Water and weed

Alex and I have had an interesting day. We visited some cats at Cat Help and the Cats Protection League, ordered macrocarpa timber for my raised garden plans in the front yard, picked up my replacement prescription sunglasses for the ones I dropped into Lake Benmore, and went for a fish.

The cats. Keep in mind you don't replace a cat or dog, any more than you replace a human. They have their own personalities and unique traits. For me it has to be the right cat too, the one who will form a strong bond. Of the ones I met there were a couple that made the short list. A charming little black fellow who ticked all the boxes - friendly, smoochy, clean bill of health, 2 years old...but oddly he never purred.

I also met a little fellow with the interim name of Dusty, given to him by the vet nurses who cleaned cement off him. Dusty is early on in his process of understanding he is now safe. You can see he wants to trust and is slowly learning to do so. Interestingly he isn't black. He's tabby with stripes running long-ways rather than the traditional around the body, with a white bib and paws.

Dusty has the saddest eyes and is like an old soul in a 6 month old body. He's gentle in his play, was neutered before ending up at an industrial plant. They are an unusual colour, a blend of blue, green and amber. There is something about him that is special.

He isn't far from where I live and we visited him twice yesterday. We'll visit again late Sunday morning (after an essay writing session with a 14 year old boy - wish me luck ;-)

Dusty has been tended to by the vet practice I use. One of the vets and a couple of the nurses have remarked he's special. If they each didn't already have an menagerie of animals, one of them would take him.

His adjustment period isn't an issue. He needs another good month at Cat Help, and that's about the length of time the quake busted sewer pipes in my street will take to fix.

I met Wilson a lot further down the adjustment process. He'd learned to trust and get past his fear of noises and going out into the grass enclosure at Cats Protection League. I don't want to rush Dusty or try to force him to be the cat he can't be. But promising signs are there.

Alex shows enormous sensitivity and I'm glad to have him staying this weekend. As he has remarked, the black cat was lovely but the little stripey fella with the sad eyes, is responding to me and there is a wee bond forming. Watch this space.

My new prescription sunglasses made a world of difference. I see better with them than the ones I lost as the prescription is up to date, and they do that transition thing - so necessary in a woman of my age ;-)

With the limited time available Alex had a fish at the Groynes. He did well in the honking nor'easterly and no fish were harmed. It's a kids only fishing area. My job was to free line snagged in weed, and remove weed from the lure.

I also tested my glasses for spotting. No fish in the clear bright sun, but pretty colours and patterns :-)