Categories: uncategorized
Date: 08 June 2004 21:39:28
Two emergencies this week.
1) Phone call at 9.50pm on Sunday from M. No, not for me, but for Charlie Cat to help her with a squatter. M had got home from church to discover a bright and friendly chaffinch had taken up residence in her lounge. He wasn't in the slightest bothered by her presence, just flew from curtain rail to curtain rail, nibbling spiders, and then flew across to the lampshade for a little swing. Nothing she could do would persuade him to leave and he seemed quite contented, and even settled down in a corner of the room for a little nap. I suggested waving a feather duster at him, but he was unperturbed and just flew to a quieter corner. In the end I just had to call on my neighbour to babysit and dash off to join the shepherding team.
There he sat, happy as Larry, preening himself on the curtain rail and totally ignoring the trail of food M had laid across the carpet leading out to the conservatory. Even out two-pronged attack with the feather dusters was in vain (probably mainly because we couldn't do it for laughing) until I had a brainwave. We put a light in the conservatory and switched off those in the lounge, and the little fellow shot out and landed on the door frame out there. I followed him, feather duster in hand, while M closed the door behind me and went to put the kettle on. I tapped him with the duster and, would you believe it? He snuggled in amongst the feathers with a look of pure delight! Far from being encouraged to leave, he was obviously enjoying the sensation of being stroked and was in danger of falling asleep again... until with a firm hand I evicted him and sent him out into the outside world.
2) There I was in the hall, busily sorting out the airing cupboard, with a pile of towels in each hand and a misplaced sleeping bag balanced on my head, when I hear a little voice from the kitchen:
Smudgelet: Tiddles, can you come here a minute?
Tiddles: I'm a bit busy at the moment. Can't it wait?
S: Hmmm.... no, not really. I could do with you now. Can you come here?
T: What's the matter?
S: Well, can you come here and bring a piece of cardboard?
I wonder what could be going on, but laden as I was with half the airing cupboard I could hardly do anything about it, so I left things in the capable hands of Tiddles who walked past me into the kitchen.
Tiddles: Oh my, Oh my word! Hmmm... wait there, I'll get a piece of cardboard.
What on earth could be happening? Giant spider? Half a dead mouse on the floor? My curiosity was roused. I shoved the stuff roughly back in the cupboard and emerged just in time to hear....
Tiddles: If we put a piece of cardboard over the spout, it might stop it!
Yes, Smudgelet was filling the watering can. He held it under the running tap, with the spout pointing down over the floor, and as it filled, so it emptied! All over the floor. All over the worktops. All in the cupboards. All over their slippers..... Not, of course, that it occured to either of them to turn off the tap or straighten the can! Still, the floor's cleaner now!