Thursday 4th November 2021

Last winter we had cat wars.

Cat wars.

With added pissing wars.

Scully is alpha female cat, and likes to be in charge, and on occasion took up, still does at times, guard to ambush Cleo and Poppy.

Mainly Poppy.

Cleo was tiny, still is, barely bigger than a three month old kitten, so maybe that triggers something in Scully not to pounce on her, but Poppy is slightly larger, and is a viable target.

So, after a long hard wnter of fights, chasing, and Poppy so cowed that she could not go out for days and was to frightened to use a litter tray, her bladder would empty, usually on the bed.

So, in spring we opened the top window in the living room window, and that became the main entry/exit point for Cleo and Poppy.

Over the summer, Poppy settled down and became more approachable.

So far, so peachy.

But it is now November, and getting way too cold to have a window open 24/7, so the cats are all going to have to use the cat flap again, so would things revert back to Cat Wars?

Well, three days in, and Poppy is using the catflap, as is Cleo, and while there has been some mild chasing and hissing, nothing too bad. But it is early days. What I can tell you is the house is warm again now, especially at floor level as the cool air used to cling to the carpet and make my feet cold.

Poppy sleeps in the back room, and stretches towards your hand now to be stroked, rather than run away. Though cuddles are not welcome, though we do try sometimes.

So, for the time being, all good here. But stay tuned, as that could change with four cats in the house.

Thursday. And not much dofferent from Wednesday to be honest. Weather not so bright, and the wind had switched to the north, so there was a chill in the air. But because of having the window closed now, it was toasty inside.

I should have gone for a walk, but I had to wait in for a delivery, as I ordered Jools an MP3 player for her brithday, now 20% of the price they were when I bought my Nano in 2007, a blutooth device that can hold 4,000 songs and has a FM radio; £35. Cheap. As. Chips.

Anyway, that means I can concentrate on work, right?

Yeah, right. I do have the audit report to finish, and then meetings to attend to and things to discuss. I am lucky to have great colleagues who are happy to discuss fundamentals for an hour, and find a way forward at the end, from what was a few nagging doubts on my part at the beginning.

I pay music sometimes, watch a video when having a brew or eating the remaining pasta salad and left over breaded chicken.

And then back to work, and the wait for the delivery guy, who gave no indication of when he might call, other than he will.

The delivery came at half three, by then too late to go out for snapping, so I pack up work and put the kettle on.

This gives me an hour to prepare the batter for the courgette fritters for dinner, adding a sweet pepper to the mix, and so making enough mixture for lunch on Friday for both of us.

And that is another day done. The final Marc Riley show of the week, follow football on Twitter, have a brew and some chocolate, before going to bed just after nine.

Cleo was waiting for me.