A trip to the vet

So, we went to the vet a couple of days ago to get the kittens vaccinated against all the dastardly things which like to make cats unwell. Poor Pegs and Percy, they really hated getting in the carrier and Peggy was like a wildcat, scratching everywhere to be forced in. Scratches on throats and arms abounded!

As we arrived, towel over the carrier, the lovely vet called us in - a big bear of a man who was lovely with the cats...except for one thing. He pulled out one cat, said "hello there, you must be Peggy", and I said nope, that's Percy. Mr Vet replied that we needed to reconsider Percy's name as he is a she, and we have two girl kittens! We've decided to keep them with their original names, although, my Grandfather has suggested we rename Perseus to Persephone - and keep the Percy nickname. All sorted!


We've had a few visitors to play with since the girls arrived home, and the change in their personalities is astounding. Peggy went from wolfing down her food to get back into the shadows, to being stroked only when being played with, to snuggling up on A's lap and purring ever so loudly! Percy is a couple of days ahead of Peg, having swiftly appreciated warm bodies and lots of stroking. They'll soon be ready to be let into the whole house, as they're getting used to regular meals as we feed them according to our work schedule.  Then - training for the harness awaits!

and finally this - the first time the girls snuggled up to us

Meeting the kittens

Meet Peggy and Percy, our white tabby kittens.
On Boxing Day we collected two adorable balls of fluff from our local animal rescue centre. We'd met them 3 times before, going over to play with them and two other kittens that had been rescued and each time they became a little less wary of us. 

 

This little chap was being rehomed with another family but *loved* chasing the degus in the room, and frequently ran into the glass wall of the cage

Finally, we got them home, both of us supremely excited and in the 3 days they've gone from hiding in a corner to letting us stroke them, Percy even comes to a hand wiggling its fingers to be stroked.  Peggy is far more timid, but finally will now go across a room on her own without having to have Percy nearby.

Which brings us onto their naming:  Anton was holding onto the female kitten on the first visit and she leapt from his arms back into the kitten pen, as though she were winged - and thus she became Pegasus. Her brother, the kitten who looked after her became Perseus, the carer who rescues those in need - and his sister needed a lot of reassuring!And so we have Peggy and Percy, inseparable and extremely cute.

We hope that they'll come and sit with us soon and not jump every time we move - 3 days so far, they've become far less scared - they're so curious!

It helps that they're with each other each time they need some reassurance :)

Banbury jogs

Of course, there are so many things to see in Banbury too!

Cows following the same line across a field every day

Not strictly in Banbury but we often see herons along the canal

This is new, however - an adder! Moving quite fast, hence the blur

Sunlight breaking through the cloud and highlighting a tree on the hill - that was rather pleasant to jog toward

Running attractions

Things that attract my attention whilst running, and things that are always there and I suddenly notice

In case you can't read this, it says 'the remains of a wooden icebreaker lie submerged', a factual and poetic and reflective way of writing! (ha, pun)

Some great little things that we saw along the canal in Leeds on Sunday, whilst jogging with our best friends

Henry the Hodgeheg: An Introduction

Henry the Hodgehog was taking flowers to his wife. Vince the Van Driver didn't see Henry in the road

 

Henry, in a daze, walked back home, unsure why he felt disorientated

Henry’s wife saw him coming up the path and opened the door, but what was wrong? She normally loves flowers!

Henry’s wife,  Carmel, took him to Doctor Derricks, for an X-ray. It revealed Henry’s organs were all squished. Carmel had a scan too, to make him feel more reassured. But what else was revealed?

Henry was a superhero! The X-ray showed the H emblazoned on his front!

Empowered by this finding, Henry went through a reconciliation arranged by Mister T, where Vince apologised for driving over Henry. Henry, the stronger creature, forgave him and released Vince’s shackles

What’s this? Henry, a superhero, his wife Carmel and their 5 little hoglettes! See, that’s what the X-ray revealed!

Yay Henry!