Wednesday 27 April 2011

No, I Can't Forget This Evening.....

Last time on here I had a pic of a Salamander, which I incorrectly labelled as a lizard. Apparently not. Salamanders are not lizards, they're amphibians/newts. But whatever they may be, they remain interesting and colourful. I almost trod on a bright-green Gecko this afternoon. perfectly camouflaged in the grass behind the house, I didn't spot it until it took off, fast, from just below my foot and into the undergrowth around the base of the Mulberry tree. I tried to find it again, for a piccy, but was damned if I could either see it or rouse it to further movement. It's presumably torpid for now, basking in the warmth of the full afternoon sun - as should I, had it not for the fact that I was turning over another veg plot to complete the double-digging, and keeping an eye on our latest arrivals. It's about 20 degrees today, sunny with a welcome, refreshing breeze from time to time, much the same as yesterday  - which was a bit hotter - and as anticipated tomorrow.

Yesterday, we all piled into the car and went off to a local market.  As soon as we arrived at the site, we were met with the unmistakable squabbling of ....Ducklings and Chooks!  So, at last, we managed to get our hands on a couple of point of lay Hens:



Not the clearest of shots, but normal for me. They're busily engaged scrabbling in a pile of turves for bugs. So best left to get on with it.

Having found some Hens, Black Rocks, we think - we've certainly had similar back in Wales many moons ago - we went off to get some unpastuerised, lait cru, milk from the local cow:



This a large plastic cow used to promote a local dairy farm's raw milk dispensing machine by the roadside:



At one euro a litre, it's not bad value and much better than supermarket treated/pastuerised milk, in our opinion.  The machine even Moos morosely as it squirts out the white stuff!  Tis also handy on, say, Sundays or in the evenings when all else is closed. You can - and I have - nip up to get milk at any time of the day or night. Very useful contraption, to say the least.


The other night, Sunday, I think it was, we had a ripping storm here. Charlie eventually came indoors, ate a little then wanted back out. I tried to block and lock his cat-flap to prevent him leaving. He was not most impressed, despite the driving rain, thunder and amazing sheet lightning. Eventually, however, he bashed down the barricades and took off And that's the last I've seen of him. He hasn't been back since then, not even for a snack or to simply say 'Hello', as he would normally do.

He's a very strange cat in that he only likes Jack and I, generally speaking.  Even J is only tolerated by him on sufferance. He has no time at all for our daughter  - a cat-lover herself -  and certainly not the noisesome presence of  the Grandsprog.  So I'm very worried about him. He'll not find it easy to socialise with other people or animals, I fear. In addition, he knows no Frogspeak - only Ingloid and Sweedle! I keep calling his name loudly all around in the steadily diminishing hope that he'll return. I just don't know where to start looking for him here. I've tramped around a bit with Jack in tow but haven't caught so much as a whiff of his presence. I hope he's okay and finds his way back soon. I adore him and miss him sorely. In addition, he's due his Rabies vaccination update in a few weeks time. So, if he were to turn-up after the due date, there could be a significant problem!! Fingers crossed, I suppose.

J, daughter and Hamish have all gone off swimming today. The Grandsprog is learning to swim and seems to be enjoying himself. J hopes he'll be swimming basically by the time he returns home to West Wales in about one weeks time.  I'm staying put at home, tapping away on here, and keeping an eye out for Charlie, calling his name from time to time. Must be worth a try..............

3 comments:

  1. Something open on a Sunday? (Even if it is a machine.) What is the world coming to?

    Fingers crossed that Charlie turns up. One of my cats did the same and disappeared for a few weeks then wandered back, walked to her food bowl and went "meow", where's my food as if nothing had happened.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Tony,
    Maybe a milk thingy could be the next BIG thing for Lewis!!!!???? But would anybody use it on a Sunday....unless disguised as a tourist or incomer?

    Since posting, Charlie has - thankfully - turned up. A bit like you say: Miawww...where's my nosh, then?!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad that Charlie has turned up.

    Now if I get a milk machine I could sell fake moustaches to the locals so they could use it without being recognised.

    This time next year we'll be millionaires!

    ReplyDelete