Update on the little kitten.

Dizzy has been in her new home for a week now and has settled very well. They have one small child and don't believe in letting children use animals as toys. Dizzy has taken a particular liking to the man of the house and they are delighted with her. I have telephoned a couple of times to make sure that all is still OK and to keep lines of communication open in case they wish to return her but they assure me that they will never part with her. So 'All's Well that Ends Well'.

Things have moved on since I last blogged. We appear to have become foster parents to the little cat pictured earlier. She has settled down quite a lot and is a joy. Rosie, the dog, has been very tollerant of her skittish ways, all is well with the world.
I still have'nt finished the quilt. It is far too warm to have across ones knee to hand quilt and it's too big to go through my machine, even rolling it with cycle clips. They will have to wait for it I am afraid.
If I remember my history correct it is traditionally a winter job anyway. They used to do the patchwork in the summer and quilt in the winter as it kept one warm whilst working on it. Thats my excuse and I am sticking to it.

Sadly I had my purse stolen last week. Like most of us ladies I had my life tucked inside. Driving licence, bank cards, loyalty cards by the hundred, bus pass, rail pass, leisure pass, gym pass, and on and on and on. Half of those cards no one could use so I hung on before cancelling in case they threw away what they didnt want and they were retrieved. No such luck. Of course I cancelled the important ones but what a mess, I have been all week trying to get them all replaced one way or another. There was no actual cash in it and I stopped the cars before they could get any so, as far as they were concerned, it was a complete waste. They gained nothing but caused me a lot of agro. Drink, drugs and gambling have a lot to answer for cos you can bet your boots that one of these adictions were at the root of it.

Long Hot Summer

Water Butts are all empty again for the second time this summer. I hesitate to use the hose as I am expecting to hear that there is a ban soon and also we are on a water meter so could work out expensive. I have stopped putting water down the sink, instead I throw it over the kitchen garden, unless it contains chemicals of course. Please don't think I am complaining, I love it as much as anyone else although I sometimes wish it wasn't all or nothing.
Acquired a tent for the Grandkids, Hubby now complaining about yellow patches on the lawn. I told him it wasn't just to look at, it was to enjoy, and them kids certainly enjoyed it. It is only the size of a pocket handkerchief anyway which means that the yellow patch is almost all over so if I find something to turn the last bits yellow he perhaps won't notice the difference. Hey ho, such is life.

Animal Antics.

I have neglected my blog for which I am sorry. I will try harder in future. My excuse is that I have been busy looking after children. I really don't remember it being this exhausting and time consuming. How did I manage?
As said children are away on holiday with their parents we are caring for their pets, two cats. Tom, who is about 6 and Dizzy who is not a year yet and still very much a kitten. We have a 12 year old dog called Rosie who is, fortunately, used to being ruled by felines.
I wonder, do you need three guesses as to which animal is 'The Boss'. She has commandeered the dogs bed, guards the cat flap to prevent Tom coming in for food. Shouts the loudest for attention and is sooooo nosey she nearly jumped into the hot oven last night in an effort to see what I was doing. As fast as I have planted Lobelia this morning she has dug them up again whilst the dog and other cat calmly lay side by side on the lawn watching her. Grr. I eventually won by getting the hose out, it turns out she definately dosen't like water. Will I survive another week?

The things children say.

We went to visit the twins other Grandma who they call Nanna. She has a big picture of The Titanic hanging on her lounge wall and it came under discussion which went something like this.
Daniel "Whats that Nanna"
Nanna "its a big ship that sank a long time ago"
James "You remember Daniel, it hit an ice cube".

What more can one say.

Communication, A skill, an art or a craft?

I have recently been a peripheral observer of someone in a serious marriage delemma almost wholly caused by complete lack of communication. I don't think this couple, who are now Senior Citizens, have ever communicated openly with each other. They edit and/or abridge everything they tell each other. She never tells him what she wants to, only what she thinks he wants to hear.
Watching these antics has made me question Communication.
For most of us it is a skill learnt at their parents knee and honed as we grow to adulthood. To authors, reporters, secretaries and others of that ilk the spoken word becomes their craft. For people like Politicians, speakers, etc., it is more often an art form. The real skill is in communicating with each other with openness and honesty to the point of clear understanding. That, I think, is a gift.