Cat conumdrums and virus mysteries

On Monday after breakfast, Poppy called, and we walked with Lilu in the park, then down to Edgware as I had to buy something from Rymans. Mas spent a lot of time fitting the cat door today. Poppy also gave us an unusual dessert she had made from rice, cinnamon and lots of saffron; it had an subtle and rather perfumed taste, and it is fun to try different things.

Today the cat would not come through the cat door, and we found it had somehow got jammed open with the tunnel partially blocked. Salty refused to go near it, so we had to remove the whole contraption and just leave him a clear tunnel to run through, and gradually he began to use it again. I think somehow the door had snapped onto him as he was going through before.
















Joan sent this picture of a Sharp-Shinned Hawk, as he arrived in their tree so all the small birds wisely left; they must have known he thought they were breakfast.

I watched a Horizon programme about viruses on iplayer which I found fascinating. If they can be said to be both dead, and alive, when the conditions are right it sounds very much as if they have resurrections, and is it possible that they set up the life and death pattern that humans follow? Later Mas and I watched a Taggart together.

More poodling around

I spoke to Pete today, and went down to Edgware later to get shopping. I saw Ben fixing his gate so stopped to chat while Lila watched us from the garden. Mas spent some time trying to fix our video player, and worked on the computer.

















Lila

I did some gardening, and planted the rhubarb root that Tania had given us. Later I made dinner making stuffed peppers so that I could use lots of parsley (if it was good enough for the Romans it is good enough for me, and I don't go along with the quote " parsley is ghastly"), mint and Bulgar wheat.

Poppy and Ben called round with Lila, chatted and had a coffee and I managed to get these photos despite Lila getting bouncy and excitable; she is a lovely dog. Later we watched a Taggart before going to bed.

Banana bread with Taggart, after breakfast with Margaret.

Yesterday Mas was late getting home, so I took the opportunity to recycle some bananas and made banana bread. All went well until I was washing the blender. I poured hot water into it and it burst into about eight pieces which is odd as I am always blending boiling hot soup in it. Maybe after so much soup blending it had glass fatigue! The house smelled nice from the cooking though.
Mas came home exhausted after his meeting and trailing through all the tube labyrinths of St. Pacras and King's Cross. We had dinner and watched a violent Taggart episode (just the kind of TV show to give you pleasant dreams!) before going to bed rather early for us.

Margaret called round after breakfast today and we had a coffee and cake and talked for a while. We live in the same street, but had not seen each other for a month or so. After this Mas and I did a few chores locally.

Camellias in our garden.