Reservoir Cats 29

Gladys: Little Al, keep up with us. I don’t want to lose you again. You caused enough trouble disappearing down the sewers.
Little Al: Yes, mum. I still feel a bit sticky.
Mr. Grey: Well glad to see you all made it back safe and sound. What happened to Little Al. He looks a bit sort of whitish.
Big Tom: Well that’s another story. Anything up while we were away Grey.
Mr. Grey: No dad, everything quiet. Couldn’t even hear a mouse breathe.
Fluffy: That’s because it’s getting colder and snow is falling.
Nera: I think we should all be getting to our sleeping places now, after all that good food I really feel sleepy.
Mr. Grey: Did I hear someone mention food. I’m starving.
Big Tom: We didn’t forget you Grey. We brought some back for you.
Mr. Grey: Well I thought I could sort of smell bird in the air.
Romeo: Si, it comes from the human kitchens in the town.

Slimy: That was a nice party we ‘ad yesterday wasn’t it boss.
Long Tail Al: Yea, reminds me of old times when we were younger.
Tabby: Did you have parties then as well.
Long Tail Al: Well, sort of, if there was grub around we ‘ad something to celebrate. I wasn’t boss in the town, it was Al Catone that organised fings then.
Slimy: I’ve ‘eard about Al Catone, ‘e’s a legend, one of the best.
Long Tail Al: Yea well ‘e ‘ad fings under control. Mind you we ‘ad our problems then as well.
Tabby: Tell us about them dad.
Slimy: Yea, I like to ‘ear stuff about long ago.
Long Tail Al: Well it all started when Al Catone arrived ‘ere on one of them ships in the ‘arbour. Come from a place in America called Cattago. ‘E ‘ad to leave cause ‘is complete family ‘ad been killed by the Whisker gang. And……..

Mama Catone: Al, you gotta go, the Whisker gang have got your dad already, and have taken over the complete catnip harvest. The tom cats have all pounced on your sisters and you being the only surviving son you have no chance. Go down to the Lake, there is a boat leaving. That will take you to New York and you can get on one of those big ships to take you across the sea.
Al Catone: But mum I can’t leave you here.
Mama Catone: My days are numbered Al. I don’t have the strength to carry on, just go and remember whose son you are.
Al Catone: Ok, bye mum, I will make you proud of me.

Al Catone: This must be one of those big ships my mum meant.
Ships Cat: Ahoy, looking for someone.
Al Catone: Well, I’m looking for a ships passage. Any chance?
Ships Cat: Come on board. How good are you at catching mice?
Al Catone: One of the best. Who’s the boss around here.
Ship’s cat: Why does that interest you.
Al Catone: Well, I have to know who is giving the orders, now don’t I.
Captain Cat: Ship’s cat, got problems.
Al Catone: Are you in charge here.
Captain Cat: Who’s asking.
Al Catone: Al Catone, son of Alfonso Catone from Catago. Any problems.
Captain Cat: Well he had a bit of bad luck with the Whisker gang didn’t he. Now if you want to come on board, it’s ok, but you take my orders.
Al Catone: If I come on board, I am giving the orders. Hissssssss
Captain Cat: Hissssssss. Awwwwww.
Ship’s cat: You pushed him overboard with your claws.
Al Catone: I have had enough of being pushed around and now it’s my ship until we reach land. Capisci.
Ship’s cat: Ok, I get it. Blimy you are a bossy one.
Al Catone: I am the boss, and what I says goes. Any problems, or do you want to join Captain Cat in his wet grave.
Ship’s cat: No, no, anything you say goes.

Slimy: And that’s ‘ow Al Catone got ‘ere.
Long Tail Al: Well that’s wot ‘e told me but there is more to come. Eventually ‘e arrived ‘ere…..

Al Catone: Ok, ship’s cat, I am going to leave you now at this port. You have the ship to yourself. Keep it clean and mouse free.
Ship’s cat: Well you certainly did. But you didn’t have to keep it cat free as well.
Al Catone: There were too many other cats wanting to move in on my territory so I had to get rid of them. I told you, my family doesn’t get pushed around any more.

So, this place looks good. Will have to find somewhere to stay for the night. Churches are always a good place, the humans don’t hang around so much at night and during the day they are usually closed. I grew up near the graveyard so let’s have a sniff around.
Reggie Crat Senior: Now who are you. New cat in town?
Al Catone: And who is asking.
Reggie Crat Senior: Me and me bruvver, Ronnie, ‘appen to be the chiefs of the black paw gang around ‘ere and wot I says goes.
Al Catone: Looking for any new members of your gang. I love gang life.
Reggie Crat Senior: Got experience. Where ya from.
Al Catone: Life has been made of experience for me up to now. See that scar behind my ear.
Reggie Crat Senior: Blimy that’s a real scar. Who done that to ya.
Al Catone: Got that from the Captain Cat on the ship when I had a fight with him and pushed him over the ship’s railings.
Reggie Crat Senior: Respect I must say. Wot’s the mark at the side of ya nose.
Al Catone: I had a little bother with the boss of the Whisker gang where I came from, but mind you I only got that mark on my nose, he only has one ear now.
Reggie Crat Senior: And ‘ow am I supposed to believe all this.
Al Catone: Want a cat fight, then I will show you how good I am.
Reggie Crat Senior: No, no, don’t get me wrong. We are always looking for big strong cats like yourself to join us. What do you fink. Interested.
Al Catone: What’s the pay?
Reggie Crat Senior: Nice place to sleep down by the crypt in the church. No drafts and plenty of fresh meat around – although you ‘ave to find it yerself, but the sewers ain’t far away.
Al Catone: How’s the catnip trade.
Reggie Crat Senior: Well, that’s somefing the country cats deal wiv more than us, but you would ‘ave to ask them and that mean’s ‘aving a word with the Duke.
Al Catone: Ok, I will join, and see how things develop.

Slimy: Long Tail Al, tell us more. Was Reggie Crat Senior our Reggie and Ronnie’s dad.
Tabby: Yes, that’s a really interesting story.
Long Tail Al: Yea, that’s it. The Black Paw Gang run in the Crat family. Now listen cats, that’s no story but ‘ow it begun. You’ll ‘ave to wait till tomorrow for the next part. I ‘ave to get some kip now. Exhausted after running round looking for me son and eating all that food and celebrating.

Christmas has gone and now for the New Year

I do look pleased with myself don't I. The photo was taken this morning after we had been in the supermarket behind me. The shelves were once again filled with food meaning that someone somewhere had to work after Christmas to ensure that our life could continue with no interruptions. Everything being a special offer. The photo shows a joice of ham which can be cooked in the bag (a sort of European speciality at Christmas and New Year), the advantage being that you can buy it a couple of weeks before you actually eat it. Sort of convenience food. Did I buy one - of course, that will do for lunch over the New Year.

Not only did I survive Christmas but am ready to go for the New Year, basically because I know at New Year I will be at home, sending everyone else to celebrate somewhere. Christmas was quiet. We barricaded ourselves indoors, at least me and Mr. Swiss, and as we had enough provisions we managed to survive quite well. . We had our main celebration on Christmas Eve with giving presents and good food, and afterwards Mr. Swiss and I were two of the millions watching East Enders on tv which made the programme record breaking in England. Even our sons were at home on Christmas Eve. On the 25th there was a party somewhere in town so we were then alone. I had to think back to my earlier days in the East End of London when we celebrated Christmas.

The family would meet at my Aunts house in Dagenham, as that was the biggest house of all of us and there was plenty of sleeping room. As busses and trains stopped at four in the afternoon, we had a 30 minute walk down to my aunts house from the underground station. No problem, there was always a cup of tea waiting when we arrived. I remember my mum and my aunts preparing the food in the kitchen. That was usually cold meat, cheese, bread and butter, and some salad. We kids (me and my 4 cousins all about the same age) used to look forward to "afters" (desert these days). A sort of jelly base with fruit and custard in a little wax form. The aunts and uncles would wash everything down with cups and cups of tea - we kids had our tizer (who remembers that?) and lemonade. That was the serious part of the Christmas evening.

Afterwards the merry stuff started. Grandad sat in the chair in the corner with his glass of whisky, as sort of chieften presiding over the clan. We kids would disappear in another room and had our own grammophone where we could listen to records one after the other (78 rpm naturally with sort of throw away needles which would last for ten records). The "grown-ups" would have their own party going, which we joined when things got boring. My mum and my aunt would lead the fun with "knees up muvver brown" and I had two uncles who always did a perfect impersination of Bud Flanagan and Chesney Allen singing "Underneath the Arches". When things got serious my aunt was called upon to give her rendering of "My yiddisher mama". We were not jewish, but for some reason it was my aunt's favourite song. Nearly forgot, we also managed a "hokey kokey" as well.

About midnight we kids would disappear into bed, not without having some sausage rolls first of all, which one of my aunts always had ready as an in between food. Of course there were nuts in abundance to eat. Walnuts, Brazil nuts (almost disappeared), hazelnuts and almonds. The white plastic tree with the tinsel was in the corner and had real electric lights. Sleeping arrangements - you slept where there was room. This meant that I shared the bed with my mum and my aunt (my aunt was the heaviest of all aunts - it was a wonder I survived) and my cousin. My other aunts and cousins also found an empty bed and slept four to a bed. The men all slept on floor space or armchairs (except for grandad of course, he had his own room).

The next morning the female brigade of mum and aunts were busy making breakfast for all. As soon as you sat down a plate of bacon, sausages and eggs was put in front of your. Afterwards we left one by one going home again. I now have only one aunt and my dad still alive and Christmas is no longer as it was. I have contact with two of my cousins when I go over to England. Another one is in New Zealand, so thanks to e-mail we hear from each other once a year and another has sort of disappeared, contact has been lost over the years.

So getting back to the present day I was out again stocking up on food again. It was a very cold day and I was glad to get back home. Even my frog in the garden looked like he would be pleased when Spring arrived again.

It was very cold over Christmas, no big snow falls, but frozen. Son No. 2 managed to fall over yesterday on the ice on the way home from town and he had only had a coffee somewhere. This morning at the supermarket the parking space was also frozen over, and being accident prone I had to be very careful. So how did I spend the first afternoon after Christmas. What all good housewives do - I did some cleaning. I won't be sad when the New Year arrives, at least I can forget about the housework and take it easy again. Now where did I put my book?

Reservoir Cats 28

Long Tail Al: Well that was a nice bit of singing. Nufing like a lady cat for a good song. Made me old eyes water a bit.
Romeo: Si, but you know we Italian cats have the best voices. I was very good at singing Santa Gattia.
Bobinette: Oh yes, you really sang that well on the rooftops in Venice.
Charlie: Yes, there is nothing like a rooftop song now and again.
Long Tail Al: I fink the rooftop songs you know Charlie, are not the same ones that Romeo might sing.
Romeo: Yes, we have a lot of romantica in our voices in Italy.
Charlie: So do I, you would be surprised.
Big Tom: Well thanks very much for the invitation Al. We had good food, and you enjoy it all the more when surrounded by good friends. I think we should be going back to our headquarters. Al, do you mind if we take some of the remaining food back for my son Mr. Grey. He has been keeping watch over my territory whilst we were here.
Long Tail Al: No problem, Tom. Seems that he has come back to the fold.
Big Tom: Yes, thanks to his mother who put him back in shape up on the farm.
Nera: Yes, I must say he seems to be the Mr. Grey I knew before we had the trouble.
Charlie: What d’ya mean, Nera. Now he ain’t as good looking as I am is ‘e?
Nera: How often do I have to tell you Charlie, good looks are not everything. It’s what lyes below the surface -that counts.
Charlie: Well, I got a lot laying below in me.
Nera: I am sure you have Charlie, but I am not ready to commit myself to a tom cat at the moment. Please be patient.
Charlie: But for that posh Mr. Grey you ‘ave all the time I suppose. I just ain’t good enuf for ya.
Gladys: Now Charlie, just behave. You’re a fine cat but you just have to be patient. Look at me and One Eye Fred. That took time as well, but we would never be apart now, would we Fred.
One Eye Fred: No luv, I found the cat for my life in you, even if you do ‘appen to look around now and again.
Long Tail Al: Pardon, Fred, why are you looking at me.
One Eye Fred: No boss, everyfing ok.
Gladys: Talking about things being ok, where’s Little Al. Kittens have you seen your brother.
5 Kittens: No mum, he said something about taking a walk around when Nera and Bobinette were singing and we havn’t seen him since.
Long Tail Al: Well he couldn’t have gone far.
One Eye Fred: You’d be surprise ‘ow far that little brat, sorry cat, could go when you don’t ‘ave your eyes on ‘im.
Long Tail Al: Slimy tell Reggie and Ronnie Crat to get the black paw gang organised and send them off to look for Little Al.
Slimy: Will do boss, and me and Tabby will go and ‘ave a look as well.
Tabby: Yea, I’m wiv ya Slimy.
Big Tom: Tabby remember what I said.
Tabby: Sorry boss, I mean gatto di tutti gatti. Yes Slimy, I’m coming.

Slimy: Tabby you speak quite a good catney since you’ve been staying wiv us town cats. One day you will be one of us.
Tabby: Well I ain’t, sorry I am not so sure. Big Tom doesn’t like me to speak catney and the other cats in the country don’t understand so well.
Slimy: I can see a big future for ya, somefing like go-between when we ‘ave our conferences together.
Tabby: I think we should now be looking for Little Al. Any suggestions.
Slimy: Well ya know wot I fink. ‘E ‘eard us talking about the cellar of that butchers shop and ‘e might ‘ave gone down in the sewers, looking for the entrance.
Tabby: So let’s go.

Little Al: Well, all that singing was getting on my nerves a bit, and all that sentimental stuff about the human’s Christmas. I am looking forward to Bast’s birthday, now that will be a celebration, I am sure. What did Slimy say. I have to go down to the sewers and take the steps upwards where I get into the cellar of that human meat shop. Well this seems to be the way to the sewers. Smells strong enough. What’s all that stuff running there. Yuck, water – I hate water, it’s so wet. And what are those big mice doing there. They are really big.
Rat: Excuse me, cat, but I am a rat, not a mouse.
Little Al: Did you say something.
Rat: Yes, I did, I havn’t seen you down here before. I didn’t think they let the kittens down in the sewers without their mothers.
Little Al: I am not a kitten, well I won’t be soon.
Rat: So where’s your mother?
Little Al: I don’t need my mum at the moment, I can find my own way around. And be careful rat, we cats eat you for dinner.
Rat: That I don’t laugh. If I introduced you to my dad, I think he would eat you for dinner.
Little Al: Rats don’t eat cats, do they?
Rat: Now you feeling a bit nervous cat. Usually we don’t unless they are smaller than we are.
Little Al: Well you are smaller than me
Rat: Yes but my dad is twice your size, understand?
Little Al: Yes, well I think I will be going on now.
Rat: Ha, ha, ha.

Little Al: Now I didn’t like that creature at all – he was even laughing at me. I always thought rats were like mice. Well a bit bigger, but not so big. Now what, there’s the ladder Slimy was talking about, no just a minute, there’s another ladder opposite and there’s three others down the path. Oh dear, what ladder shall I take. Wish my mum were here.

Tabby: Are you sure he came this way Slimy?
Slimy: Well he did smell a bit of cat milk and I can still smell it in the air.
Rat: Well it seems to be a cat outing down here in the sewers tonight.
Tabby: Who said that?
Slimy: Sounded like a rat’s voice.
Rat: It was me, any problems?
Slimy: The problem being that I don’t like rats.
Rat: Well I don’t like cats either, so it looks like we will get on fine.
Tabby: What did he mean by a cat excursion.
Slimy: Yea, that’s wot I was finking. Seen another cat this evening rat.
Rat: Well, it might just be that I did.
Tabby: Which way did he go?
Rat: Well he might have gone down the path on the right, or perhaps on the left, and then again he may have gone up one of the ladders.
Slimy: Now I don’t like rats at the best of times, but this one is looking to meet wiv the rat god sooner as ‘e finks. Come ’ere rat and tell us where ‘e went.
Rat: Will you put me down cat, otherwise I won’t tell you anything.
Reggie Crat: So there you are, and what is that smelly rat doing in your mouth Slimy. You know what happened to yer bruvver.
Slimy: I don’t care. This stinking lump of rodent meat knows where Little Al went and won’t tell.
Reggie Crat: No problem, men grab that rat on his legs and pull in four directions, I am sure ‘e will soon be co-operative.
Rat: Ok, ok, one rat against an army of the black paw gang just isn’t fair. I will tell you, but leave me in peace afterwards. He went down on the right side of the sewer and up the first steps he came to. And now leave me alone.
Reggie Crat: No problem rat, we don’t really want to eat you, not sure wot we might catch, but be assured that if we don’t find Long Tail Al’s son, then you will be thrown to the dogs.
Tabby: Look at him go, I didn’t know rats could run so fast.
Slimy: No problem, basically ‘es running for ‘is life ain’t ‘e. So up the steps we go.
Tabby: Now where do these steps lead to.
Slimy: Yea, well Little Al ‘as ‘ad some bad luck ain’t ‘e. These lead to the baker’s shop, so ‘e won’t find any meat will ‘e.
Tabby: Well the cellar looks something like the one in the butchers shop, but no meat, just big sacks.
Slimy: Little Al – are you ‘ere?
Little Al: Help, help, I am being suffocated by something big and white.
Tabby: I can hear him.
Slimy: Look there is somefing moving over there in that sack. Reggie, Ronnie are you two ‘ere wiv yer men.
Ronnie & Reggie: Coming Slimy. Wot’s that big sack moving over there.
Slimy: I fink Little Al is in it.
Tabby: Let’s tear it open at the side and have a look.
Little Al: Thanks boys I was being suffocated by a big white monster.
Ronnie & Reggie: Ha, Ha, Ha – just look at ‘im. Looks like the phantom cat of the graveyard.
Tabby & Slimy: Ha Ha ha
Little Al: What are you all laughing at. I was nearly eaten by a rat and now that big white cloud wanted to swallow me.
Slimy: Should be a bit more fankful to yer rescuers. You fell in a big sack of flour that the bakers use for making that ‘uman stuff called bread and cakes.
Little Al: I was nearly suffocated, what till I tell my dad that you laughed at me.
Tabby: Before you tell that to your dad you better have a good lick. And dad might not recognise you.
Little Al: How comes, I look just like my dad.
Slimy: Listen boy, you are white, pure lilly white and when you start licking that stuff off you are going to have a sticky time. So now come back wiv us.
Little Al: No, I don’t like being laughed at. Ow, put me down Slimy.

Long Tail Al: So who ‘ave we got ‘ere Slimy. I said go and find Little Al
Little Al: I am little Al
Long Tail Al: Wot ‘appened, turned white wiv fright?
Gladys: Little Al, where have you been and you are completely white. Looks like you fell into a sack of flour.
Tabby: He did Gladys.
Little Al: Meow, meow, meow – it’s all sticky and gluey when I try to lick it off.
Gladys: That just serves you right. Now stay with you family in future.
5 Kittens: Ha, ha, ha
Little Al: Stop laughing at me meow, meow
Gladys: Yes kittens stop laughing at him. He is a poor little Al at the moment. Now get together and start having a lick at him. Together we will soon get him cleaned up.
Tabby: I’ll help as well.
Slimy: Reggie, Ronnie get the black paw gang in to help as well.
Gladys: Well look Little Al, you will soon be as red as your dad.
Long Tail Al: So wot do you say Little Al to everyone and stop crying, you nearly look as red as I am again.
Gladys: Yes what do you say Little Al.
Little Al: Thanks everyone, I am so happy to be red again, just like my dad.

The day before Christmas

Today is generally the day before Christmas, Christmas Eve. In Switzerland it is the first day of Christmas. We have a family celebration on Christmas Eve. According to tradition the children have to disappear and the "Christkindli" (sort of angel) turns up and puts the tree up with the decorations and presents - although it is the parents that do it. I wasn't used to this tradition when I had my family in Switzerland, but Swiss mother-in-law soon explained how to do it. After the years the kids got older, the Christmas tree became plastic and we put it up a few weeks before Christmas. Basically you have real candles on the tree, looks good, but has its dangers, so you should always have a bucket of water standing around somewhere just in case.

So what does all this tradition have to do with the video clip I made this morning in the local supermarket. I wish I knew, it seemed to me that the famine would be breaking out, or that an emergency was developing. The car park was almost full and so were the shelves in the shop.

Basically I am not a member of the church, and a so-called non-believer, but I do happen to believe that we should help those not so well off as us. This is very difficult to do, especially at times of the year when you see what we are offered. I just wonder how much might be thrown away after Christmas.

Something somewhere seems to be wrong. Although it seems fairly empty, I just waited for a moment when no-one was around. It does look a bit suspicious when you wander around with a camera in your hand in a supermarket. We are very lucky in our Western world with the choice we have.

I remember a time when you could buy one sort of mushroom in a shop. Today I don't even know the names of most of them. I won't go on about the tropical fruit that I saw on the shelves in shapes and sizes that are completely unknown to me. Naturally all imported from a country that probably has food problems. The days have gone where we thought it was "chique" to serve up fresh strawberries at Christmas (something I could never understand) - these days it has to be mango, kumquat or whatever.

By the time I got home I was exhausted. I had two men come with me to help, but somehow they both disappeared when I got to the till. I wonder why? Needless to say we will also be enjoying life over Christmas with good food (but no mangoes - only tangerines, nuts and apples) and I did bring a Christmas Pudding home from England when I was there - thanks to Marks & Spencers.

Here's wishing everyone a happy Christmas - enjoy it.

A Winter Walk

Although we have not had any snow yet, it has been very cold lately. Even if the snow hasn't yet arrived, the trees get covered with a frosty layer when temperatures fall down to +2/-2° C, but they look very nice. I went for a short walk this afternoon with the camera to see what I could find. Just across the main road the open country starts. I decided to go direction castle and take a turn at the top to get to the hilly bit where you had a good view. On the way up the hill on the lefthand side there is a riding school. They have quite a few horses there in the stables, or outside in the paddock (or whatever it is called).

I saw that one of the horses seemed to have its Winter coat on so went a bit closer to have a look. I don't know whether she saw me or not, but did a nice little show for my camera, rolling on the ground and laying on her back. Eventually she stood up and walked over to me quite close. I cannot ride and can assure that the only horses I ever saw when I was younger was the ones that pulled the brewery carts, or those that a policeman sat on. At the mounted guards at Buckingham palace we also had a few. I did have a riding lesson once, but that was enough. I didn't realise that the horses breathed and were warm, I got a bit nervous sitting on its back and slowly dismounted (slowly because I got stuck up on its back and Mr. Swiss had to help me down). In any case I was glad that a fence separated me from the horse, especially as it sort of started breathing deeply through its nose. I wasn't sure if it wanted to be my friend or was getting ready for the attack.

I eventually arrived at the top of the hill where the castle was. This time everything seemed to have a white sugary coating in the grounds. I was glad that I was wrapped up in a nice long warm coat. I then took a turn to the right and had a walk down the side patch of the castle. I took quite a few photos, so have made a photostream to look at. I just thought they look better in a larger size, that the smaller version I have to put on the blogs.

A Winter Walk

There were not many people about, just one or two families taking a walk. I remember when our kids were smaller, we would often go for a walk on a Winter's afternoon to get out in the fresh air. Those days have gone. This afternoon my oldest son preferred to listen to his pop music at home, and the other had disappeared to one of the near bye towns visiting the billiard hall. Mr. Swiss was at home playing with his computer. I decided it was now also time for me to go home again. Gradually I was loosing the feeling in my hands and feet and my nose was turning red (a sure sign that I was feeling the cold). I walked back through the castle and noticed that the fountain had also decided to freeze, although it was still dripping slowly.