Daily Prompt: Menagerie

Do you have animals in your life? If yes, what do they mean to you? If no, why have you opted not to?

I have animals everywhere, even when I go shopping. See our supermarket feline watching as the people arrive to shop. They had an exhibit outside showing how you can have a nice cozy b-b-que in the garden with all the trimmings, but the feline moved in and took over. This felines have now become so well-known that a national free newspaper known as “20 Minutes”. have featured them. Apparently there are 2 of the species, both being of the Ginger race. Here is a link to the article The Supermarket Cats, in our local language, German, which I have partially translated. I myself have many photos of the two felines and it seems they have names, Max and Hugo.

It seems that even the police have been called in as there are days when they feel so comfortable in the various departments, especially the bed and bathroom areas, that they do not go home and remain unnoticed.The supermarket has an alarm when it is closed and the felines tend to take a walk when they are left to themselves which gives a signal at the local police station and so the police have to investigate.

However they are shop trained cats, do not smell and visit the outside parks for their recycling process. They also realise that they are not welcome in the food department. They live in one of the neighbouring houses and Mr. Swiss and I have often watched them on their way home. They walk across the large car park, wait until the entry road is free and cross to jump over the fence into the garden of one of the houses. Their favourite place in the supermarket definitely seems to be the restaurant where they make themselves comfortable on a seat and wait for a few edible rewards. 

Otherwise I am allowed to live with two felines, Tabby and Fluffy. There was a third, Nera, but she left us last year for another dimension. My felines have their own site in WordPress where they daily report the happenings in their lives and in the casa Angloswiss The Cat Chronicles

I don’t want to earn bonus points for adorable animal photos or double bonus if taken with my phone. I have a perfectly good DSLR Nikon camera and a Canon camera so rarely use my phone. I am actually surrounded by animals. My main animal in my collection is Mr. Swiss without who I would be lost. Our neighbours have cats. I once counted 10 cats in the area where I live. There are only a few dogs which generally stay at home unless they go for walks with their masters. We have a path crossing our area which is the dog walkie path, but only if they are on the lead. We have enough forests and country to let them loose. 

A five minute walk brings us to a stable where there are approximately 8 horses at the moment and cows outnumber the population. We have a murder of crows (I know, but that is the collective name for crows it seems) that like to go on collective flights waking up the neighbourhood. We have many hedgehogs. When No. 2 son lived at home, in the far gone days, Friday and Saturday nights were the night out and he would return home in the early morning hours. He told us that there was an array of hedgehogs (another collective name I did not know) around our home. Lately Mr. Swiss has reported the sighting of the regular visit of a hedgehog on our patio. It seems that Tabby our chief feline, sits on a chair on the porch and watches the movements from a distance. There has been no fraternisation up to now. I think hedgehogs are not a feline thing. I am naturally waiting for the chance to take a prize winning photo, but I am not as nocturnal as hedgehogs.

And so as the golden sun sinks slowly in the West, I come to the close of a repeat prompt, but being me I am never lost for words. See you all on the flip side tomorrow.

Creative Challenge 247: Playtime

“Mrs. Human, what are we supposed to do with all those stupid dogs that you have brought home. We are allergic to those inferior animals, remove them from our sight.” And my three cats stamped their paws and miowed in a loud chorus

“But felines, I was talking to the vet and he said that it is a new cure for felines that run away from dogs. It is to show you that they are lovable cuddly animals.”

“Cuddly my paw” said Nera, the chief feline. I don’t need a cure for disliking dogs. I just have to avoid them.”

“She’s right” said Tabby. “Who needs toy dogs, they are second worse to real dogs. Since when are dogs lovable. Their sole objects in life is to obey humans, make loud noises and chase cats. They are stupid to go with it.”

“But Tabby, I think you just misunderstand them. I was thinking of getting a little lost dog for company at home. This collection of toy dogs is to help you to accept the canine problems and to live with a dog together.”

“What!!! Mrs. Human have you been bitten by a mad dog or something. No, no way will I Fluffy accept a canine monster in my household. They are just plain stupid, not able to take a message and report back like us intelligent superior felines, but they actually obey humans, with their tongue hanging out and slopping all over the place. No Mrs. Human, you are not turning our home into a canine playground.”

“Yes but…..” and Nera took over.

“Mrs Human where is this four legged intruder supposed to sleep?”

“I thought I would put a nice comfortable cushion in front of the window. That way he could watch for intruders and bark if someone wanted to break in.”

“Big deal Mrs. Human” said Tabby “what intruders? The only intruders I have ever seen are the felines living nearbye and they respect our territory. A dog does not even know what territory is. It will leave its paw marks all over the place, and if anyone sleeps in a comfortable cushion here it is me and my fellow felines. Dogs sleep outside in a kennel where they belong, if they belong at all. “

“And just to underline the problem Mrs. Human, you are not going to convert our feline home into a canine playground” added Nera.

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Back to Work

How does it feel to go back to work after two and half months away from it all through illness. Admittedly I am only working fifty percent at the moment, but it is a strange feeling. I arrived a later this morning, being my first day and my boss wanted to have a discussion before I got started. I am very lucky working for a company that is realistic and does not push me off at the deep end, but it is a strange feeling all the same.

The stress had got too much for me and I had to have a break. I have now got over most but a funny thing has remained. I get giddy when I am amongst action and people. I noticed it first of all when I was going shopping in the supermarkets. I was glad to have my other half with me. Just could not concentrate on what I was doing and had to hold onto things to keep steady. Most of that has now disappeared, but today in the office I was glad I had a job where I could sit down most of the time and just work on the computer.

It was a strange feeling going into a computer programme that I was using every day up to some time in June and being away from it. I really had to think things over. What is my password? I, of course, had to make new ones. What do I need to export a simple parcel to another country - nearly forgot the export declaration. Things that used to be in my circulatory system that have gone missing. However, by the time I left the office this morning, I had a good feeling that it was not so bad, although at the moment I am "helping out" and I am glad. 27 years experience in dealing with the whole world makes life easier when "helping out".

After work it was a trip to the local supermarket and do some shopping, then come home and cook lunch. Mr. Swiss was waiting to hear how things went and was relieved that it went past quite well. This afternoon was spent have a midday sleep to recover and doing some reading. I am glad that I have got the first day behind me.

No. 2 son phoned to say he will be landing in Geneva from Brussels this evening, touchdown ten in the evening. Afterwards he has a two hour train journey to home, but I have a strong feeling I will be in bed when he arrives. Why he has to take the last flight I don't know. So that was todays news from Switzerland.

Tomorrow is the day when I post my weekly pictures to words and was going through the last draft this afternoon. Oh dear the problems of a writer. and now for a photo to finish off with. One of my husbands musician friends payed us a visit at the week-end and brought his dog with him. Poor little doggy had to stay in his car because my three cats are allergic to dogs, but this dog doesn't mind as he knows afterwards he is rewarded with a walk with his friend.

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A Busy Monday

Things never seem to turn out the way you plan them. The week got off to quite a good start. I arrived at work to be greeted by the barking of a dog. Now it is not very often that you have a dog barking in an office, but we are very animal friendly where I work. I have 3 cats, a friend of mine has a 10 Kg Main Coon cat at home and my boss has two dogs at home and, and, and. I think if I counted all the pet owners in the company where I work it would be at least half of the people working there. Another colleague has a dog, Taps. I think you may have met him before. Now and again he cannot be left alone at home - so he arrives in the office on Monday morning.

Deutsch: Sachen sind nie so wie sie sollte sein oder wie man sie plant. Die Wocheanfang war gut. Ich kam an in Büro zu der Begrüssungs bellen von ein Hund. Es ist nicht sehr oft das ein Hund bellt in ein büro, aber wir sind sehr Tierfreundlich in unserem Büro. Ich habe 3 Katzen, eine Kollegin hat ein 10 KG Main Coon Katze zu Hause und mein Chef hat 2 Hünde und, und, und. Ich denke, wenn ich alle Tierbesitzer zählen in die Firma wo ich arbeite, es war sicher die Hälfte von aller. Noch ein Kollegin hat ein Hund, Taps. Ich glaube Ihr habt ihn schon kennengelernt. Ab und zu kann er nicht zu Hause bleiben alleine - und so er kommt in Büro am Montag morgen.

He naturally has to bring his toys with him to make sure he doesn't get home sick. Note the patriotic blanket with the Swiss cross. After all he is a Swiss born and bred short haired retriever, although he does not retrieve very much as he usually carries it all aound in his mouth. He is quite well behaved, hardly ever barks and the only noise you really hear is when he drinks water which sounds like a waterfall falling onto the rocks.

Deutsch: Er bringt natürlich seine Spielzeug mit ihn, um sicher zu sein, das er nicht Heimweh bekommt. Merkt die patriotische Decke mit die Schweizerkreuz. Er ist doch in der Schweiz geboren und gezuchtet, ein Kurhaar Retriever, zwar er holt nicht so viel, weil er gewöhnlicherweise trägt seine Sachen in dem Mund. Er ist gut erzogen, bellt fast nie und die einzige Lärm is wenn er trinkt Wasser - tönt wie das Platschen von ein Wasserfall auf Steine.

And now for something different. Another colleague was again in the snow and ice in the mountains at the week-end - near St. Moritz in the Kanton of Grisons. He once sent some wonderful photos of the Bernese Overland in snow, so this time I got a photo of Piz Nair (Piz is the word for peak in Romanisch - the strange language spoken in the region). He took the photo with his mobile telephone.

Deutsch: Und jetzt für etwas ganz anders. Noch ein Kollege war wieder in die Schnee und Eis in die Berge am Wochende - in der Nähe von St. Moritz in Kanton Graubünden. Er hätte einmal so wunderschöne Fotos von die Bernerüberland geschickt, und jetzt habe ich ein schöne Foto von Piz Nair bekommen (Piz ist romantsch für Bergspitz ich glaube - Romantsch spricht man in diese Gegend). Er hat das Foto mit seine Händy aufgenommen.

When I arrived home in the evening I had a surprise. There was a card from my colleagues in the first aid group not to forget the committee meeting on 18.02.2008. I was surprised as I did not know anything about this, and realised that I was a VIP as I had to do the budget for this year with the boss and had not prepared anything. A quick phone call and it seems that the last time when I was a death's door with flu (well I felt like it), they all went to the local restaurant for a drink or two (or three or perhaps four) and on the way home decided to have a meeting on 18th before our annual general meeting, but forgot to tell me. I got ready what I could, and went to the meeting, but left again after 2 hours, as I had planned my evening in another way. I had some washing to do and the East Enders was on the TV, there was just no time left for a blog. So that was Monday. Tuesday morning I dragged myself into the kitchen for something to eat for breakfast and Nera, my big fat black cat, was waiting for me on the kitchen tiles.

Deutsch: Wenn ich ankam zu Hause am Abend, ich hätte ein Überraschung. Es war ein Postkarte von meine Samariterkollege, dass ich ja nicht vergisse unsere Vorstands Sitzung am 18.02.2008. Ich war überrascht, weil ich wüsste nichts und da ich ein VIP bin wegen die Besprechung mit unsere Chef für die Budget für diese Jahr, müsste ich eigentlich Sache vorbereiten. Ein schenell Telephonat und es scheint das wenn ich war Totkrank in Januar (also es kommte mich so vor) war ich nicht dabei. Die andere war in Restaurant gegangen für ein Trink (oder 2, 3, vielleicht sogar mehr) und bevore sie zu Hause ging entschied für ein Sitzung am 18. Februar. Ich machte mich auf dem Weg mit die Unterlage was ich hätte aber nach 2 Stunde war wieder zu Hause. Ich müsste mit mein Waschmaschine spielen, und schliesslich war die East Enders am Britische Fernsehen - ich hätte einfach kein Zeit mehr für einen Blog. Das was Montag. Dienstag morgen schleppte ich mich in die Küche für etwas zu essen für meine Morgenessen und Nera, meine grosse dicke schwarze Katze wartet auf mich in die Küche.