How to have a nice day...

 About to sing...
Winnie the Dog

I want to have a really nice day. I can achieve this is by being really kind to my cats and dogs and working hard in my garden. And perhaps putting a limit on the time spent doing the Christmas 2000 piece jigsaw. It can become very mesmerising...

Much Later...

So I thought I would (or should) speed-weed the potato patch. But this was unrewarding, and I only did half - will weed the rest when I actually dig the potatoes up for meals. Seems sensible. The Californian thistles therein need a squirt of something unmentionable, anyway. Redirected myself into the rose garden on the other side of the path. Dug out loads of Campion, weeded out loads of clover, uncovered a few roses (like Kate Sheppard) struggling to find the light.

Dead-headed quite a few roses - a sure sign that summer is here. Hello, summer sun! Can't quite spot you up there, sulking behind the clouds.

Today, Wednesday, it's been raining heavily all day. Now this is perfect jigsaw weather, since no gardening is possible, and I have made much progress. Tonight I started off to go to a singing rehearsal - too much surface water on the roads, turned back and came home.

 My little grey cottage cat.
Minimus

There are huge puddles everywhere, noisy splattering on the house roof, the smell of hot, wet, indoor dogs, all the cats cosy and dry. I'm glad I'm home.

Speckles has gone?

But I haven't seen Speckles the stray cat for three days and three nights now. He's gone? I'm a bit sad - I've enjoyed his nocturnal visits. Oh well. I've tried my very best to look after him. And I guess that my darling Minimus gets her cottage back now, all to herself. I will continue to put a bowl of food outside, though, just in case.

There is room in my heart for all my cats and dogs. Especially for Lilli-Puss, who is so strange, and Pebbles, who has such poor dog manners.

And, of course, darling Miss Buster, oh so beautiful, who is now spending so much time in the house. She's finally decided she can avoid trouble (that is, the Fred cats) simply by dancing over the table or leaping lightly on top of the piano.

 Snoozing in the Herb Spiral.
Buster in Bowles Golden Grass