Saturday

Tinker wasn't - in a more cooperative frame of mind. At 4:30 she was scratching on the bedroom door to come in, so I let her and then she went straight over to the screen door and started scratching on that. She’s clever, you have to give her that, but she wasn't going out without having her shot. So I took her out of the bedroom (surprised that S was sleeping through this) and went to get her shot ready while she took up her position under a kitchen chair. It didn't take her that long to work out that we both wanted the same thing - she wanted to go out and I wanted her to go out but still as I pulled the chair out she started fast-walking up the hall. I followed her and as she stood by the back door, I gave her the shot, and then sent her on her way - and left a note for S so she would know not to give Tink another shot - since she had kindly offered to do them this morning.

It would be fair to say we weren't expecting Sy to arrive just after 8 this morning, but she did give us ten minutes warning - so we were glad of that! She had brought a friend, M-A, who was also being back-up for their Kokoda Challengers - M-A even had a branded t-shirt for the event.

After they'd gone - several laughs and stories later, S took Pearl for a walk (the rain has stopped and sunshine has been sighted!) down to B's. Dolly was glad to see them - coming over to the fence to say hello. Last night when Pearl and I were down that way, Dolly wasn't budging from their shelter - and that was probably a good call on her part!

Then it was off to Pacific Fair, for me anyway, while S showed Pearl that she shouldn't be sad because she was stuck at home on a Saturday because not everyone gets to go out on a Saturday! Pearl wasn't buying any of it!

Much later, I was standing waiting for the kettle to boil after I arrived back at Latimers and was amazed to see one of S's birds there. I tried to take a photograph of it through the window but that didn't work. Sneaking up on it outside wasn't really an option - I had tried for a photograph of the bird I call "the Crane" this morning but missed that (could it have had anything to do with my squeaky shoe?) so I wasn't particularly hopeful. I did get a photo, but not the one I was after. And since Nik was out we also took him down to B's on our walk with Pearl. Dolly came over - thereby answering the riddle of the brown patch on her side which I noticed a couple of days ago: she's been branded ... but on the other side, she's only been shaved on this side. Not quite sure why that is - I’ll have to check with a horse person or maybe the interweb.

Tink came in for dinner but not with the others. I'm not sure why - perhaps she's had a fright - or maybe she's a bit off-colour but she really hasn't been herself today. She spent most of it on one of the chairs out the back. Or is she just side of the rain and missing the sunshine? The patch of bright we had this morning didn't last that long and anyone who knows Tink knows she loves basking in the sunlight. Do cats get SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)?

S cooked a chicken stirfry for dinner and we had it with Mrs Browns Boys - a television program, a comedy, about an interfering but caring Irish mother with some of her children (all grown-up) still living at home. The humour is a bit crass but they do make some interesting insights into life, the universe and other things. I like it because it's filmed in front of a live audience and it's not pretending to be anything other than what it is - so we get to see the production, sets and all. S seemed to enjoy it as well but didn't want to watch the second episode straight away - those lifestyle programs were calling!