Moving CATastrophe

On Wednesday our landlady returns for good from Australia. She will move into the house we've been occupying - and which Grant repaied and maintained for her since mid-August- and we've moved temporarily. 

I've done weekly progress reports on the building project Grant's been running. This is for our landlady and when the add-on cottage is completed, we'll move back. 

Meanwhile our dear friends, Steve and Estelle have offered us one of their accommodation abodes on their property. (more about this later on)

Of course. when we move, it's a little complicated with the animals. Even a short move such as this 5km trip, stressed the cats unbelievably. As for Skabenga, he is terrified to get into a vehicle. 

At around 10am while Estelle's house-ladies were cleaning the house after we'd moved out, I locked the cats in the spare room. All four the cat containers (three of which have been in several African countries) were open and ready for a cat each. It went off without a hitch! 

Meanwhile, I asked the brickie (builder) if he'd help Grant hold Skabenga's hind quarters while I gripped his head and we lift him into Grant's station wagon. Without a word, he walked to the dog, lifted him bodily and placed him carefully in the back of the car! Skabenga, tongue lolling, looked around as if to say: "Now why don't we do this every day?"

Christina, one of Estelle's ladies, carried two cat cages while I carried the other two. The cats were quiet when they were placed on the back seat. As Grant started the engine, they set up a caterwauling of note ! Chappie, Shadow and Ginger. Ambrose was as quiet as a mouse.

 Chappie and Shadow yeowled at the top of their voices... Ambrose is in the middle cage - dead quiet. Chappie is in the far cage. Ginger is in his cage to the left of Shadow

 ...Ambrose was a quiet as a mouse...

 ...while Ginger's plaintive meouw was brought up in the rear! 

 All four cat containers on the back seat 

Mr Skabenga enjoying the ride after all! 

At our destination, Grant and I carried the four cat containers to the shack and I placed them on the bed. When I opened the door, the cats crept forward and peeped out. Slowly, one by one, they stepped out onto the bed, and finally each one found a place to hide behind one of our boxes or suitcases. Grant returned to the car and let Skabenga out! 

After unloading the car and trailer and finding place for our clothes and other paraphanalia, Estelle called us indoors for a welcome cup of tea. Afterwards Grant and Steve returned to the building project, Estelle had some printing to do for the shop and I returned to the shack. 

As I got nearer, I blinked. Shadow was sitting on the bank outside the shack. A window was open. I dashed inside and calling him in, closed the window. Checking around, I saw Ginger and Ambrose but no Chappie. She had gotten out of the window with Shadow and I thought she must have gone into the garden. 

I walked around banging the cats' bowls together which normally gets the cats running towards me.

No go. 

I saw Thokosani, the gardener, walking across the lawn and asked if he could keep an eye out for my black-and-white cat. He asked where she'd escaped and when I told him, he said, she is probably in the passage which surrounds the whole shack. He walked to an opening around the front, while I lay on my stomach and looked through a gap into the passage. Suddenly Thokosani said "there she is" and when I looked down, I saw Chappie fast asleep on the damp ground. Unfortunately as Thokosani approached her she jumped up and shot into the dark tunnel ahead. 

We spent the next  20 minutes looking and calling:  Thokosani wearing my headlamp and using a handheld torch, in the passage. I stayed above ground at the other end of the passage hoping he'd flush Chappie out into my waiting arms. 

No go. 

There was no Chappie.

By now it had started to rain for which I was glad. At least Chappie wouldn't have the urge to wander out into the open and across the lawn into the bush.

I placed a bowl of her favorite kibbles in the passage where I'd seen her. And kept calling. Above ground and regularly (in between trying to unpack!) walking through the passage until it gets too narrow and calling her while banging two food bowls together.

Last evening it was still raining softly and as it got darker,  I continued to call Chappie. I fetched Skabenga from his enclosure (more about this later !) and brought him into the shack for the night. As I walked outside again to fetch Skabenga's duvet, Chappie ran past my feet. I dropped the duvet  on the wet lawn and divedbombed the cat. With her in my arms, I opened the shack door and put her down on the floor...

Praise God for His kindness and mercy even towards animals.

 Chappie was starving and tucked into a bowl of kibbles. Ambrose thought he may as well have a snack at the same time!  

 Shadow was already asleep on our bed

 Skabenga asleep on next to the duvet ! 

 Shadow and Ginger face off as they both approach the cookie jar! 

 Ambrose, atop the fridge, looks out of the window from which Shadow and Chappie had escaped 

 Chappie happy to be back safe and sound. So are we! 

I'm linking to Our World Tuesday here

HAPPY TUESDAY TO YOU ALL!