Three beautiful things from the last five minutes
1. A scratch-scratch-scratch. I open the door and a little boy & two little girls are waiting together to be admitted into the room of cosy-warm. 2. In previous days, I may have been sad that the pie tin was too big for the cats but instead I get to be happy that it’s perfectly [...]
Not finished yet, waggle welcome, blown out
1. The last flashes of summer – a slowly ripening chilli, a sweet pea flower curving up to the light, the scent of the brushed basil in the porch. 2. I wish I had a tail to wag too, then we could run around in wagging unison when he comes home from the office. Instead, [...]
Sunlight & animals, Purple parasols, Eternal nerdy teenager
1. I have lunch – leftover kedgeree – on the balcony. The cats and dog sit together in the soft sunlight. 2. Always on the look out for mushrooms, we find Amethyst Deceivers (Laccaria amethystea) – an amazingly deep, rich purple in the brown leaf litter. 3. As usual, I come home from drama and [...]
Justification, ker-plosh, bwark-kuk-kuk
1. The heavy rain disrupts my gardening plans. Instead, I curl under a blanket with the dreaming dog and finish reading my book. 2. On the drive to Bingley, John makes poo-hitting-water noises and I can’t help but laugh and laugh. 3. There is just enough time between the rain stopping and night falling for [...]
After the chicken run, stepping stone, repeating, evening walk, giveaway smell
1. I sneak back into bed and facing each other, we hold hands inbetween our chests. The dog snuggles her nose into the inverted v-shaped space between our arms. 2. I half open my eyes when I feel the cat step off me. I see her use the sleeping dog as a stepping stone to [...]
One about a dog & one about a lost cat, real/virtual
1. Jake the German Shepherd’s ears are marvellous: when he’s intrigued by something, they not only lift up but bend together to form one giant attentive ear. 2. I say her name and she meows. A few steps then we repeat it again and again. A barrier of nettles, brambles and a steep drop barely [...]
Warm-up, someone made some effort, starting the sauce
1. Around the time of her usual lunchtime walk, her tail starts wagging even though the rest of her is dozing on the sofa. “It’s a warm-up, like stretching,” I tell John. 2. The boxes are coloured to indicate who they’re for – the big cat, the little cat or the dog. The colours – [...]
Rollmöpse, things past, wish I could Ctrl+F books to find it again
1. The rollmops – pickled herring – are perfect: neither too fishy or too vinegary, just sweet and tangy. 2. I sit on the steps up to the door of our old house and pull grass seeds and sticky buds from the dog’s ears, tail and feathering. I feel nostalgic for all the time I [...]
