Illustration...

This morning Shadow is sitting on my large wood swing waiting for me to wake up. i watch her for about half an hour as I slowly wake up and meditate.

I feed her and she goes back to sitting on the swing again. Mr Heffalump (wood pigeon) comes in to crash land, but sees Shadow, so does a very clumsy mid air change of flight and goes off. Shadow gets down off the swing and finishes the off the wet food in the bowl. And off she goes.

I put some more wet food out. Come back in, and sit in bed with my coffee.

Mr Magpie is next. He seems to be rather hungry. Eats a lot of the wet food, then takes some chunks back to his missus in the nest (I presume). Mr Magpie is back and forth. Mr and Mrs Blackbird come in for the dry food in between Mr Magpie's visits.

Now, the parade of the gingers, but Mr Magpie comes back. He is hopping around making it very clear he is not a patient customer. Okay says Manky Ginger, gives up his place, and strolls up the garden path. He will come back later and I will make sure he gets his wet food. But Mr Magpie is very impatient at the moment. I would guess he has young ones to feed and a demanding missus.

Yesterday when I got back from that foreign country of England, I was very tired after my foraging for stuff, so I put my feet up on my couch in the front room with a cuppa. Mr Magpie was out there on the bungalows at the other side of the road checking for open windows. He got inside one bungalow and a short while later came out with something in his beak, and flew off. Oops. Expect the police helicopter soon looking for a stealthy burglar...

A funny story. About 15 years ago, I got in my car in my driveway, but I noticed a magpie was entering the bungalows through open windows, there was no one in, they were out at work. The police helicopter was hovering overhead. I didn't think anything of it, but I did sit in my car watching that magpie try several bungalows. Then I drove off into the next village to the post office in the church hall run by the lady vicar. The police helicopter had followed me closely as I drove there. Very unnerving. Once inside the church hall, the Reverend lady vicar (not sure how to officially address her), just use her Christian name once inside. What's with the helicopter overhead she asked me. So I explained about magpie, watching him, then driving there. Right, that's it she said, come on, I don't like the police. She locked the church hall as we went out. Police helicopter is still hovering over head. And she grabs my hand, and we walk round the church and church hall widdershins. The police helicopter follows us round (to see what we are doing?) and we get back to the church hall door. Then she waves with both hands at the police helicopter and shouts some words at them....not words I expected from a lady vicar (or any vicar). Then we go back inside. I finish off my post office business. The police helicopter is still hovering overhead. And it follows me as I drive off. I get on the Expressway, and put my foot down on the pedal. And then out of my rear view mirror, I see the police helicopter finally turn round and fly back to the village.

I never leave my bungalow windows open when i go out.

Well, Mr Magpie and the gingers are now taking turns for that bowl of wet cat food this morning. It needs refilling again...

Creative this morning - I have been illustrating the early part of my life story for the grandchildren. I found you could hand draw the illustrations directly in Pages on the iPad. With my hands not being very cooperative for drawing at the moment, this is a different (how to describe it?), rough imprecise style of drawing with the lines all over the place (a lot of digital eraser was used), and you could fill in with colour fill. This one is my fourth attempt and I actually like it, so I will be doing the rest this way. So, it is sort of detail, but not precise detail.

I am here when I am meant to be there, spent too long writing this. Calico is now eating the rest of the wet cat food. All stray cats have been fed now, even Manky Ginger got another bowlful. I will be refilling the dry cat food bowls, but the wet cat food part of the diner will now be closed until tomorrow, it's 8:30 am and everyone has been fed...

Bye....catch you later...