Goodbye Old Friend.

Grieving over the death of a pet is something only other pet owners can relate to, you have to own a pet to really understand the companionship and love that you are given by that bundle of fur and, although I have been in this situation before, I was stunned by the overwhelming grief I experienced recently, at the loss of our cat, Tosca. That small bundle of fur left a huge space in our lives.

Tosca was almost 20 years old and had travelled from the UK to the USA to the Netherlands with us. When she first arrived in our family she tolerated the kids, and was possibly the first feline fan of the Harry Potter books, as she sit on my son’s bed avidly listening to the story. She was a pretty cat and used this advantage, as beneath this cute exterior lay a stealth aggressor and terrorizer of small children and unsuspecting adults. She’d hide in plain sight and swat at ankles or allow the unsuspecting stroker of fur to let their guard down and then bite down hard! Swooshy skirts were a great irritant and  she intimidated my mother-in-law by climbing onto the hem of her skirt and hanging there!

Despite this Attila the Hun side to her character we loved her…even if our guests didn’t. When we moved to the US she had to adapt quickly to the environment and after being an outside cat found herself restricted to inside as we lived in a motel until our shipped furniture arrived. Oh, the indignity of wearing a cat leash, the only way she could get outside!  But once settled in her new home she quickly discovered a new sport, hunting chipmunks. There were many times we had to rescue Chip and Dale and once even found a rather smart chipmunk sitting in Barbie’s car trying to make a quick get-away!

As Tosca got older she tolerated the arrival of an older adopted cat, Twinkle, who was escaping the return to the UK and quarantine, but was enormously affronted by the appearance of a new kitten. She never really accepted Squishy and made sure the underling knew exactly whom the monarch of the house was. She had a new focus for her stealth skills and Squishy developed a great respect for the queen!

It is known that pets are beneficial to our lives in many ways. The action of stroking a pet can reduce blood pressure and stress and research shows that people with pets even recover faster from heart attacks. Owning a pet can even be an ice-breaker with people, especially dogs (I’m not sure Tosca qualified in this department!) and there is some scientific research that shows children who grow up with animals in the home have less allergies. Of course owning a dog definitely improves your fitness with all those long walks.

The move to the Netherlands was challenging but for an old traveller it was just another place to rest her old bones. Tosca had mellowed by this time and soon settled into the rhythm of Dutch life. She continued to make us laugh with her crazy bursts of energy, her “sway belly” swinging side-to-side as she ran or when she’d go and look through the neighbors windows, when they were “cat sitting” for us, and remind them it was dinner time, virtually pointing to her imaginary watch! She even tolerated another move within the Netherlands…her fourth home, but remained the queen to the end. We miss her friendship and even Squishy is feeling the loss. Goodbye old friend.

http://mentalfloss.com/article/51154/8-benefits-being-cat-owner

Travel Tales

It's been awhile I know! Life has been somewhat stressful since moving, with a family situation and the continuation of the re-model of our new home, but I'm here now!

I love travel as you know! There is nothing more exhilarating than getting on to a train or plane, or in the car and exploring a new country. Just recently a very good friend threw us a "lifeline" when she offered us the use of her vacation home in Bavaria for a week. So, the bags were packed and, as Becky was also visiting, the three of us made our way to the mountains. Unfortunately the weather was not kind to start with but finally the sun shone and, as always, the mountains calmed my soul. As the American naturalist, John Muir, once said, “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.”

The area of Oberammergau is stunningly beautiful, and every time I visit I am known to gasp and "oooh" as I travel around. This time was no exception as we took a gentle hike up the Ammer valley to Ettal, stopping for a beer at a local hostelry, of course. Then some hikes down a couple of small local mountains, the Laber and the Herzogstand, over the next couple of days, testing our knees! The week was wrapped up with a short visit to one of my favorite cities, Munich, where we enjoyed several good German beers and a bratwurst or two in the sunshine, whilst exploring.

Oberammergau

Ammer valley

Herzogstand.

Surfers in Munich!

Tourist watching.

My travel blog is nowhere near as exciting as Thom and Christina's, http://chriandthom.tumblr.com as they have spent the past 12 months traveling through South America! They are passionate young travelers with some great tales to tell, but the people who have inspired me the most are good friends of ours, Kate and John. They have decided to take a "gap year" and travel the world for 12 months. So? Kids do that all the time, what's the big deal? Kate and John are our age though, with a mortgage, grown up kids and responsibilities and have decided to do this now, before they can't! It takes a heap of courage to put those responsibilities to one side and take time for yourselves and I respect them for the step they have taken. I'm sure they have stressed over the decision at length but they are now on the way, stopping off with us for a couple of nights, before heading through Europe towards St. Petersburg and a rail trip through Siberia. I look forward to traveling vicariously through them by following their blog....what travel tales they will have to tell! http://thebirdshaveflown2015.blogspot.com

Tosca's Blog

Stadshaven 5 (photo by Christophe Bollard)

I am a 15 (133 in human's years) old cat and I am here to say I have had enough! First it was, "Come on Tosca, let's have an adventure in the USA." No-one ever said it would involve going in a box, inside a much larger metal box that flies. Then it was, "No! Don't eat the cute little chipmunks!" But life settled down and I was happy there, until that little usurper came along...Squishy! Pah! A silly name for a silly little cat. We found a rhythm, me intimidating her and her running crying to the people, "Boo hoo, Tosca was mean to me." Such fun! Then before we knew it, it was the cat box going into the metal box that flies again and then we were in a country called the Netherlands where they speak really weirdly! No chipmunks sadly but I'm afraid I don't have the energy to chase anything these days anyway. Life settled down for awhile, which is good as I am old and just want a quiet life...a little/long nap on the people's bed, food in my bowl and a bit of a cuddle occasionally. Yes, the silly little cat is still here and occasionally I remind her who is boss but life was good. Until... those damn cardboard boxes appeared in the house and the peoples stuff started to disappear in mounds of paper.

Yes, you guessed it...we have moved to another house! This time it was just a short trip in the metal box that goes on the road but I have to say I am less than impressed by yet another change. Although it was pretty easy for us cats, and not so easy for the lady feeder. Her mate disappeared for a week, another poor schmuck who was put in that metal box that flies, and she had to put all the people belongings into the boxes by herself. She worked really hard and barely had time to give us any attention. Then, the day the mate was due home the house went crazy! First, the Dutch guy and one of his young ones who fed us sometimes,  and our lady feeder carried all the boxes and furniture out of the house and the house was empty by the time the mate got back from the USA. Luckily I still had the bed to nap on! It was very, very windy which affected his travel and also delayed the people's female kitten, Bex's arrival. So the poor lady feeder emptied the house with the help of the people that live next-door.

These will never fit!

We are now in the new house, which seems very nice but is still full of boxes and muddle, added to which is this nasty smelling wet stuff on the windows and doors...if we go near anything with "paint" on we get yelled at! The Annoying One did walk on the windowsill and then across the wooden floor, which did not please the people at all! The new home is very agreeable but some fool added an extra set of stairs for me to climb to get to the bed, very unkind at my age when even a couple of stairs is a challenge! The view out of the window looks nice, it has a couple of those windmill things that everyone gets excited about (I know, weird right?) and some of that horrid water, which occasionally has boats on. The Annoying One can't wait to sit and look at the view but me, I'd rather have a soft bed.

Since starting this blog the unpacking has moved on a pace and most of the boxes have gone and pictures have been hung. Bex stayed and helped the people a lot. There is still work to do but personally I don't care! The people have to finish an en-suite (human litter box) and will replace the kitchen, which the feeder Jackie complains about all the time! Especially as she has no oven so every thing must be cooked on the stove top. One of the bedrooms is still a work room but there is another guest room so don't be afraid to visit. I am loving the new place as I no longer get shut in the utility room downstairs at night, the people however are not loving it so much as I like a bit of attention around 5am & let them know!

Jackie is very pleased with her bathroom!

Wrought iron handrail handmade for us by a friend's dad.

We have been allowed out in the new garden which, as far as The Annoying One is concerned, is a bit small and boring. She misses the open grass land to hunt in and did get stuck in the next-door yard as the walls are 6 feet high! I heard there is open grass behind the gate but she's yet to figure that out and I'm not telling! Ha! I guess she'll find it eventually.

According to the people it's a nice place to live. It's a small town with a bakers, cheese shop, a deli and a few interesting shops, restaurants and galleries. One of the neighbors is a bit supercilious but the other locals seem friendly. So, if you fancy a visit swing by....you'll find me upstairs on the bed!

51°44'07.3"N 5°08'13.1"E (Google maps)

Heusden

Stadshaven 5 (to the R of the larger house)

View from the bathroom!