Rocket has been in his lovely holiday home for nearly two months now
Here he is like an old buffer in his gentleman's club - relaxing after a long day involving rabbits I suspect. I think the cigar and brandy are probably just out of sight.
Here he is with his new mates in Team Rocket -Nousu and Cheka
I must say they seem very tolerant of him - especially him bagging the best space on the bed. And after all it is their house. I wonder if they'll miss him when he goes. Meanwhile back home we are waiting for his return - well I am waiting - I don't think Pocket is waiting. He does wait for some things. I've seen him wait patiently for a mouse to come out of the quaking grass and I wonder how long he waited for the mouse who'd stored a load of peanuts in one of the walking shoes that hadn't been walked in for a while. When I put my foot in it I was met with a deluge of nuts. I don't know how long they'd been there and don't know if to feel sorry for the mouse or not - he may have been cancelled out by one of the cats a while ago- I don't put all the blame onto Pocket - there is Nancy too who I believe has been leaving me a series of headless rats on the Turkish rug.
Pocket however seems to spend most of his time doing nothing. When challenged with this concept he gave himself a wash and told me that
the high value put upon every minute of time, the idea of hurry - hurry as the most important objective of living, is unquestionably the most dangerous enemy of joy."
You've been reading Herman Hesse again I said but he ignored me and concentrated on washing his leg.
We are waiting for more than one dog to return to the fold. Still no news on whether or not Scout will come back but we - if not Pocket - have our paws crossed.
Here is the crow with white feathers landing on a branch in the shade tunnel, She still hasn't left in spite of the open door but she seems happy in her domain, playing with the box of small plastic toys I've given her and hopping up and down the ladder or scuttling along the branches. She has no tail feathers which is why she can't fly. I love watching her - I sit quietly on a chair and observe her select her food - cleverly wedging a piece of toast between two planks of wood so she can snap bits of it off. I've never seen her put it there, but sometime I find the small plastic cow upside down in her empty feed bowl.
I have now planted most of the tulip bulbs waiting for next Spring's delight.
Now everyone is waiting ........
Waiting
by Emily Dickinson
I sing to use the waiting,
My bonnet but to tie,
And shut the door into my house,
No more to do have I.
Till, his best step approaching
We journey to the day,
And tell each other how we sang
To keep the dark away.
