Last week I was in the UK and for a few days were house-sitting for my sister-in-law while they took a short break. This included feeding the cat and as I discovered the fox as well.
They have a house out in the country with a few outbuildings. The cat is an outside cat who sleeps in the garage, but as he is a bit old he is not so good at catching his own dinner, and the field mice run rings round him.
It’s tinned cat food for him. On the second night after putting out his food and sitting in the kitchen reading I heard his bowl scraping around and I looked outside.
Reynard the Fox looked up from the cat bowl with a look that suggested I could put out a bit more if you please. He actually stuck his nose right up to the glass looking in at me.
When I opened the door he only took a few steps away still giving me his best hungry look. He only scarpered when I ran at him making myself look big and noisy. Wasn’t I brave?
I then did have some concern for the poor old cat thinking that foxy might decide to have some kitty for dinner.
Apparently they get on famously. When my sister in law returned and I told her about it, she said that the fox waits until the cat has finished and then takes his turn sometimes standing right next to it.
A cunning fox indeed because if he was to kill the cat there would be no more cat food put. Do not bite the hand that feeds you!
Talking about biting the hand that feeds you, our truculent teenage son returns from boarding school today for the Christmas holiday. I wonder if he will be all sweetness and light in the hope that we shower him with many presents. He is 15 what do you think?
Only three days to go now until the most commercial/religious day of the year. We have a full table of 12, including some of Her Majesty’s finest from the Royal Navy.
The day will begin with our hosting of the Christmas morning Hash House Harriers run followed by the traditional dip in the pool, and then on to the main event, with an obscene amount of food and drink and presents and cheese and mince pies and carols round the firepit to end the night.
The next day, Boxing Day, will be pretty much the same, except that the turkey will by then have become a curry and the enthusiasm will be quite a bit less. But ‘hey ho’, someone’s got to do it!
I do hope that you all have a very merry Christmas and that Santa has you on his list as good boys and girls. Ho Ho Ho. Hic!