Tuesday 10 July 2007

Return of Nurse Flowerpot

I arrived home to find my writing seat at my desk occupied by a certain male cat. In my absence, judging by the seat covered in white hairs, Buster has been using my computer. I am no longer the only writer in the family. What has he been saying? I’ve checked my blog but there’s nothing there, so it’s entirely possible that he has set one up himself. How do I find out? What would he call it? Buster Blog? Diary of a Falmouth Feline? Down with Dogs? The possibilities are endless…

We left my mother looking very small, sad and vulnerable. I wanted to scoop her up and bring her home. She hates us going and was Extremely Appreciative, dear thing. We had provided just the right level of care, apparently, which even if it wasn’t true was a very lovely thing to say. In fact, several times she said how good I was at looking after her. I think that was when I’d run up and down stairs about 15 times and was getting decidedly Snappy. But she’s doing much better and you’d never think she’d had major surgery only a few days ago.

While in Devon I developed a habit of waking at 5am. When Mollie sensed this, she decided that she’d like a pee, so I had to let her out (at home she lets herself out through the catflap). Once I’d done this and given her breakfast, I couldn’t get back to sleep, and as I didn’t want to wake Himself or Mum, I would go back to bed and read, looking at the clock every now and then to see when it was 7am which, I felt, was a reasonable time to get up. My mother, who is a night bird, was horrified to see me hanging out the washing at 7.30 one morning. She couldn’t appreciate that it was a beautiful sunny morning and the best time of the day, and stared at me blankly, obviously wondering how she’d produced a daughter who likes mornings.

Now I must say I’m feeling a bit jetlagged. We’d packed the car, hoovered the house and I’d walked Mollie by 9.30 this morning so felt we might as well leave. However, we had to stop in Saltash for coffee (my back starts aching after about ¾ of an hour so I have to get out and unstiffen it.) Then we stopped in Lostwithiel for a picnic and to give Mollie a run in the meadows down by the river. Then we had to stop at Tesco in Truro as there is zilch in the fridge. So it took us 4 hours and my head’s spinning. It’s very nice to be home. I’m sort of thinking it’s time for a glass of wine but – oh God, it’s only 3.45.

Anyway, good parental relations are restored and Mum has someone else arriving this afternoon to look after her, so she’s in good hands, plus all her friends that pop in bringing flowers, books, food and drinks. Even so, it was hard to leave her. I keep seeing that pale little figure, in her pale blue dressing gown, looking agonised. Oh hell…..

7 comments:

tim relf said...

What is it about cats and computers? They seem to love them, don't they. My two - Parsley and Nutmeg - like sitting one on either side of the monitor, occasionally swiping at the keyboard. Luckily they haven't worked out which one is the delete key yet!
www.fwi.co.uk/blogs/rural-life

Cornish Dreamer said...

Good to see you back FP. It certainly sounds like it was a busy long-weekend.

I'm sure a Buster blog would be very interesting and full of the latest street gossip. If you found it, perhaps you could find out whose perfume it was on his coat?!

RT

Flowerpot said...

thanks for dropping in, Tim. Love the picture of Parsley and Nutmeg swiping at the pc! I trained Bussie not to walk over the keyboard when he was a kitten but while mum's away.....

RT - Buster Blog is an idea but don't think I have the hours in the day. Perhaps I should give him typing lessons....

Motheratlarge said...

There's an entire blog devoted to cats, Stuff about Cats, or something similar. Perhaps Buster is the anonymous author.

Sorry to hear your mother hasn't been well. Must be worrying.

I tagged you in a food meme before reading about your mum's illness.

It's probably the last thing you want to do right now, so please don't worry about it.

Elaine Denning said...

I suspect (if you write anywhere near as much as I do) the cat worked out a long time ago that the area around the computer is the warmest in the house!

I'm sure your Mum will be absolutely fine, but it must have been really hard to leave her.

Welcome back :)

Eurodog said...

Welcome back to Cornwall where the living is easy, the fish are jumping and the cotton is high.

Flowerpot said...

mother - will have a check round blogs and respond to your tag. Thanks for that.

MissU - my "office" is in fact shoved in our bedroom - we have a very small flat - and when the sun's shining it's lovely. When it's not, it#'s freezing. but cats tend to like changing their beds every week or so. I've just had to fight for possession of The Writing Chair this morning. Sigh...

Eurodog - thanks for that. And the sun is shining here in Cornwall for once, as well! Lovely to be home.