Angel

When my sister left her long-haired tabby cat Angel here three years ago she assured me that she was a bit of a couch potato who didn't do much else but sleep and eat. However on coming to the farm Angel discovered her "wild side" and spent much of the first month stalking birds in the front paddock.

In September 2004 Angel disappeared for a week on a hunting expedition. When she turned up again she greeted me as if she'd never been away. However this developed into a pattern and she would only stay here a few days before going walkabout for a couple of weeks. Late February 2004 she took off again but this time the two weeks turned into three, then four, then five etc. I printed off fliers and put them in all my neighbours' mailboxes but with no result. My landlord said not to worry as there isn't alot that can happen to her up here as we're not near a busy road. I had given up hope when nine weeks to the day later I went to feed the other cats one morning and there was a bedraggled and very thin Angel sitting in the laundry. She stayed round all winter till last September she began heading out over the hills again. As of writing this she has been gone three weeks. I don't worry so much any more as I'm certain once the weather cools down she'll be back. Whatever else Angel is, she looks after number one.

The nor'wester winds we're having at the moment have burnt the countryside brown. Yesterday my landlord decided to come in at 8.30am and began cutting down trees with a chainsaw while someone else mowed the lawn. I had to go out but when I returned I was a bit shocked to find the eastern shelterbelt had been severely trimmed and there is no privacy left. Admittedly it's alot lighter but I was really hoping that the tops would be trimmed as that's what prevents the sun from entering the cottage till 10am in winter. A couple of plum trees were cut down round the back as well. They brought in a large truck to remove the debris although there is still some foliage lying about. I guess a change is as good as a rest!