mewsings from the grave

 

RIP the wise, clever and loving Pocket whose heart after 13 years finally gave up.

I'm glad he chose to go when he felt he was ready - when I asked the vet when he wanted to see us again and the vet replied six months I knew he knew Pocket would not last that long.

Being a quarter Bengal he was a feisty boy and extremely opinionated. Often feared both inside and outside the home. I think the news has spread as I've seen several baby rabbits in very close proximity to the house seemingly without a care in the world.

I can't remember him ever being a kitten but looking through old photos of him he was and at what stage he started to rule the roost we have no idea. In spite of blinding Rocket in one eye when Rocket was thirteen (unlucky for some) weeks old Pocket adored him and loved to snuggle up to him as closely as possible much to Rocket's discomfort.  He also loved to follow us when we went on a walk, with Rocket glancing nervously over his shoulder as we went. He will be much missed and no more so than on the pages of this blog. Or so I thought .....

So life leaves and new life appears. Only one of the black Indian runner eggs hatched and guess what? It was white! I felt so sorry for it on its own that I went to Jim the duck man and he gave me a two day old Peking bantam chick that I'm calling Geoffrey because for some reason it reminds me of my father.

It was a good move and they have become feathery pals. A week on and the duckling has almost doubled in size but Geoffrey remains tiny and is like a little bumblebee as he buzzes around their box eventually snuggling up to the duckling who may well, in his eyes, be his new mum.  

I might have to call the duckling Barbara after my own mum. He is only the size of a cotton wool ball and I think is actually crossed with a bumblebee as yesterday he flapped his miniscule wings and flew out of the box onto the table. Any of the remaining animals would have snapped him up in a moment but fortunately Raven is not in the house and Rocket and Nancy were asleep. The trouble is the duckling is so large now it needed a bigger box and I was much obliged to the man in B&M  who gave me an enormous cardboard box from out the back which had cuddly soft toys printed on the outside which seemed appropriate. The inside must seem like a large landscape to Geoffrey and he can run quite a distance now before flapping his wings and perhaps taking off again like something from Top Gun.

Raven is slowly growing in the shade tunnel along with a cheeky jackdaw who likes to jump on my head when it sees me. Raven disapproves of this so has started jumping on my head too. I think I will have to wear a hat. Raven - like Rocket - has  a particular penchant for cheese.

I didn't believe in ghosts until I saw Rocket tear down the stairs with a worried look on his face as if he was being pursued by some apex predator. When I glanced up the stairs I saw the apex predator was - the Ghost Pocket.

All that lives must die, passing through nature to eternity he said as he scratched the stair carpet and looked at his forepaws to see if they were clean. Shakespeare said that I couldn't resist telling him in spite of my shock - in Hamlet I added. I know he replied I've been chatting with him - interesting fellow, been dead a long time. 

What are you doing here? I asked the Ghost Pocket who looked just the same only a little smaller. The life of the dead is placed in the memory of the living he purred. That's Cicero I said - have you met him too? He ignored me and washed an ear. Nothing in his life became him like the leaving it ....he stretches out - like me he added with what looked like a smirk on his face.

You must have done a lot of chatting with Shakespeare - he wrote that in Macbeth I also couldn't resist informing him.

The Ghost Pocket stared at me. A bit of advice to you before you too die - live the life you've imagined. 

I was about to ask what Henry Thoreau was really like and tentatively went to stroke him but my hand went through the air and there was noone there.

For I will consider my cat Jeoffry

Christopher Smart 1763.

For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.

For he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him

For at the first glance of the glory of God in the East he worships in

his way.

For is this done by wreathing his body seven times round with

elegant quickness.

for then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God

upon his prayer.

For he rolls upon prank to work it in.

For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider

himself.

For this he performs in ten degrees.

for first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean.

For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there.

For thirdly he works it upon to stretch with the forepaws extended.

for fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood.

for fifthly he washes himself.

For sixthly he rolls upon wash.

For seventhly he fleas himself, that he may not be interrupted upon

the beat.

For eightly he rubs himself against a post.

For ninthly he looks up for his instructions.

For tenthly he goes in quest of food.