Saturday, August 18, 2012

Canicule is upon us...starting now!

Yes, here it comes, maybe not as bad as the one in 2003 but it is certainly one of them.  It's like a heat-storm. Days, nights of u7nusual heat that blasts up from the southwest over the Pyrenees from Spain and Morocco.  Hot, dry and lasting.  The weather yesterday was supposed to be "normal" with sun and no clouds, highs in the low 80's. "Supposed" is the key word.  About 4pm it was 94 and rising.  About 6pm it peaked at 98 degrees and stayed high long after the sun set with a warm wind from the southwest...canicule on the way!  This morning I was up at 7 and it was already 75 degrees.  Shit, shit, shit!  Well we will hide inside today, drink lemonade with real ice cubes (later on that) and perhaps a few showers followed by naps under a fan and perhaps wet sheet effect by late today.  

Yesterday was my bloody 69th birthday!  How the hell did that happen?!  I dunno but it did or has anyway. We bopped off to Bourges, shopped all over the place, had a nice, leisurely lunch at La Scala (Margarite Pizza w/anchovies...my favorite...Kelly won't touch it!)  I was a happy Duck though.  Then wandered back to Lignieres for a long afternoon nap, a bit of TV news and to bed reading and drifted off to sleep.  Nice day!
It's 91 degrees now as I publish this...wish us cool days!
Here are some pics from yesterdays B-Day adventure:















Sunday, August 12, 2012

Wandering Animals, Mostly CATS!

Our summer in France has meant the introduction of some 8 not-so-feral and feral cats.  We name them all, Mouse-Lissa (called "Melissa by my Duck), LongTail, Felix the 1st, Felix the 2nd (twin black and whites), Corruption, Katy, Mauve, Aix and Nine...yes, we feed them, the cheapest damned kibble we can find...they nibble it and most go away but some...Mauve for instance, sticks close to the kitchens (we have 2 kitchens) hoping against hope a morsel or ten will pop into a suitable container for her enjoyment.  We started off this spring with just one or two, Melissa and then a bit later LongTail.  When the end of July came about we saw the kittens, Felixes the are, and then the others were added over the next week or so.  It's summer, it's Aout...August the minions of the concrete office towers in Paris are OFF to the beach! and others, our local folks just go without their sweet animals, yes, they leave them to their own devices, so we are that device locally. Terrible behavior on the part of these normally very sane, very upright and conservative French citizens...alas for this one flaw. What to do with the cats?  A large bowl of food, I've seen this, lies empty by the door of the village house, quite empty...I KNOW where they are!  A domesticated cat is NOT a feral cat, it has tools, some quite sharp...but no street smarts and you need street smarts if you are to survive in the wilds of Lignieres.  The sleep in our courtyard, hide in the bushes, in the barn (it's big enough!) and on the roof by Kelly's sewing room and in the bathroom window while we are showering.  Cats everywhere!  It's now the 12th of Aout (August remember?) and we have perhaps another 14 - 21 days before their Big Kats (people) return.  Enough time to die in the street after being run over by a slightly inebriated Big Kat in his Peugeot, then summarily flattened by the Case or John Deere farm tractor hauling a 10 ton load of wheat to the mill down the street.  Denying death by a near miss or a swift kick that breaks bones and causes internal injuries is part of the melee awaiting these wandering animals, just like dogs...only, so often, people TAKE their dogs with them, so few feral dogs are about.  Many more cats make up for the lack.   
If you had a good pet insurance policy   http://www.healthypawspetinsurance.com/   one could afford to take the cat (IF it survives) to a vet.   It's inexpensive, it's effective and would certainly take the worry out of any pet owner.  Time will tell the tale (or is it Tail?) with this krew of ours.  Pet insurance is an excellent investment in your cats quality of life and your own conscience.  Simply finding a neighbor to feed and watch over the creature might not be enough.  Here's some more information on pet insurance that you might find compelling:

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