Summer

 Today was the last day of summer and after yesterday's glorious day it was cloudy and muggy.  At the park yesterday mum got herself her 2nd only icecream cone of the whole summer.  Passionfruit and strawberry and it was delicious.   She did ask the girl for a small one, and it was about 2x as large as she would normally eat.

In answer to a couple of questions yesterday about social distancing, covid here in NZ.  We have had months of no community spread.  Our only cases were cases of returning kiwis coming from into the country bringing it with them.  You have to apply to come here, isolate in a set hotel for 14 days and have 2x negative tests before you can head home.

In the past few weeks there has been a cluster in Auckland of a woman who worked at an airport laundry facility and her family.  This weekend a young man tested positive for the same strain in Auckland and as he had been to shops and the gymn while potentially infectious so Auckland has to go into a level 3 lockdown.  No work, schools shut and businesses shut for 7 days.

The rest of NZ is at level 2 which means masks on in public transport and restrictions when shopping, visiting hospitals etc .  This is for 7 days also. Where we live, we have not been in level 3 type lockdown for almost 11 months and hope that next week things return to normal.

This only got announced at 9pm on Saturday night to start Sunday at 6am, just hours aft5the community cases were announced. 

For us, we have been lucky and been going to cafes, bars, movies, sports games, bands and concerts as normal.  We feel for all of our friends overseas whose lives have been affected by Covid.  We appreciate how lucky we have been to be able to socialize and hug our friends and family.  We hope that things will return to normal for everyone soon.

Caturday

 

It seems to have been the nicest day we have had of the summer, and they are telling us autumn starts on Monday!!  Mum got up early this morning and filled the washing line with clothes and towels.  She met a bestie for bagels at a local Cafe and wandered round a few shops.  Mum had read about the pipe band competition on at a local park.  She stopped to watch and listen for an hour, but was feeling a bit sunburnt and needed a bathroom break, so headed home.

I was glad to see her and us girls had a nap before dinner.  Dinner and relaxing for us.  Mum is just watching a breaking news on TV with a community case in Auckland again, so we go back into another level of lockdown again.  Mum is keeping her fingers crossed that it is only a couple of days like last time.

Friday

 Yippee it's Friday and the clouds have cleared after a foggy start to the day.  Mum had a good day at work, but the best part of the day was heading home to see me.  Mum and I relaxed for the evening with just a few jobs being done.  0 howls this evening so mum is keeping  her fingers crossed for the rest of the night.

Olive

 On mums way to work, she passed these urban olive trees which are all full of little olives.  Mum likes to look at them but is not fond of eating them except on the occasional pizza.

Mums shift finished at 8pm, and then she went to the supermarket.  So now I have spent the last 20 minutes howling at her while she tries to ignore me.  Good luck with that plan mum.

Wordless Wednesday - Retired Tree Climber

 

Two

 Two days into the working week and it feels like 20 this week.  Mum feels she hasn't been very productive or organized.   She's going to stop watching bland TV tonight and try to read her book for an hour.  She used to be able to sit snd read for hours, but finds it hard to sit still and do that now. Me - well I can sit still for hours on end.  My days if zoomies and tree climbing are over.  Yes - I used to climb trees and jump up onto the top of neighbors sheds.  Now my biggest jump is onto the bed!!  

Walker

 Mum walks too and from work each day and gets to see neighborhood cats which make her smile.  She enjoys the fresh air and it often helps her to wake up in the morning.   She also listens to a podcast which helps keep her mind alert and stimulated.  It also adds to her step talky for the day which is a bonus.

Me  - well I'm happy to go back to bed to get my mid morning and late afternoon naps.

Ready

 Sunday  evening  is about getting ready for the week ahead.  Mum is going to heat up 2 Easter buns for her supper, get her uniform ready for Monday and make a chicken, cranberry and cheese wrap for her lunch.  Me - well I will get some treats, have a snuggle and snooze.  Purrfect.

Caturday

 We thought some if you would like a reminder of blue summer skies, mum has been watching the news and seen how chilly our northern hemisphere friends are.  It did start off cloudy, but turned clear and hot as the day went on, making it hard for mum to know how to dress.  Uniforms were washed and dried on the line, windows opened for some fresh air and the Hoover got dragged around while I napped.  Mum went for a walk in the sun and got some groceries  for her dinner and looked in a few shops, but resisted buying anything.  I managed a healthy 22 hour nap  - I love Caturday. 

Fridaying

 Mum can't think of the last time she went out on a Friday night.  It must have been months ago.  Instead she is glad to spend the sunny evening with me.  She enjoyed getting washing on the line, doing the dishes and getting some jobs done so she can enjoy the rest if the weekend  ahead.  I supervised from bed number 1 and bed number 2.  Well done mum.

Surfer Rescue

 This story was in the news here in the past day.  A surfer here in NZ got wiped off his board and injured his leg on some rocks.  So he crawled up the beach, wrote help and then collapsed.  Some girls taking a walk on the hills above saw him writing the word.  Initially they thought he was writing hello but realized he needed help and called the local surf club and sent the photo.  They also stayed to help to direct the rescuers to the surfers aid.  The surfer had a bad leg injury and needed to go to hospital and is doing good now.   He is a new father and was grateful to have been helped so quickly.   

Wordless Wednesday

 

Sculpture

 

Mum took some photos on Sunday at the local park of  the Laurel memorial, a gift from the Belgian people to New Zealand to thank them for the bonds formed during the first world War.  It is a beautiful piece, and sings to us as it is reminiscent if our native silver fern.

Mondaying

 Our skies do not look like this today.  Raining and muggy, but last night they were lovely.  Still it saves mum having to water the garden.  

Happy Valentines Day

 Happy Valentines Day to you all my friends.  Mum and I had a sleep in, and mum took a leisurely approach to the day.  She had a bagel with avocado for her brunch while she got some washing done.  She did dishes and tidied and then took herself out for a walk.   She is trying to keep moving while the weather is good.

Mum came home and fixed my dinner first, then made some tasty steak and vegetables for herself.  The evening was nice, so mum pulled some weeds in the garden and watered the plants and just sat outside and breathed in the summer air.  

NZ has 3 community cases of Covid, all one family in Auckland so it will be masks on  tomorrow on public transport here and a mini style lockdown in Auckland for 3 days while they test contacts.  We are lucky that we are only having small outbreaks sporadically  and there are plans to control any spread.  Mum did just about poop her pants when the emergency alert went off on her phone, which was in her pocket while she was pulling out the weeds. 

So thanks for being our friends and we just wanted to say we love you all.  Kisses - mum and poppyq xxx

Caturday

 Mum pulled up the covers, put the pink pillow on the bed and went to smooth the covers and I  had already plopped myself down before she got a chance.  She went out for an afternoon walk and got back 3 hours later and I was in the same spot.  

Oh and only one lot of howls in 48 hours.  Yippee says mum.

Weekending

 We're ready for the weekend to begin.  I've had 4 naps this evening, and it's 10.24pm and no howls yet.  Mum ate some leftover pasta and celebrated the weekend starting with a few glasses of cranberry juice and some chips and dip.  She sat outside in the sun in her shorts and tshirt reading her book after work, to try and enjoythe summer afternoons while they last.  The evenings are cooling down now and it us growing darker in the mornings.

Settled

 You'll be glad to know that I'm a bit more settled this week and I've slept a few more times in the mum bedroom, even snuggling a few times.

Mum made the tiktok pasta tonight for her dinner.  The one where you bake feta cheese and cherry tomatoes which make a tasty sauce when you add pasta and basil.  Mum enjoyed it as she wouldn't eat feta normally and she liked how easy it was to make with simple ingredients. There is plenty for her lunch tomorrow too.  Has anyone else made it?

Wordless Wednesday

 

Chilling

 We just chilling.  Mum and I are definitely taking it easy.  Mum almost slept in this morning as she set her alarm for Monday not Tuesday  - silly girl.  She still got a quick shower and got to work ten minutes early.  

Blue Skies

 We hear that many if our Northern hemisphere friends may be living with cloudy grey skies at the moment.   These were our skies last night.

Approval

 Thanks mum for putting this duvet back on the bed.  I'm going to nap on it all day.

Caturday Snoozer

 Mum and I slept in until a lazy 10am which was delicious.  The day was cloudy and cooler than the rest of the week so mum booked herself an afternoon movie ticket.   She cleaned the bathroom, washed a whole load of knickers and quickly hoovered the carpets.  

She saw A Very Promising Woman that mum would only give a 2/5.  It seemed to be trying too hard to be edgy and just came off a bit confused  with it trying to be too many things.  She liked the premise and the first 20 minutes, but after that mum thought about leaving a couple of times.

So mum got herself a burger for dinner and enjoyed her walk home as the weather had cleared and the sun was peeking through.   So a nice relaxing evening with me and no howling yet.

Thanks

 Thanks for all of your kind and helpful comments.  Mum did take me to the vet only a week or two ago and is pretty happy that health wise I am ok.  Going to the vet is a bit traumatic so she will wait for my next appointment  to get my bloods checked.  Besides the calling out to her I am pretty happy, eating drinking as normal.  

I've got mum home for 3 days now and mum is looking forward to some sleep ins and naps with me.

Change

 The night howling has reduced but the evening howling has increased.  Mum is trying tonight to ignore it, as if she responds each time I keep crying.  She is thinking of getting a Feliway diffuser - has anyone used them?  Was it helpful?

Wordless Wednesday

 

Choices

 So this is my whole spare bedding arrangement.   I can chose to sleep on my bag, in the cat bed and even though I don't sleep in the cardboard apartment I like it on the bed.  So far 3 nights down and no middle of the night howling to keep mum awake.   So she's happier and we've both had some sleep.

Spare Room Solutions

 

So no calling out for mum again last night either.  Because I have moved myself into the spare room mum has been making it more homely for me.   I got a shopping bag to lie one and yes it does have cats on it.  As you I love a good shopping bag, or in fact any bag.

Mum only expects my spare room obsession to last while the weather is warm. She is still leaving my heated bed in her room,and expects me to move back in when the weather cools down.