Missing ....

Missing my little one so much ...

If you see her at all, please call the numbers on her collar tag or send me a message.  Maybe give her a pat too, she might be scared.

 

Cripes! Wizards, Weirdstone, trees and fun at the Edge ...

 The Weirdstone of Brisingamen

~ Alan Garner

A few weeks ago, Nick from A Pile of Leaves suggested a blog book club reading the The Weirdstone of Brisingamen and The Moon of Gomrath by Alan Garner during this August in preparation of the long awaited third book.  Join in here!  Go on, there is still time and it is immense fun.  It follows the magical adventures of Colin and Susan, but I won't spoil it for you by telling you everything, read the books (yes, it is a trilogy).  I've just started the second one and am loving it so far.

On Saturday, Rhid and I met up with Nick and Jon so that we could explore Alderley Edge where the books are set.  We had a lovely picnic (possibly the most extensive picnic you've ever seen), eating delicious cherries and then set about finding wizards, lovely views and trees!

What a magical, awe-inspiring place.  The whole woodland felt full of wonder and excitement.  The atmosphere was thick with anticipation, anything could happen.  I mean, with visible root balls bathed in dappled sunlight (see above), why wouldn't there be svarts and dwarves running behind the trees?  It is an enchanted wood, with beautiful gnarled old trees, a place where dark magic could exist and be fought by the kind of good magic that exists in the like of twelve year old.  My favourite tree had grown so remarkably, it was almost unbelievable (below).  Thank you Nick and Jon for a lovely day, now all that remains to be said, "Cripes, I am so thirsty I could drink a sea of lemonade!"  

Flowers on a windowsill ...

Some lovelies found at Chirk Castle, North Wales

One year on and a blast from the past ...

One year ago, our lives changed.  A little black and white ball of fluff moved in.  She took over the house with copious toys, emptied our wallets (copious accidents, trips to the vet and special food because it isn't as delicious as the others) and completely stole our hearts.  Now I'm not trying to be over dramatic and romantacise the situation, but it is true, she has made us love her more than we thought we were capable of loving anything.  Nothing wrenches your heart more than waiting to see if she will survive an attack or shouting like  crazy all over the village, willing her to come home.  She has wormed her way into our lives and we love it!  We wouldn't be without her, even though she has started bringing little mice home.  I need my cuddles with her, I love seeing her pretty little face and having her close by.  Kiki, thanks for choosing to come and live with us.

Whilst harking on about the past, I thought I'd share this with you.  So many elements of the past in one photograph (were those curtains and that carpet really ever in vogue, especially together???) and yet those of you who know me, will know that I look practically the same twenty or so years on!  I still have massive rosy cheeks, a penchant for jumpers and skirts, thankfully I don't own any white tights anymore!

 

The lastest adventures of Kiki ...

The day after the day before ...

Last Saturday evening Kiki was adorable, all curled up in here little bed and being cute.  Then she went out and wasn't seen again until Monday evening.  I know that isn't that long for a cat to go off for but we were worried sick.  She is never usually gone for longer than a few hours and she is ever so small.  We weren't sure if she could fend for herself.  Therefore we concluded that the worst must have happened when she didn't come home.  She didn't come when we shouted, or rattled her treats, or opened a tin of her favourite tuna.  She didn't even come when we tried to entice her home with the smell of a roasting chicken.  It must have been something terrible or else surely she would have come home?  I was distraught; isn't it strange that the more you try not to cry, the more you do? 

Rhid was being brave but I could tell that he was worried.  It is the feeling of being totally helpless that is the worst.  It doesn't matter how much you call and shout, walk the neighbourhood or worry, if she isn't to be seen, then you have no hope.  Each time we left the house, we hoped that she would be stood waiting for us when we got back.  Each time we sat down, we hoped that we would hear the cat flap go or that her lovely little face would appear at the window.  We had more or less given up and were watching a film on Monday evening when all of a sudden we heard the flap go (!), she meandered in, looked at us and shouted!  It was as if nothing had happened, except she was hungry enough to eat three days worth of food!

We're not sure what she got up to, but I hope she was just "off adventuring" as Nick suggested.  She was in the strangest mood when she came back, I have never seen her so excited!  She was running around like a lunatic and playing lots.  Then she came in and slept.  The next day she discovered a new favourite sleeping position, on the top of an Ikea box full of gym kit!  We found her and Pixie all curled up together, what can be cuter than a box of kittens?  Well, a box of kittens licking each other!  The whole time that Kiki was missing, Pixie was out of sorts.  I think he missed her a lot (he's from down the road and they are like brother and sister), he never left our side and was really sad.  When I found them in the box (they were there for about three hours), Pixie was licking Kiki gently on the head.  Cute alert!

I think Kiki must have had quite a fright while she was away, perhaps she was a little lost?  She hasn't ventured too far and been quite close to us in the past couple of days.  She has taken to sleeping a lot and being lovely (she hasn't even tried to scratch us lately!).  The one thing that she has started doing though is something that I am none too thrilled about, bringing in little mice for us!  Poor little things, she brought three in the other evening!  Does anyone know much about this?  I have heard that it is bringing the owner a present.  I'd like to think that she is being nice and wants to do something sweet for us.  I just wish it was a chocolate or cake-based object she brought home!  Her arrival home also co-incided with the arrival of my copy of The Weirdstone of Brisingamen (here she is pictured with the book, alas I could not persuade her to read it).  I am super excited about our group read of the series, click here to find out more and to join in!

Just a few photos of Kiki to finish off, she is still quite shy and not that happy to be snapped though!  Keep an eye out for more information about pet portrait shoots coming soon and have a lovely weekend!