Unca Shadow

Hello Bozo and all Mum's blog readers; this is Ambrose and I am posting about a very sad thing that happened in our house. 

Unca Shadow was caught by the dogs next door and he's not ever coming back again. Mum was very sad. We kitties don't actually understand what "death" means except that like with our yoomen Dad who went away long ago, Unca Shadow is also not coming back. 

Mum says that once he reached the Rainbow Bridge, our Dad was there to meet him. 

I just remember how I always enjoyed playing with Unca Shadow. Since I was a small kitty and came into the Hedges house, Unca Shadow has been my friend. 

 Unca Shadow 

 Unca Shadow and I always slept together on our yoomen Dad's bed 

 Mum always said he was a neat cat - from the top of his head - 

- to the tips of his toes 

Oh Unca Shadow - I miss you and I know Mum is deeply saddened too.

To tell the pets out there in the world about our sad news, I'm linking to Bozo\s pet page here

Missy's critter

Er, Missy and Chappie found this little critter. 

In my lounge.

Behind the armchair.

At 2am. 

 Red-lipped Herald 

I was thrilled to identify my first snake without my trusty Grant to help me. 

Capturing it carefully (with an irate kitty trying to get her critter back again) and releasing it in the garden (with an inquisitive dog sniffing at my elbow) was nothing new to me. 

I'm linking to Saturday critters with Eileen, here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Cute critters

While cashing money at the ATM yesterday, I noticed a mama monkey with a baby hanging under her tummy.  

 Mama with her baby  

 And dad! 

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL! 

Meeting friends

Taking part in an evening 5km walk for cancer at the end of October, I was thrilled to meet up with a couple whom I'd not seen for ages. 

Di and Colin from the UK and moi 

Two days ago in the shop, a very talkative customer mentioned he works for Lestsing Mine in Lesotho. I immediately asked him if a certain person was still the general manager. He said, no that person had just turned 85. I said he was the GM of the diamond  mine in Oranjemund., Namibia when we worked there in the 90's. 

Then this customer and I looked at each other and asked each others names! Turns out Stu Bowen was in Oranjemund the same time as Grant and I worked there. Stu's daughter, Fay walked in and we told her we'd just realized we had worked together way back when. She got us to stand together and took the photo below. 

Jo and Stu Bowen, ex-Oranjemunders! 

Last week, two very smart ladies were browsing in my shop. The one turned to me and thanked me for speaking Afrikaans. I told them I come from the Free State and the lady said: I'm from Bloemfontein and my sister here is from Marquard. This lady turned to me and as I said: who are you? She said she was Elsabe, lived in the Marquard retirement village; knows my friend, Rina and knows my MIL, Pam as well. She looked closely at me and said: You are Amanda's mother-in-law! I laughed as I'm always known by connection: either John's mother, Amanda's MIL or Grant se vrou (Grant's wife!) 

Me and Elsabe from Marquard 

Never a dull moment while living in the Valley.

Shadow

This morning the unthinkable happened - I found Shadow dead against the boundary fence. He had been killed by the dogs next door who managed to come into my garden while I was out. 

I am berating myself for letting Shadow and Ambrose out yesterday afternoon. Although Shadow hadn't come in last night, I was sure he would be at the door at 3am. Since Tanzanian days, Shadow has been the cat crier at that ungodly hour - he'd nag me until I got up and fed all the cats. 

I've realized you cannot search for a cat. Even if they've been injured. They either limp home: like Ginger did at the end of July when the dogs mauled him, but he fought like a tiger and managed to get away to safety and ultimately to the back door. Or you find them, like I did Shadow this morning. 

I'm so so so very sorry, my precious Shadow, for not being there when you needed me.

REST IN PEACE MY SWEET BOY

Shadow: 25 February 2010 - 3 November 2018 

Bovine beauty

Returning from a walk with Skabenga on my day off last Tuesday morning, I was fascinated by the interesting line of cows calmly meandering to the paddock where they'd spend the day. 

The black in the bottom foreground, is the back of a cow...

I'm linking to Saturday Critters with Eileen here

HAPPY SATURDAY TO YOU ALL!