Monday 8th February 2021

I once met a Bengal cat. Very handsome he was, so much so that I wanted one. A Flickr friend researched the breed, and found they were dominant and marked their territory​ with spreying. Pissing wars was the term my friend, Liza, used.

I have thought of that on and off since.

We have had such wars in Chez Jelltex since Cleo and Poppy arrived. Not much, but there has been pissing underneath my chair at the dining room table, what we thought might have come from the Maine Coon we have seen about, that and puddles of wee in the utility room.

But we have seen Mulder and Scully spreying in the garden, and a until we removed the litter boxes, he began to sprey in the one on the utility room too.

I hoped those things were behind us, but on Sunday morning, we found fresh blood tained urine on our duvet cover.

We did not know which cat, even if it was one of ours, so we took the cover off, washed it and mopped the little urine that had seeped through.

Jools and I were talking in the living room when Poppy got up on the pouffe, where Mulder likes to sleep on a folded blanket, squatted down and weeed like she was an Olympic kitty peeing champion.

Mystery solved.

But there was a drop of blood this time, and the fact she was urinating a lot.

By Monday we had to bring into use the two litter trays, Mulder sprayed one straight away, sigh.

But once Poppy got used to the litter trays back, she chilled out some, and on Tuesday, we managed to get her to the vet, have medicine and tablets that will help with the Cystitis.

So far, Poppy's pissing hasn't started a new pissing wars, but has put Mulder and Scully on an agressive bent, with much fighting and hissing, thus stressing out POppy even more. We hope there will be come kind of peace brought back to Chez Jelltex.

In the meantime, Monday.

And when snow was forecast, we all got excited about the thought of it piling up against our doors and windows, seeing the familiar landscapes and views of the garden were tranformed into a wintery wonderland. Christmas card picture perfect.

The reality at five on Monday morning when the realisation that the faux 4x4 we have probably won't make it up the slope on the drive to the street, meaning we will have to get out the snow shovel and grit.

Sigh.

First up, after coffee, was a walk to the end of the street to inspect Station Road to ensure there was some tarmac visible through the black ice, so Jools could get back if the road to Dover was blocked by drifts. It has been known.

All was fine, so I walk back to the house, and Jools is ready to attempt to drive up the drive. The first attempt was important, because if that failed, the snow would be compressed into ice.

It failed.

Once.

And twice.

I tried.

I failed.

Once.

Twice,

Three times.

We got the shovel and still broom out, and began to do manual work. I used all the rocksalt we had, Mick from next door helped giging the last of their rocksalt.

We scraped and brished, and I tried once more, and the car made it up the drive.

We had been 40 minutes, and Jools was late.

But safe.

She drove carefully, and arrived at the office after eight, but safe, and I was back indoors having my second coffee. Followed by a third.

And apart from it being so cold that I was fully dressed with jumper and socks on, all was fine. Through the day it tried to snow some more, but apart from some powder, nothing much more. But it was cold, did I mention that?

It was too cloudy and cold to go for a walk, so I kept hydrated, drinking alternate cups of coffee and tea, and made a loaf of fresh wholemeal bread, which I eat the crust of, smothered in melted butter. I have had worse lunches.

I have meetings. And phone calls. But I am little further on than I was on Friday. A day further away from the way things were towards the way things will be. Lets hope that will be an improvement.

I have a second lunch of corned beef sandwiches and yet another brew. All I wanted to do then was sleep.

The day fades once more, but later than it has for weeks, the light reflected off the snow keeping it light for longer. I put out peanuts for the badgers and foxes and deicde it was still too cold outside.

Dinner was warmed sliced leftover beef and Yorkshire pudding, with fresh steamed veggies, roast potatoes and gravy. A second, easier Sunday lunch, for Monday dinner. And we even had fizz, which was rather wonderful.

One down.

Days of the working week, that is.

We have coffee while listening to the radio. Then I watch some football, Dirty Leeds v someone. Leeds were good, and when I went to bed with 20 minutes to go, they were two nil up, and cruising.