There he is, back in the spring, looking smug. Well he might! He worried the living daylights out of me yesterday. We were away at 8.15 to go to Malvern Antiques Fair and they all had their breakfast before we left. We were back around 2 p.m. ish and at 3 I fed the cats. No Little Whale - and he is always there for his grub. I went out and called him - no sign. At around 4, I went up the lane to call him - and check he'd not been knocked down by a passing car (sometimes they go fast past our turning). No sign. I noticed a dark "hole" in the green pond weed and went to check, just in case, but I do have netting across, so he couldn't have fallen through but might have got tangled . . . No L.W. I spent the entire evening living on a knife's edge and fretting, going out at regular intervals, fearing the worst and wondering how I was going to break the news to Tam if he truly DIDN'T ever return. I did my x-stitch to try and distract myself until I just couldn't count straight any more. At a quarter to nine there was a familiar miaow in the doorway, and there he stood, demanding some food. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry with relief. Some of my burden of worry (the rest is about Keith) had been lifted. What a little ratbag he is.
No photos of the Antiques Fair, which was very busy (too busy to take any photos either). We walked round once, but gosh, they had crammed in the stall-holders as in olden pre-Covid times and there didn't feel to be enough room between the stalls. I'm glad we weren't standing ourselves. We chatted with friends, but to be honest, there was SO MUCH jewellery (which I know little about and don't collect - that's Tam's expertise), quite a bit of china and silver, and just a few odds and ends type stalls which we found more interesting and that was it. Only one chap selling small furniture and that was all Deco style. Keith bought me a Prattware cider mug with a frog in the bottom (haggled down from £20 to £10 as it had had a wallop which showed as an X-crack inside where the handle joined) and he paid £8 for an old antler walking stick handle to use on a stick without one he has here. Then we drove home via Breinton Manor Farm Shop again and bought some more Ashmead's Kernel apples for moi and two bags of Comice Pears for Keith.
Little Whale - where did he get that amazing name? and don't they worry you sideways when they vanish - it is awful! Glad he returned on the tide!🐳
ReplyDeleteIt was Tam who named him as a kitten as he looked like a baby Orca Whale as a kitten. He went off in a huff because we weren't here! Now he's happy as a sandboy again.
DeleteI like that mug - it has a particularly fine toad.
ReplyDeleteFrog Tom, Frog! Leastways, they are always called Frogs in the trade. I love it too.
DeleteI think cats just like to test us from time to time, to prove how important to us they are! (Why is he called Little Whale?)
ReplyDeleteHe and his brother Alfie are the Hunters, and when he was younger, LW would sometimes go off for a wander for a week at a time. Gave us palpitations. See my reply to JWSutcliffe as to his naming.
DeleteI've been into cat rescue my whole adult life and I have to be honest with you.... cats do not belong outside. The only reason a cat may "love to go outdoors" is because they're used to it so want more. But in general, if a cat is not let outside, it grows to fear the outdoors. So the clock is ticking for poor Little Whale, unfortunately. But I'm glad he came home this time around. ~Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteHere in the UK most cats go out. A few live out all the time (I am thinking of a neighbour with Murderous Whippets) but few cats are kept indoors always. I personally think that is cruel because cats live for the outdoors. Ours have always been allowed to come and go as they please and at our old home, we had no traffic fatalities (how cats often come to an end in urban areas). We had, for many years, 9 cats, and when one died of old age, another stray would find its way to our door to make up the numbers. I'm afraid I disagree with the "clock ticking" for Little Whale or any other of our cats. They mainly stay in the garden or the big garden of the Big House next door to us (a hedge separates). We are surrounded by farmland and woodland and of course in the UK, we have no nasty big predators that take out cats. The lane is quiet most of the time but of course, even the quietest lanes have traffic.
DeleteOf course it was meant for drinking, back in the day. Happy to drink from it once well-washed and in an uncracked state.
ReplyDeleteLittle Whale is now walking round like he owns the place.
Oh OI do like that frog - not seen anything like that before
ReplyDeleteHe is a slimmer version of the chunky one in the other mug I have. A bit of fun back in the day.
DeleteI got a kitten when I lived in London. I lived in a row house with no outdoor area, so she was indoors only. Then I moved to the US, brought her with me, and she discovered the great outdoors! It was a quiet area and she loved being outside. I worried of course! She died of old age at 21 years. My inside cats never live as long. Maybe she had hardy British cat genes. Glad Little Whale came home. Celie
ReplyDeleteHi Celie. Our cats have always been allowed out. They stayed in for about 3 weeks when we moved, to get used to the new house and then were slowly allowed out for a few minutes to explore and gradually spread their wings. They always seem to be about the garden during the day. At night, who knows?, but I pray they will stay safe.
DeleteGlad your little kitten went home with you to the US and loved it outside.
Little Whale must have went exploring. I am so glad he got back to you.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I think he found a good hunting spot and just sat by it. The Big House, which is just above us, has about an acre of well-trimmed lawn surrounded by woodland at the front and Rhododendrons to the side, with a gravelled path to the house. Plenty of places to hunt wee meeces and the like. We have the two rough paddocks too.
DeleteMy daughter adopted a street cat when she lived in Kabul. He's now a respectable British cat with his own passport. That cat has been to more countries than most people. Glad little whale came home.
ReplyDeleteWas that cup designed to encourage children to drink their milk (or cider) all up?
Oh, Debby, Kabul-cat must be counting his blessings that your daughter took him in. Smiling that he has his own passport.
DeleteI think it was meant to be a laugh at the end of a pint for a thirsty Ag. Lab!
Is cider an alcoholic drink there?
DeleteYes, varying degrees of strength. Normally around 4% or 5% but some go up to 8%. We have Hereford ciders normally.
Deletehttps://www.herefordtimes.com/news/19304627.10-herefordshires-finest-ciders/
Huh. Our ciders are unfermented and non-alcoholic. That's something new to me.
DeleteSo glad Little Whale returned safe and sound - a worrying few hours :( Love the frog on the cider cup.
ReplyDeleteHe hasn't left the garden since - around the back of the house all the time. I think he was trying to give us a scare!
DeleteLittle Whale needs a GPS chipped collar for Xmas!
ReplyDeleteThat would make interesting tracking.
Delete