Time for friends

On Wednesday Mas and I went off to Stanmore, paid bills, got shopping and had breakfast at the Man in the Moon for a change. Later my consultant from the Royal Free Hospital called to tell me that my recent blood test was fine. Christiane called, and we arranged to meet up to go to the art show at Olympia soon.

On Thursday I went with Mas to the Man in the Moon, where he was meeting his friend David. I had a cup of tea with them and chatted for a few minutes before leaving them and going for a walk.

Later I managed, with Mas helping me, to give Salty his worm pill. I had to break in in half, and pop it in past his tonsils (if cats have these), he kept spitting them out, but eventually I succeeded, then gave him a treat to eat as compensation.
I tidied up a bit and did various chores before going off to Belsize Park and meeting Diane at The George pub. We had a long cool drink as it was such a hot day while we decided where to go for lunch.


















We decided to go to Chez Gérard which is situated across the road in what was once The Post House. It was in this hotel dining room that I had my first date with Mas so many years ago. He had met me the previous evening when I was out with Diane, and invited both of us for breakfast at 9.00am!
We had champagne, and later all went for a walk, and eventually Diane and I returned home in the afternoon.














Diane and I had a nice light lunch and a glass of wine, and caught up on all the news. She has been in Normandy for a while, and will be leaving soon to live in Paris for six months!
Later we walked to the tube, and went off in different directions.

























When I got home, as planned, Monika and Oktay were there with the children and Mas. Oktay has recently had an operation on his shoulder, and has to have physiotherapy so it is a chance for us to meet up. Monika has finished her exams now too. We put on some children's TV programmes, and I was surprised at how nice they were, especially the Cbeebies Tinga Tanga Tales which are so beautifully animated. It was lovely to see them all, Mas had given everyone some snacks, and before too long they left to go home again.

Unfair fine and a sociable day

Today Mason went to Edgware to collect his medication, and I went off to Hampstead to meet Diane. Luckily neither of us had to go to the hospital which was nice but unusual. We went to the Flask Pub in Flask Walk and had caught up with each others' news and had a drink. Last year I thirsted for ginger beer, and this summer it seems to be shandy.

We had a bit of a walk around, and decided to get a packed lunch deal from Tesco's as an economy measure. Mas and I had just got a fine for driving across the bus lane, which you have to do, to get into the car mechanics, there is no other way to do it, and there is no way of appealing against it and if you do not pay it immediately the fine doubles! That is a fair system!

We ate our lunch in the sunshine talking and admiring the local architecture. Diane is making plans to go and live in Normandy for a year for a change. Afterwards we went and had a coffee
at Carluccios before walking down to Belsize Park and taking the tube home. I walked back feeling tired, and with a stiff neck.

As soon as I got home Mas told me that Monika, Oktay and the children were coming over immediately as Oktay was visiting his doctor. Mas had been shopping and had organised a meal for them all. In ten minutes they arrived, and I was amazed to see how much Talu had grown since we saw him last. Our cat Salty ran away from them with a lot of meows and stayed upstairs which surprised me as he is used to the children.

Milan and I were talking a made up language together, which was funny, but the difficult part was that I had to tell him what he had said, in English, and what I had replied. Mas had bought some trout for dinner which he had asked the fishmonger to fillet; he had made a poor job of this, so I tried to do it while Milan was singing to me in his made up language and waiting for translations of each verse.

We all had dinner together and I got all the news of their recent holiday in Czech. Mas had bought some fancy cream cakes for dessert so we ate these. Monika had made a rhubarb crumble which she gave us (this was much nicer than the cakes which Mas and I found out the following day).

Salty began to show himself timidly just before they all went home. It was lovely to see them, but I felt tired as it had been rather a full day.

Diane's celebration and Salty stress

Today it was arranged that we were to go to the Garden Cafe in Regent's Park where Diane was to celebrate 'new beginnings' with friends and family.

When Mas and I got up, Salty came in, and we noticed that he had cut his paw rather badly, and it looked as if it should be stitched. We got ready, and we planned that I should go ahead and explain what had happened to Diane, and Mas should take Salty to the vet. We tried various neighbours to see if we could borrow a pet cage to put him in while Mas drove to the vet, but no one was in. Ma took Salty into the car and drove to the vet in Borehamwood, Salty in the meantime was making a terrible noise and moving all over the car until he settled on Mason's shoulders.

I got to Regent's Park easily and met Wendy and Stuart on the way. Diane's party went really well and before long Mas arrived. It was nice seeing Diane's family again, and Pete and Lorraine were there as well. Mas had left Salty at the vets, and we could collect him at 6.30pm as someone would come and open the vets office for this purpose.

The cafe is an attractive building in the park, and spring flowers were out too.

After we said our farewells Mas and I went back to Stanmore on the tube, got into the car and went off to the vets. We collected Salty who looked fairly groggy, from the anaesthetic, paid a huge 'out of hours' vet's bill and went home.

We kept Salty indoors all night which meant that I did not sleep at all, as he was roaming all over the house meowing, standing on me or pouncing on me while purring loudly. At one point he yowled horribly till I got up, and then he took me to the various possible places where he could leave the house from, but I did not let him out.

Last minute preparations

Yesterday morning I rearranged my dental appointment. Spoke to Diane and Florence, saw Barry over the fence; they will soon have another grandchild which is expected any time now.
I spent time thinking about what to pack to take to Guernsey, rather ineffectually.
In the evening we watched an old 'X file' story and a 'Ghost Whisperer' which Mas likes before going off to bed to a restless nights sleep.

Today I met Diane, after she had an appointment, at the Royal Free Hospital. We walked to The George, Diane having fruit juice and I had ginger beer. We caught up with each other's news, and then we went home; Diane planning to go out on her cycle and me to pack.

A fishy tale and cold comfort

Thursday was bright and sunny, so we went to Borehamwood for shopping, and also had fish and chips in our usual cafe. We asked if they had a box, so that our cat could have our left over fish skins, and they said that if some fish had been cooked that was not served for half an hour they do not give it to a customer, but we could have it for the cat, and not pay anything for it! I expect we will go there more often for lunch.

Later I went for a walk and when I got back Florence phoned and chatted for a while. In the evening it was unusually peaceful as the cat was in the garden, eventually we went out to call him and hearing his plaintive reply we found he was shut in our shed. He was overjoyed when he was released.

Mas had to go off to the dentist's this morning, so I spent time teaching the cat how to go through the cat door with the flap down as the weather forecast says it will get very cold. With some trickery using his laser light toy I got him used to the cat door being closed.

When Mas came back we went to Stanmore for a few essentials, and the weather became really cold. I spoke to Diane, and discovered that she has had the 'flu', but was on the mend.

Frightening games and unexpected meet up

Yesterday we both sorted things out, tidied up, and generally updated things for this year, and relaxed. I was making the bed, and throwing a light cover over Salty as he likes rolling around and fighting under the blanket. During these games I panted at the cat like a dog, and all his fur stood on end. I calmed him down, but his tail stayed puffed up for about twenty minutes.

After a late breakfast, Diane called and asked if I could collect her from the hospital today; the hospital would not carry out the procedure if she was alone. I had also been trying to phone the hospital on my own account, so I went to my department and sorted that out before meeting Diane. We went to the 'Ask' restaurant in Belsize Park, and had some soup and caught up on each others news, which was nice, before making our separate ways home on the tube. The weather is still very cold. Later I took down the few decorations that I had put up.

The Royal Free hospital and The George pub

Today it was frosty outside, and I went to The Royal Free Hospital again, after another blood test I was advised that the medication was having too toxic an effect on me and that I had better not take the last course of pills. Diane was also attending the hospital, and we met up after we had finished our appointments.


We walked to the nearest pub called The George, which was previously known as The Rat and Parrot. We had a drink, me having my present favourite of Ginger Beer, and caught up a bit before going off on the tube in different directions.

Kibbles for a Salty Katz

Friday the 14th, a sunny morning so Mas went out and cleared some of the leaves from the garden. The good news is that the kitten is eating kibbles, his special dry food for kittens. He has finally got a name now which is Salty Katz!

On Saturday, while having breakfast we had a surprise delivery of Narcissi from Diane which were sent from the Scilly Isles, and Salty really enjoyed the box they were sent in, biting it and dragging his toys into it. Florence phoned and we had a cheery long talk.

Early evening we watched Merlin which is quite colourful and entertaining. Later we saw a n episode of a new series called Outnumbered where two parents are outwitted by their children's naive logic, but we did not think much of it.

Pete left, friends, family and other animals communicate.

Feeling slightly better today. Pete nervously left after breakfast, worried he may have bought a cold into the house hold, but luckily he did not get one after all which he mentioned when he called later. Diane called, and I explained what had been going on as we had missed a get together while I had been in hospital again. She was rather shocked to hear what a time it has been, and offered any kind of help that Mas or I might need, even just to talk, which was very touching.

Toby phoned too, and said he would be over at the end of next week, and would stay at Pete's so as not to add to the confusion, bur would be available whenever needed, and just to visit too. They had a really nice holiday in Argentina.

Later while resting I noticed we have a blackbird who does his usual song, but finishes his phrases with a loud cat's miaow. Thank goodness he isn't doing a car alarm which some of them do!

Flying visits, phone calls and snow.

Yesterday Poppy and Ben paid us a flying visit, sadly we could not spend much time together as they had been unexpectedly delayed. Poppy did have time to tell me her good news; she is expecting a baby! Mas took them off to the station in plenty of time for them to catch their plane, and we hope it will not be too long before we see them again.

Monika phoned and we spent almost an hour talking! I did some cooking and made a soup with broccoli, tomato, garlic and sweet potato which was very filling. By mistake we began to eat the nougat (which tastes rather too nice)that Poppy and Ben had given us, while we watched a spooky film (that made no sense at all) on TV. Later I spoke to Diane who has just spent a week away visiting her family.

This morning we woke up to find it snowing.