Wednesday 12th August 2020

Wednesday.

And a rare thing: I was to be home alone for some 36 hours.

As home alone as a man can be with four cats. Two adults, two kittens, one kitten with a pooing on the carpet problem.

And I would be king of the pooper scooper.

And me with my sensitive nose.

Oh yes, freshly laid cat's eggs. Lovely. How something so foul could come out of a rolling and tumbling cute kitten. But does.

The alarm went off at five, but we were awake due to the humidity. I make coffee, Jools has a shower and packs, and leaves at half five.

At six, Cleo poos in the hallway. I could smell it from the other end of the house.

I scoop that up and put it down the upstairs toilet, flush the problem away.

Half an hour later, Poppy uses the tray.

I scoop that up and flush that too.

At ten, Cleo poos at the bottom of the stairs.

I am armed with pooper scooper and pick up the poo, flush it and then scrub the carpet.

All exciting stuff.

Inbetween I sit in the garden, on the top patio, it is cool. At least for a while. Mulder and Scully have gone to hide and sleep the heat of the day off, but it feels that we have hurt their feelings. Of course we haven't, but we do partially regret getting the kittens, as the life last week and before with the twins was wonderful.

But now it is too, but with kittens.

I go to pick raspberries, a bowlful, which I mix with strawberries, cover with yogurt then make a second coffee. I flet that I was really living the dream, in our own house, picking fresh raspberries for breakfast. If that isn't living the dream, I'd like to know what was.

Meanwhile Jools was driving our car up the M20, M26, round the M25, up the M40, along the M42, up the M6 Toll, then the M6 to Bolton. I get a text at about ten saying she was on the M6 toll, having a break.

Making good time.

Meanwhile here, it was hotter than the sun. I mean blinking made you sweat.

The kittens went to sleep, the cats slept where they flopped down. I stared at the weather forecast and dreamed of thunder and breezes which we were told was coming on Thursday.

Lunch is breaded aubergine; there is a small one just for me. I really wanted wine to go with it, but lunchtime was too early.

The afternoon was unbearable.

I can't sit or lay anywhere without sweating.

At four, it is cool enough in the shadow of the hedge to sit on the top patio. Scully joins me to tell me how hot it is in a fur coat.

The kittens wake up, they get fed. I feed Mulder and Scully.

I had a shower at lunchtime, and another in the evening. Both times I was cool for about two minutes.

Dinner is pork pie and salad. And a huge bottle of tripel.

That goes down well.

Jools arrived in Bolton mid-afternoon, and was now being entertained by Sylv, who likes to tell a good story as much as John, with with more tangents.

I have the radio on.

News came early afternoon that my parent's house had sold, and now bills have to be paid and we shall see what is left. Also, we got the full refund on our cruise too, so in one day I got more money than I ever though possible. Though, not a penny of the house has arrived, yet, so not counting any pennies.

I tried the banana and vanilla whisky after 36 hours infusing, and it was good enough to have a second glass.

I end the day sitting in the dark, sipping whisk, watching lightning flash away to the south west.

And to close the day, I thought I lost Cleo, no sign of her in the house, in any of her usual resting places.