend the Biggest Vintage Afternoon Tea Party for the National Breast Cancer Foundation, with my favourite food blogger Peggy, of Cake Crumbs and Beach Sand. 

I am trying to ignore the fact that Bracken is losing weight. She is eating well, 'posh cans', and not drinking more than usual. Having had other cats plus the Kattery's visiting felines, I know a fair amount of what could be happening, but am trying to ignore it. Why? because I do not want to lose my lovely here.* I know when she goes to the Rainbow Bridge and I have recovered from my loss, a tabby female kitten is coming to live with me - Thyme - but I don't want to lose Bracken. Inevitably I shall have to say goodbye, and that is going to be so very, very hard. There will be a bonus, though, in that Thyme is not going to be allowed to go outside! It isn't necessary but impossible to do with Bracken - has been used to going outside throughout the day because the other cats here did, as an only cat there will be no interest for Thyme in going outside. And Bracken is a strong-willed cat, VERY noisy with it, so no chance of her becoming an indoor cat. Even Mrs Blackbird yelling at her isn't going to make her stay indoors; the noise is so loud that I would love to close the door all day! [*= The Runt of the Litter, just in case the link doesn't work!!]

Life Without Facebook would be a big drawback when it is time for Bracken to leave, as I know the Oz Bloggers I support will be there for me - for which I thank you in advance. I have never had children, but cats aren't a substitute - just recipients of love and attention not spent anywhere else, unconditional love going both ways. Hopefully Thyme won't have to check all the food I eat - Bracken liked avocado over the weekend! Let her smell a small piece which she decided to consume, luckily I don't have them regularly.

Bracken aka Little Flirt
Enjoying the sun

With past cats I have been able to grieve their passing beforehand, hopefully the same will happen here, although Bracken may stay alive until late this year/early 2014.. I haven't been cat-less for over 25 years, it is going to be peculiar to be alone for any length of time. Even though I know Thyme is coming, I don't know where from.

I didn't mean this blog to be about 'me and my cat', but think it was meant to be - writing from the heart!! Thank you very much for reading to the end. Virginia