It was Spring again today

As fast as the snow came, it disappeared and I was not sorry. At last I had time to do in the garden, what I wanted to do last week over the Easter holiday. I had already cut the pampas a couple of weeks ago, so now it was time to put some fresh earth in the garden and plant a few things I had ready. I used to enjoy gardening, I still do, but it seems that as the years go by I don't seem to be able to do the work as quickly as I used to. Am I getting older? I used to plant pots full of flowers and boxes with geraniums. I even had tomatoes growing in the garden. Today I am happy with a few dahlias. I havn't planted vegetable for the last couple of years and just have the apple tree and some blackberries/raspberries which are very independent and grow all on their own.

Deutsch: So schnell wie der Schnee kam, ist er verschwunden und es tut mich nicht Leid. Endlich hätte ich Zeit zu tun in der Garten was ich wollte über Ostern. Ich schnied der Pampas vor ein paar Wochen, so jetzt war es Zeit frische Erd in der Garten zu graben und ein paar Sachen pflanzen was schon lange bereit war. Ich machte Gartenarbeit gerne, und immer noch aber wie die Jahren vorbei gehen, kann ich nicht mehr so schnell arbeiten wie früher. Werde ich älter? Ich pflanzte Topf mit Blumen und hätte Geraniumkisten. Ich hätte sogar Tomaten in der Garten. Heute bin ich glücklich mit ein paar Dahlien. Ich hätte keine Gemüse seit ein paar Jahren und habe nur die Apfelbaum, Himbeere und Brombeere - sie wachsen von alleine.

The cats decided gardening was not very interesting and just sat their waiting for something to happen. I eventually was finished and still had an hour to spare. In the meanwhile Mr. Swiss was programming my computer to meet my new telephone thing which I described in a blog a couple of days ago. The programming ran very smoothly. As I have a new computer I was busy putting addresses and other information into it. I ignored the remark by Mr. Swiss about having so many addresses - where do they come from?

Deutsch: Die Katzen fand die Gartenarbeit nicht so interessant und haben einfach gewartet bis etwas passierte. Ich war endlich fertig und hätte noch eine Stunde. In der Zwischenzeit Herr Schweizer war am meinen neuen computer programmieren, dass es meine neue Telefon triff irgendwo in der Netzwerk (siehe frühere Blog). Die Programmierung lauft sehr gut. Weil es ein neue Computer war, musste ich mich beschäftigen mit meine Adressen und E-mails hineinpflanzen. Ich ignorierte die Bemerkung von Herr Schweizer dass ich so viel Adressen haben - wo kommen sie aller her?

My No. 2 son was also paying us a visit for a few days. He lives in Brussels but will be going back tomorrow. With permission here is a photo. He spends most of his free time in Switzerland in the billiard hall. Basically I only see him in between when he is here which is probably one of the reasons why we get on so well with him.

Deutsch: Meine No. 2 Sohn war auch auf Besuch für ein paar Tag. Er Wohnt in Brussels und geht züruck morgen. Mit seine Bewilligung hier ist ein Foto. Er verbringt die meisten Freizeit in der Schweiz in der Billiardhalle. Eigentlich sehe ich ihn nur dazwischen, deshalb haben wir wahrscheilich so ein gutes Verhältniss.

Apart from the disappointment that West Ham United again lost a match today by a goal in the last minute, it was a nice quiet day. Tonight is the worst night of the year - one hour less sleep. I will be looking for it until Autumn.

Deutsch: Abgesehen von der Enttäuschung das West Ham United wieder verloren hat beim Fussball - ein goal in letzter Minute, es war ein schöne ruhiger Tag. Heute Nacht ist das schlimmster in Jahr - eine Stunde weniger Schlaf. Ich werde diese Stunde suchen bis Herbst.

A Few Random Thoughts on Yesterday's Football Matches

This man is not smiling today. He was not smiling yesterday evening - so who is he. His name is Kobi Kuhn and he is the trainer of the Swiss National Football team. For those not knowing what football is, it is also known as soccer and is a sport that can make people happy, sad, aggressive and revengeful. At the moment Switzerland (and Austria) are preparing their football scenery for the invasion of European football fans that will arrive when the EU 2008 starts. The preparations have already begun for the footballers, they are having practice matches with other countries to see how good they are.

Switzerland did not have to prove how good they might be this time as they are a host land and are qualified in any case. If the match we saw yesterday evening is an example of how good they are, then I do not think they will survive the first round. Switzerland were playing Germany. It is a fact that Germany are a good team (even if Gomez, one of their best is of Spanish origin) but I did not expect a 4:0 win for Germany. I mean the Swiss could have perhaps managed somehow to score one little goal. Actually they did. The face of Alex Frei lit up like a candle when he scored, but the light was very quickly extinguished when the goal was disallowed as being offside. There is not much more to say about the match. I watched once again the goals this evening on the tv news (it made big headlines in Switzerland) and it seemed to me that the Germans just had to walk towards the posts, kick the ball and it landed over the line. The Swiss were just watching to see what might happen. The trainer was interviewed afterwards, but I think he was a bit depressed. He said he could make no excuses for the way the Swiss played or the mistakes they made. So football fans all over Europe, don't worry about the Swiss threat - it does not exist. I must admit after living 2/3rds of my life in Switzerland, I do feel Swiss and would like to see them achieve something in the way of football.

Of course it was a funny football evening. My Italian friends in the office were very sad being beaten by Spain, especially as the girls in the office are a majority Italian and cannot wait until their Panini albums can be bought. I remember the last WM. There were cards being exchanged all over the office. Some of the fans still have photos of the Italian team hanging on their partitions at work. I am the only one in the office with the West Ham United screen saver. That can also be a dangerous habit - one of the men said today "What West Ham? - they are all hooligans". I didn't bother to explain the definition of hooligan. I think for most of the Swiss the English are qualified as hooligans as soon as they arrive at the ground. No fear this year - unfortunately England did not qualify. They also got beaten yesterday by France - I hear that David Beckham was not very happy. I hope his spice girl got over the disappointment. Actually I do have a soft spot for Beckham, after all he was born in Leytonstone, just round the corner to Bethnal Green where I grew up. Never did understand why he signed for Manchester United.

So that was a few random thoughts from an exiled football fan in Switzerland. One thing is sure, the Swiss can only get better - I hope. And just to give them credit here is a photo of one of the Swiss National team

Once upon a time there was a Telephone

When I was a kid growing up in the East End of London, we were lucky that the electricity was working. We had open coal fires for heating, gas for cooking and the electricity for light. With time we bought our first television and the wiring got more and more adventurous. My dad was not exactly talented in such things, We generally had one electric point in a room, a hole was knocked into the wall and a lead was attached to make another electric point. I think the house was eventually wired up from one main plug. However, we survived and only had one fire when the hair dryer's leads once caused a fuse, explosion and flames, but nothing serious. So a telephone was just a dream.

We lived in attached houses in a small East London street, and if you wanted to tell someone something you wrote a letter. As East London people were usually equipped with loud voices - who needs a telephone. This was in the 1950's. I remember one lady in our street that actually had a telephone. If anyone wanted to call anyone you asked politely if you could use her telephone and she would let you. If I was late coming home from somewhere (we young teenagers did not really look at the time so much), you phoned up the neighbour's house and she passed the message on. We were a closely knit neighbourhood in the good old days.

Then I started work in the city of London, my aunt got a telephone and so did my other aunt that lived opposite. I said to my mum and dad perhaps it was time for us to have a telephone and through my friendly persuasion we eventually belonged to the telephone club in the street. Strangely enough at this time there were telephones being put into every house - a sign of the times. My dad had been through one world war and worked in Ford's car factory making the hubs for the wheels. In those days there was not discussion about it being too noisy, and after five years in the royal artillery, his hearing did suffer, which meant that when the telephone rung he just did not hear it. After missing a few calls from important people (like my various boyfriends at that time) we organised an extra bell in the corridor. So when the telephone rung it was heard in the street from one end to the other, but my private life was saved.

As the years went by a telephone just became part of life and you could not imagine how life could be without. When I got married 38 years ago we had a telephone but it was only really used for long distance calls at high days and holidays to call my mum and dad in London from Switzerland. Today this is no different than calling someone in the local village. I have been working as an export clerk for the past 27 years and it is or was in the normal day's work to call up the customers abroad. China, Australia, Europe - it did not matter, you could call them, bearing in mind of course the time changes.

And then what happened - the mobile telephone was discovered. It is a funny thing with those mobiles. Every language had to have a name for it. In England it is a mobile (I think). America a cell phone, in Switzerland a handy (pronounced hendy) as well as in Germany, although in Switzerland we often refer to it as a Natel as that was the company name for the first ones. The French call it a portable and the Italians it is a telefonino which I find the sweetest name for it. So I eventually got my first mobile telephone, whether I was for or against it I can't remember. Mr. Swiss had one and I was a housewife, mother, and working woman. I had the chance to keep in touch with the family during the day.

My first mobile was small, but thick and a bit clumsy looking. Mr. Swiss also started off with something like that but through time he would be buying the next generation and always asked me if I wanted the old one. Most of the time I accepted the offer, so I became a sort of hand-me-down mobile user. The last two changes I rejected the choice as I realised they were not much better than the one I already had. They were getting cheaper and more difficult to handle. I can do a lot on a computer, but messaging was never my thing. I did get the hang of it, but it seemed to be a bit of fiddling about.

They do have their advantages. If you lose your husband in the supermarket, just call him on the mobile. He might be on another floor or just around the corner, but you will find him. If you have a problem, like falling down - just call your husband and he will come and pick you up. If you are going to be late for work (come to think of it just forget it). My oldest son is handicapped, but he has a mobile and knows how to use it. My youngest - well he has the best of all - I think he could send signals to Mars if he wanted to. His mobile takes better photos than my digi camera. So everything developed in a normal way until this happen yesterday.

At the front of the photo is my good old mobile telephone, the one I always had nicely fitting in my handbag. I didn't always hear it when it rung, or find it, but it was useful. I could even block the keys to make sure there were no accidents with it when it was moving around in my handbag. I liked this mobile, not complicated. Now for some time Mr. Swiss had stopped getting mobiles and had a gadget which was bigger, better and something like a small computer. You can hang it onto your computer and it talks to your computer, although you are not at home. It is not a blackberry but something similar. Anyhow the worse has happen. They have got cheaper and he decided it was time to update, so before I could say no thank you or yes please I have inherited this monster in the background. I had lessons yesterday and tried today to send an SMS, but without success. Suddenly Mr. Swiss called me on it, after searching for five minutes I found out how to pick the call up and I asked if something had happened. He said no, but I had called him. I then realised that sending an SMS on this gadget could lead to problems when you don't know how to handle it. Anyhow I have not given up. We have made an appointment for the week-end for a training course in how to use it. In the meanwhile I have been promised that my new computer will be fitted up this week to receive and send messages to this new sort of gigamobile thing that I now have. Sometimes I think back with nostalgia at the good old days in the East End of London when we went to the neighbour's house to make a telephone call.

Too much Snow

It snowed yesterday and through the night. The snow above is from the local car park at the supermarket. I had already made a plan for this morning. I told my son he could walk to work today - it is not so far and he would be quicker than with me in the car. My alarm went at six in the morning, I switched it off and ignored life for another hour. I listened to the radio reports telling me how dangerous it was on the roads and then the inevitable happened. An articulated lorry (got the translation from an online dictionary) turned over on the nearby motorway. Although I don't go on the motorway, but drive on the local roads, it meant that the motorway was closed for a few hours and all the traffic came through the main road at the side of our village.

Deutsch: Es hat gestern geschneit und durch die Nacht. Der Schnee oben ist von die Parkplätze bei unsere lokale Supermarkt. I hätte schon ein Plan für heute morgen gemacht. Ich sagte mein Sohn er könnter heute laufen zu der Arbeit - es ist nicht so weit und er währe schneller als ich mit dem Auto. Meine Wecker ging um sechs morgens. Ich schalte es ab und ignoriert das Leben für eine Stunde. Ich hörte die Radio zu, erzählend wie gefährlich es war auf die Strasse und denn passierte es. Ein Sattelschlepper kippte um auf die Autobahn. Zwar ich fahre nicht auf dem Autobahn, aber die Landstrassen, es bedeutet das die Autobahn war zu für ein paar Stunden und die ganze Verkehr kam zu der Hauptstrasse bei unsere Dorf.

One advantage was that I could easily thread into the traffic. I left home at about 08.30 and arrived at work 09.00. I have enough overtime and I did not want to risk my life.

Deutsch: Ein Vorteil war ich könnte leicht in der Verkehr einfädeln. Ich verlass mein Heim um 08.30 Uhr und kam an in der Arbeit um 09.00. Ich habe genügend Üeberstunden und ich wollte mein Leben nicht riskieren.

My neighbours spent the Easter in the part of Switzerland called Valais. It is in the South West of Switzerland and French is the main language spoken. It is well known for its ski resorts such as Zermatt, Montana-Crans. They took their cat, Bobinette, with them. Bobinette is used to travelling. She lived with her humans in Italy for some time, before they came back to Switzerland.

Deutsch: Meine Nachbarn verbrachte Ostern in Wallis in der Schweiz. Es ist in der süd-west Schweiz und Französisch ist haupsachlich die Sprache. Ein Ski region - Zermatt, Montana Crans unter anderem. Sie haben Ihre Katze, Bobinette, mitgenommen. Bobinette ist gewöhnt zu reisen und hat mit Ihre Menschen längere Zeit in Italian gelebt bevore sie wieder in der Schweiz kam.

So I called my cats to have a look at the postcard Bobinette had sent them from her holiday.
Nera: Cats don't go on holiday, they stay at home.
Tabby: Yes, that is correct. How comes that Bobinette is in such a high place.
Fluffy: High places are always nice to be in. You are in charge of everything. That's why Nera always takes the highest cushion on the cupboard.
Me: Bobinette spent a few days in the Swiss mountains with her humans. Otherwise she would have been on her own here and I would have fed her.
Nera: I am glad we can stay here. I would not like to spend time in the cold snowy mountains.
Tabby: Bobinette is different to us anyway. She miaows in French and Italian.
Nera: Although she has a nice view from where she is.
Fluffy: I would still rather be in my own four walls. I am sure she didn't get any tuna fish in the Swiss mountains.

So I left my cats to their own conversation. Somehow it always comes back to Tuna Fish.

Deutsch: Ich ruf meine Katzen um die Postkarte zu schauen was Bobinette geschickt hat von Ihre Ferien.
Nera: Katzen gehen nicht in Ferien, sie bleiben zu Hause.
Tabby: Ja, das stimmt. Wieso ist Bobinette so höch oben.
Fluffy: Hoch oben ist immer schöne für Katzen. Man ist Chef von alles. Deswegen ist Nera immer in der höchste Kissen auf dem Schrank.
Me: Bobinette war für ein paar Tage in der Schweizerberge mit Ihre Menschen. Sonst wäre sie alleine zu Hause und müsste sie futtern.
Nera: Ich bin froh das wir können hier bleiben. Ich würde nicht gern in die kalte, schneereichen Bergen sein.
Tabby: Bobinette ist anders als uns sowieso. Sie miaowet auf französisch und italienisch.
.Nera: Aber sie hat ein schöne Aussicht von wo sie ist.
Fluffy: Ich bin doch lieber zu Hause in meine eigene vier Wände. Ich bin sicher sie hat keine Thonfisch in der Schweizerbergen bekommen.
.
So ich lass meine Katzen zu Ihre eigene Konversation. Irgendwie kommen sie immer zurück zu Thonfisch.

Easter Sunday

That was Easter Sunday? - I thought we were having Christmas holidays again. On Good Friday it started snowing and it only snowed once - just all day. On Saturday it just snowed now and again and Sunday was ok, some of it even disappeared. Today on Easter Monday it only snowed once since this morning and it has now stopped at 10.00 in the evening.

The weather report for tomorrow - more snow during the day and not so warm. My daffodils and crocus are still buried under this snow and my cats have given up with conscious life. They are not speaking to me at the moment and their movements are finding places to sleep and sleeping all day. Only Fluffy, the smallest, is being annoying. He keeps sniffing at the cat flap and trying to open it. Tabby is somewhere in cat nirvana and Nera comes down from her platform on top of the cupboard for food and then goes back up again.

So what did I do all day. I even started taking interest in housewife hobbies - I mean you cannot sit at the computer all day. I cooked a meal for survival purposes and found something to iron. I had a long phone conversation with my best schoolfriend who lives in England. She said it had snowed in England. I started feeling sorry for her, but she said it did not lay around and disappeared again. I told her about our 15 centimeters of snow and she started feeling sorry for me.

The only bright moment in the evening was my usual episode of "The East Enders", an english sitcom showing life in the East End of London where I grew up. I don't know if anyone ever watches this programme, but it does bring back some memories. The nice thing about the programme is that it is not typical of today's East End. They are all so nice cockney Londoners. I don't think you find many Londoners in the East End any more. The street signs are in Hindi, Bengali and Somali (english too but just at the bottom).

Anyhow the East Enders in the sitcom bring their dirty washing to the washing saloons, no-one having their own washing machine. Everyone seems to sit in the local pub in the evening and if they stay at home in the evening they have their drinks there. This evening was very interesting. One of the men, Max, had had an affair with his sons fiancée before she got married and it all came out at their family Christmas party - sort of typical family drama. Max had had a few affairs with women and of course, when his wife found out she filed for divorce. Max cheated her at the divorce proceedings and even had an affair with the lawyers assistant to make sure that everything would turn out to his benefit. Basically he wanted to go back to his wife, that he still loved, but in the meanwhile Tanya, his wife was having an affair with the daughter-in-laws brother, Sean, which Max did not know. Tanya took Max back, but only on a pretence. Actually she started planning to kill Max. So this evening was the murder scene. She drugged Max and Sean turned up with a bus with an empty coffin in the back. They drove to the forest and dug a hole, put the coffin in it and then put Max in the coffin. As they were putting the lid on the coffin, Max woke up. Sean and Tanya drove back home. Tanya was met by her two daughters, but she told them not to worry, dad had stayed out and put them to bed. A few hours later Tanya did get a bad conscience and drove back to the forest and dug Max out and took him back home. Max and Tanya departed as friends, Max telling Tanya if ever she needed him he would come.

Looking at all this I just wonder why I watch all this rubbish. Life was not like that in my East End. We had nice honourable gangsters growing up around the corner, e.g. The Kray family. They would never do things like that in secret. If they wanted someone out of the way they would just shoot them in the local pub, although they made a few mistakes as they ended up in prison.

Tomorrow it is back to work. I have so much extra time and had already mentioned at work that when the big snow comes do not expect to see me before nine in the morning, which will be the case tomorrow. My oldest son will be walking to work - not so far.

A Conversation with the Cats

I was looking through some older photo disks and found one showing our cat Lady, born September 2001, died February 2002 and then Nera was sitting next to me at the computer.

Nera: Mrs. Human who's that cat. She looks a bit like our family. Tabby come and have a look, she has a sort of family resemblance.
Tabby: Nera, do you have to wake me when I am in the middle of my beauty sleep. What do I have to look at? Well that is a lovely cat, she looks a bit like us.
Me: Well I don't think she looks a bit like any of you, but I suppose you cats see things from a different perspective. Actually she is your half sister.
Nera: Half sister - I am not even sure that Tabby isn't my half sister.
Tabby: Neither am I Nera - mum said you look like your father Nera, but she said I look like my father as well and we both do not look like each other.
Me: Yes, well that can happen with cats. But the cat in the photo is really your half sister. She came to live with us about 8 months before you two did. Her mother was also your mother. Her name was Lady and she was a beautiful cat. Unfortunately she became ill with an infection and died when she was only six months old.
Nera: Oh how sad, then we will never get to know her.
Me: Perhaps one day when you both go to the next part of your journey in the cat world.
Tabby: You mean that Rainbow bridge that the humans are always talking about. I get a funny feeling every time I see a rainbow these days - sort of premonition. I just take the days as they come.
Nera: I am not keen on rainbows either - but tell me more about Lady Mrs. Human.
Me: She was indeed a lovely cat, playful and very affectionate. I think she was also lonely when Mr. Human and I were not here. She liked to be with us.
Tabby: So do we, Mrs. Human, especially on Wednesday.

Nera: Tabby, there are other things in life as Tuna fish Wednesday evenings.
Fluffy: Did someone mention Tuna fish. Oh, what a lovely cat - do I know her?
Me: No, Fluffy she died a long while before you was born.
Nera: She was Tabby's and my half sister.
Fluffy: But you and Tabby are half sisters as well.
Tabby: That is something completely different.
Nera: Mrs. Human why are your eyes a bit wet.
Me: Seeing Lady's photo again makes me feel a bit sad.
Fluffy: Like when I had my accident Mrs. Human
Me: Something like that Fluffy, but you seem to find your way around ok now and have recovered quite well.

Deutsch: Ich schaute durch ältere Foto-CD und fand eine, wo unsere Katz Lady, abgebildet war, geboren September 2001, gestorben Februar 2002. Nera sass neben mir am computer.

Nera: Frau Mensch, wer ist diese Katz. Sie gleicht unsere Familie. Tabby komm und schau – sie hat ein Familiegleichnis.
Tabby: Nera, musst du mich wecken, wann ich gerade mein Schönheitsschlaf geniessen. Was muss ich anschauen? Das ist jetzt ein schöne Katz, sie gleicht uns ein wenig.
Mich: Ich finde sie gleicht ihr zwei überhaupt nicht, aber wahrscheinlich Katzen sehe alles von ein andere Perspektive. Sie ist eigentlich Ihre Halbschwester.
Nera: Halbschwester – Ich bin nicht einmal sicher das Tabby nicht mein Halbschwester ist.
Tabby: Ich auch nicht Nera – mam hat gesagt, dass du deine Vater ähnelst Nera, aber sie hat auch gesagt, dass ich auch mein Vater gleicht, und wir zwei gleichen einander überhaupt nicht.
Mich: Ja, das kann passieren mit Katzen. Aber die Katze in diese Foto is wirklich euer Halbschwester. Sie kam zu uns etwa 8 Monate vor dir zwei. Ihre Mutter war auch euere Mutter. Sie heist Lady und war ein schöne Katze. Leider sie bekam ein Krankheit und Infektion und starb wen nur sechs Monate alt.
Nera: Oh, wie traurig. Denn wir werden sie nie kennenlernen.
Mich: Vielleicht eines Tages wen dir 2 beide die nächster Teil von euer Reise in dem Katzenwelt.
Tabby: Du meinst das Regenbogenbrück das die Menschen immer darüber sprechen. Ich bekomme ein komisches Gefühl jede mal wenn ich ein Regenbogen sehen heute – so genannt Premonition. Ich nehme die Tage wie sie kommen.
Nera: Ich bin auch nicht so begeistert mit Regenbogen – aber erzähl mehr von Lady, Frau Mensch.
Mich: Sie war wirklich eine schöne Katze, spielerische und sehr anhänglich. Ich glaube sie war auch einsam wenn Herr Mensch und ich nicht da waren. Sie war gerne bei uns.
Tabby: Wir auch, Frau Mensch, besonders an Mittwoch.
Nera: Tabby, es sind andere Dinge in Leben ausser Thonfisch Mittwochabends.
Fluffy: Hat jemand Thonfisch erwähnt? Oh ist das ein schöne Katze - kenne ich sie?
Mich: Nein, Fluffy, sie starb lang bevor du geboren warst.
Nera: Sie war Tabby und meine Halbschwester.
Fluffy: Aber du und Tabby sind auch Halbgeschwister.
Tabby: Das ist etwas komplett anders.
Nera: Frau Mensch, warum hast du nasse Augen.
Mich: Wenn ich das Foto von Lady wieder sehen, bin ich etwas traurig.
Fluffy: So wie dann wenn ich meine Unfall hätte Frau Mensch.
Mich: Ja, so etwas Fluffy, aber du findest dein Weg recht gut heute und sind du hast dich gut erholt.




Fluffy: Well I feel a bit unsure sometimes, like this morning when I went out.
Nera: Fluffy, Tabby and I told you that you can't walk on snow.
Tabby: Of course you can't - it's cold and damp and you sink into it if you are not careful.
Fluffy: Well I didn't sink into it, but it was very cold and hard. I was glad to get back to the normal ground again afterwards.
Nera: Take our advice Fluffy - stay away from the snow, it can be very unpleasant.
Tabby: I saw Garfield walking across the snow this morning.
Nera: Well Garfield is a stupid ignorent cat. No respect for us, and probably does not have any paw feelings, like his brain. Complete numbskull.
Fluffy: For once I agree with you Nera.
Me: Well I am glad that you all agree with each other.
Nera: Mrs. Human show us another photo of Lady.

Deutsch:
Fluffy: Gut, ich fühle mich etwas unsicher manchmal, so wie heute morgen wenn ich ausging.
Nera: Fluffy, Tabby und ich haben gesagt, dass du nicht auf Schnee laufen kannst.
Tabby: Nein das kannst du nicht – es ist kalt und feucht und du sinkst, wenn du nicht aufpasst.
Fluffy: Aber ich bin nicht hineingesunken, aber es war sehr kalt und hart. Ich war froh das ich wieder auf normalen Boden war nachher.
Nera: Nimm Rat von uns Fluffy – bleib weg von der Schnee, es kann sehr unangehm sein.
Tabby: Ich sah Garfield spazieren über der Schnee heute morgen.
Nera: Ja, Garfield ist ein Dickschädel. Keine Respekt vor uns und wahrscheinlich keine Pfotegefühl, wie seine Gehirn – komplette Dickschädel.
Fluffy: Für einmal bin ich deine Meinung Nera.
Me: Also, jetzt bin ich froh das für einmal ihr seidt alle das gleiche Meinung.
Nera: Frau Mensch, zeig noch ein Foto von Lady.



Nera: She looks a bit annoyed on that photo.
Me: That was when she was not being a good cat.
Fluffy: When is a cat not a good cat Mrs. Human?
Me: Fluffy what do Mr. Human and I do when you try to crawl in the cupboard behind the television.
Fluffy: You shout at me, pick me up and put aluminium foil in front of the television. Most unpleasant and I cannot get into the television any more.
Me: You see Fluffy, that is when you are not being a good cat. You could have an accident behind the cupboard. Lady had been playing with the plants we had and that is dangerous for a cat. So we had to squirt some water at her to teach her that it was dangerous. She might have eaten something and become ill.
Fluffy: You mean like when I ate the christmas cactus flower and had to go to the v-v-v-vets for a few days. I felt so sick and had a hangover.
Me: Yes, Fluffy something like that.
Nera: Well I mean an intelligent cat just doesn't eat things like that.
Tabby: Nera, remember when you swallowed 25 centimeters of string and had to go to the v-v-v-vets for a few days because you couldn't eat anything and kept being sick.
Nera: Tabby, be quiet.
Me: Nera, stop hissing. Things like that happen to younger cats - after all you all have nine lives so there are still a few left as you get older.
Tabby: See Nera, you have to be careful like me.
Nera: If being careful means sleeping 23 hours a day, then no thanks. Tabby, you just sleep your life away and miss such a lot.
Tabby: I don't mind, I like sleeping, sometimes I drift into another world and I miss all them rainbows that appear now and again.
Me: So Tabby, rainbows are just a reflection of the sun on the water drops.
Tabby: Then what's all that talk about the rainbow bridge.
Me: Cats, this conversation is becoming too exhausting.
Fluffy: What's exhausting?
Nera: It's when Mrs. Human doesn't know the answers to our feline questions.
Fluffy: Oh, I see.
Tabby: Well I think I will have a long lick and settle down for a sleep.
Nera: Tabby, the story of your life.
Fluffy: but without rainbow dreams.

Deutsch:

Nera: Sie scheint etwas aufgeregt auf das Foto.
Mich: Ja, sie war denn keine brave Katze gewesen.
Fluffy: Wann ist eine Katze kein gute Katze, Frau Mensch?
Mich: Fluffy was macht Hr. Mensch und ich wenn du versuchst in der Schrank hinter dem Fernsehen zu kriechen?

Fluffy: Du schreist mich an, entfernst mich und liegst Alufolie vor dem Fernsehen. Sehr unangenehm und ich kann nicht mehr in der Fernsehschrank kriechen.
Mich: Siehst du Fluffy, das ist wenn du keine brave Kater bist. Du könntest ein Unfall machen hinter der Fernsehen. Lady hat denn gespielt mit unsere Pflanzen und das ist gefährlich für eine Katze. Sie hätte etwas fressen können und krank werden.
Fluffy: Du meinst wie denn wenn ich frass ein Weihnachtskaktusblume und musste zu V-v-v-Vetinär gehen für ein paar Tage. Es war mich so schlecht und ich hätte Kopfweh.
Mich: Ja Fluffy, so etwas.
Nera: Eine intelligente Katz frisst solche Sachen einfach nicht.
Tabby: Nera, magst du erinnern, wenn du 25 cm Schnurr geschlucht hast und musste zur V-v-v-Vetinär gehen für ein paar Tage. Du könntest nichts essen und hat immer wieder erbrechen muss.
Nera: Tabby, sei still.
Mich: Nera, hör doch auf zu fauchen. Das passiert immer wieder mit jüngere Katzen – Ihr habt 9 Leben, und das ist genügend bis Ihr alter wird.
Tabby: Siehst du Nera, du musst vorsichtig sein, wie ich.
Nera: Wenn das heisst schlafen 23 Stunden in tag, denn nein danke. Tabby, du schlafst dein Leben weg und verpasst alles.
Tabby: Mich stört das nicht. Ich schlafe gern, manchmal bin ich in ein andere Welt und ich verpasse diese Regenbogen das immer wieder kommen.
Mich: Tabby, Regenbogen sind nur ein Reflektion von der Sonne auf die Wassertropfen.
Tabby: Denn warum spricht die Menschen immer über die Regenbogenbruck.
Mich: Katze diese Unterhaltung wird langsam anstrengend.
Fluffy: Was ist „anstrengend“?
Nera: Das ist wenn Frau Mensch weiss die Antwort nicht zu unsere kätzenfrage.
Fluffy: Ach so.
Tabby: Ich glaube ich werde eine lange Schleck haben und schlafen gehen.
Nera: Tabby, die Geschichte deines Lebens.
Fluffy: Abere ohne Regenbogenträume.

Nera: Tabby, the story of your life.
Fluffy: but without rainbow dreams.