Old Friends.....

A quickie here. For gz really, about some stuff, stuff, stuff, (as the great late Canonball Adderley once said) bought last summer in SW France.

We were at a Vide-Grenier/Car-Booty thing in the Charente last year where I bought a load of crockery for the princely sum of five Euros: twelve dinner plates and three huge serving

plates/platters/bowls. All hand-painted and of a time. I simply loved the bright patterned look

of the stuff which comes from a pottery in Gien, somewhere to the South of Orleans, I believe:

Every time we use them, I expect Noddy Holder, T-Rex or Sweet, to pop in for a bite. They are very much, self-evidently of their time. At five Euros, not a bad deal, I'd say! Unfortunately, the pattern's not one that can still be had from the maker, otherwise I'd be tempted to add some of the missing ware to the bundle.

Our neighbour, Maria and Juan have returned. So the cats are again being fed. And possibly almost overfed, as I've kept up the daily feeding too. Impossible not to do this, having started. I'd feel too guilty if I stopped now, just when the gang are becoming used to me, clearly see me as a food machine and two of the little 'uns always now rush to greet me (and the food tin) with much wailing, optimism and hope. Maybe there's even a touch of affection: I like to think so anyway.

Charlie so far doesn't seem at all put out and has shown no interest in them. He hustles

off out and up into the Campo as usual, giving the local feral/stray population a neat sidestep.

Yesterday, as I fed the boogers, Charlie's nemesis, the wily old Ginger Tom, turned up and, keeping a safe distance, watched events with wide-eyed wonder. The last time I saw him, he was running out of our kitchen, hissing and growling angrily at me after he'd got in through an open window (left open for Charlie, of course) and scoffed most of Charlie's tucker.

Casing the Fishvan

The cats are pretty savy. Whenever the fishvan arrives, honking his horn in a two-tone sort of

way, they thunder up to the tailgate. It's clear they recognise the sound of the horn and the guy

who usually does the run is generous and often throws them the odd tidbit, probably just to

shut them up!

A typical daily offering

Fishvanman

What the Hell''s happened to Blogger now? Can't post pix where wanted. Had to drag things all over the place after so-called 'uploading'. Is anyone else having problems? How do you overcome them and post pix as wanted in the text? Can't figure out how to sensibly move the boogers at all, at all! Vids are just as bad, if not worse; no more YTube options. Does somebody seriously believe these are improvements? God help them!

I'm coming round to the thought that if I try to catch the kitten with the mask, Rocky/Panda (take your pick - The Cat in the Mask makes a change from the old Dr Seuss books that we read to our daughter, LVP, all those years ago) I'll have to take on two kittens. They seem to be inseparable and are both keen on tucker and rush to greet me together. Don't know what J will

say about this potential feline population explosion. Or Charlie, for that matter:

Old Friends (to come)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHFh_CLGVzo

Seems the only/best way to do this now. Maybe time to switch to Wordpress - and that's tricky enough to upload into, I fear!