WordPress Daily Feline Prompt: Meow Association - home, soil, rain

This is mainly because Tabby and I had to visit the vet today. It was very cunningly planned by Mr. and Mrs. Human, they bribed us by pretending that everything was normal and then …..

“We were forced to leave our home, there was no soil and it was snowing so forget the rain and Fluffy, don’t exaggerate, I smelt the goose before it was cooked.”

“You did, why didn’t you tell me?”

“You were sleeping, it is your own fault.”

“I thought you were sleeping.”

“I never sleep when humans are moving, I always have one ear open. I heard Mrs. Human go to the cellar and I heard Mr. Human telling her to leave the cages in front of the door. Emphasis on cages, meaning more than one, and I knew that it was Vet time. My first action was to disappear under the bed. Mr. Human spoke a few profanities and he dragged me out. The cages appeared and before I could say “Garfield” I was looking through the bars.”

“I didn’t notice anything Tabby.”

“No Fluffy, you were sleeping, remember.”

“I only remember looking through bars suddenly.”

“And then we were off, moving through the streets to that well known place, the den of the vet.”

“But Tabby the nice ladies were there that give me an ear scratch and tummy tickle.”

“Fluffy it is all a trap, to lull you into a feeling of security. I saw you sitting in your cage while they put me on the  operating table with thermometer poised for my private parts. Ear scratch my paw, they were attacking me and to add insult to injury they emptied a full ampule of anti worm medicine in my body. As if I have worms, What an insult.”

“They did that to me as well, but the nice ladies said I was a good boy for being quiet and still. They said I had nice teeth and then I was given a manicure. Did they give you a manicure as well Tabby?”

“No Fluffy, they did not, I make sure that my claws are short, and sharp and whet them now and again. If you did that you would not have to have a nail cutting session at the vets. That was your fault.”

“Look I am quite proud, I have some photos of the action Tabby, but there are no photos of you.”

“That is no problem Fluffy, do you really think I want to be proud of photos of my indignation being shown all over the Internet. I tell you do not place your trust in humans. They are crafty and sly, and now let me sleep to recover from the exhaustions of the day.”

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WordPress Daily Prompt: Word Association

Write down the first words that come to mind when we say home, soil, rain

It had been raining in the garden and the soil was laying bare, the gardeners were working on it.

“Hey Fred what’s going on” said one of the worms that usually lived in the soil.

“Don’t know Joe, looks like we no longer have the grass roots to worm our way through.”

“But Fred, we are open to the perils of the upper world. I can see the crows gathering already.”

“No problem Joe, they are not interested in a worm when they can crack a few haselnuts. What worries me are the blackbirds, they are the sly ones. I think we will have to make a dive for it into the underworld.”

“Hi boys, what are you squirming about?”

“Dolores dive, hide, the top of the world has been removed. We are exposed and Joe said the blackbirds are gathering.”

“Oh, but look over there, I can see a patch of ivy. Let’s go hide.”

“That’s not a good idea Dolores, the snails took over under the ivy a long while ago and they do it all themselves. You know, reproduction, baby snails and all that.”

“Hey Fred, that is nothing new, we can do that as well and much better. I bet you that we can produce more of our kind than the snails in a week.”

“Yea, but they are bigger and have shells. No, I ain’t going in any bush where the snails live.”

“What’s going on, what’s all the excitement?”

“Hi boss, I was just telling Dorlores and Joe not to go where the snails are in the ivy.”

“No-one is going anywhere. This is our home and we are staying.”

“But the lid of the world has disappeared, we will be eaten by a bird.”

“Then do what worms do and worm your way out of the problem. Start eating and bite the earth. Use your brains, you have enough. Your bodies are full of them.”

“You mean”

“Yes of course. We are not worms for nothing. We get buried in the soil, down deep. We are the kings of the underworld and no-one can beat us. Fred, Joe, Dolores you should be ashamed of yourself. You have the brains of a snail. They just hide in their shell, but we carry on regardless. The soil is even our daily food.”

“But I can feel earth tremours, something is happening.”

“Ok, then dive for it.”

Suddenly there were no worms to be seen, they pushed their bodies deeper in the earth and found that the boss had a good idea. After the earth was digested Fred decided to have another look at the roof and it was there again.

“Hey boys and girl, come and have a look, the grass is back.”

“Of course it is” said the boss. “Humans have to have their nice green lawn to show everyone. They call it gardening. So let’s worm our way through a few roots and have fun. Meet you all in the Underworld later. Looks like it might start raining so we should go hide.”

“Yes boss, we all know what happens when it rains on us worms, it turns into a real wash out.”

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WordPress Daily Prompt: Free Association

Write down the first words that come to mind when we say
...home  Switzerland
...soil Burial
...rain = Storm

The Burial in a Storm in Switzerland

"So what are we going to do now?"

"Now that is a good question." Jakob rubbed his forehead, as he always did when he had a problem. Seth just looked on, but was sure they would find a solution.

It was not funny being over two thousand metres with a storm brewing and a dead body to dispose of. At least the earth was soft, so they would have no problems digging a grave. Seth even shed a few tears.

"What are you crying about, her time had come. She was old and we knew it could happen any day, we just hurried it up a bit."

"But she was part of our lives Jakob. Admittedly she was laming a bit and could not do the work any more, but you did not have to shoot her."

"Seth, that was the only solution. Of course I did not want to shoot the old girl, but it was a crime of compassion. To put her out of her pain and misery."

The two men were looking down at the corpse laying on the earth. No movement, no breath from the dead, just a stare from her hollow lifeless eyes. Seth had a feeling that they would spring to life again, but he knew the dismal truth. Dead as a doornail, so they said. The two men had been living on the alp together for many years with their friend. They had braced many problems together, but this was something new.

"I think we should now do something" said Jakob. "The body will soon start to stiffen and then it will be finished with a move to the grave."

"Jakob I have an idea."

It was not often that Seth had ideas. He was known as the village idiot and thanks to Seth he had been rescued from the brutal actions of the village boys and had worked many years on the alp, cutting grass for the animals and producing cheese from the goats and cows. He was a hard worker, although the departed had also been a good help to both of them.

"OK Seth, what is the good idea?" although Jakob was sure that it was not a good idea.

"Instead of just burying her, we could perhaps sort of preserve her for a while."

"Preserve her? Is that one of your weak jokes?"

"No, Jakob. I do not make jokes about the dead. Quite simple really. We preserve the goats by eating the cheese I make,  preserve the cows by drinking their milk and so we could preserve her by making sausages from the remains. Or hang the meat up on the moutain side where the wind is eternally blowing. We have often eaten wind dried meat from the cows and that is very tasty. We have even dried the flesh of the chickens."

"But I have never eaten meat from someone I knew Seth. It would be disrespectful.""

"No Jakob. Think of it like this. We would be preserving her and each bite would remind us how helpful she was when she was alive."

Jakob though about it and decided it was not such a bad idea. It was approaching mid Winter. They had to eat from the reserves they had. They would be snowed in until Spring arrives and it would be a welcome change to their diet of cheese and milk. And so it was decided. Their faithfull donkey Hilda would be preserved and buried in the ice and then they would have meat enough until the Winter had passed. For once Seth had a good idea.