Wednesday, September 1

Can you hear the sound of fingernails on the blackboard?

I suppose, if you cannot hear that sound, or don't care to, you could be too young to remember blackboards, or just don't wish to go there.

That particular fingernail sound is what my lilfe is like, a great deal of the time recently.

Combined with the Neighbour Dog which never stopped barking for 6 days, it was positively insanity making!
Son B has had a word to the Neighbour tennant, who was the only person home, and since she is a student, and is currently studying, he got the impression she was more than happy to pass along the message. It seems to have had a positive effect, since Neighbour Dog has since been very much quieter. We are not sure how this has been achieved, but the relief is beyond belief.

Here is Morty, in a heart of early morning sunlight, reflected around him, on his little perch in the Grevillea.


The 'perch' in the shrub, was put on a post, to feed the Lorikeets, when we had an old wooden pergola.

Morty just thinks it was put there for his pleasure. He makes me laugh, because he sits and watches the little Nectar sipping birds, but he can't possibly catch any, because the Grevillea twigs are far too slender, and he would just crash to the garden below.



I love the sunlight on his whiskers.



Here is my lovely lunch guest I took our for a leisurely lunch and Nanna/Granddaughter time. We both enjoyed it, and it cheered me to spend the time chatting and laughing as we enjoyed our long lunch.

Her Grandfather was not well enough to come too, so she called in to visit him after we had returned, and he seemed pleased to see the girl of his heart.


I made a token gesture to the coming of Spring. Son B & I had reminisced about when our children were young, how much they had enjoyed me taking them on visits and tours of local Nurseries in Chrishchurch.
Since we lived in an inner city Hotel, we had no garden, so we would buy pot plants and had a wonderful display along our sunny Balcony. They would choose plants for themselves, and would look after them quite well. It sparked an interest in plants which has never left them, and so, B and I,  spent a lovely day, out and about at our local Nurseries. Gom was never keen on plants, or visits to the Nurseries,  (as you all know), so he was content to remain at home, basking in the sun.

This was the result of my plantings and I was pleased with the splash of colour.

However, Morty got among the pots, and leapt onto one, which tipped it over and broke the terracotta pot, and scattered the polyanthus and the little bulbs all over the path. You can imagine the grumbles that brought from me! Is there some Cosmic Conspiracy that has decreed I shall not have a garden??
Between Gom and Morty, I am beginning to believe it must be so.



This pic is post Morty, after I replanted the Poly, and bulbs in a plastic ugly old pot, which is all I had left.
The photos are not very clear, and the Pansies are much prettier than they appear, and seem to be settling in well... as long as no further mishaps upset things!
I also bought a Chilli plant, hoping it will live for B to use in his salads.


I had a lovely surprise visit from SG too, to give me this gift. It is a Teatowel and is covered in self portraits of all the children in his school, from Kindy to year 3.


I was thrilled with it, and think it is a lovely momento of his school days. Top Marks to the clever person who thought of this idea, it is just wonderful.

Of course SG is in this pic. We have had a little giggle at some of the self images, they are so amusing!




A real highlight of last week, was a visit from New Zealand Friends. BFJ and her husband, called up to see us for the day. Their visit was better than all the tonic in the world, and we were just sad that they could not stay with us this time around.
It is very true that there is nothing quite like old friends and we had a lot of laughs in the short time we had together.
Everything falls into a better perspective, when it is shared with friends. Even Gom had a lovely day, and seemed to be very much brighter for spending time with our loved friends.

Sadly, I forgot to take pictures. Over the years we have often missed the photo opportunities with these great friends- too excited I guess. Too busy trying to fill in the gaps.

For old times sake
Connie Francis, Everybody's Somebody's Fool.


19 comments:

Mary said...

I love the sunlight on his whiskers.

That might be one of the prettiest sentences I have read In a long time.

And I so understand the fingernails on blackboard sound...

Marigold Jam said...

Not too young to remember fingernails on blackboards! Love that cat - how do they know just how to make themselves perfect for a photo opportunity?! Sorry about your "garden" those pansies will look great when they get going and a real herald of Spring for you. Glad you had a good time with your friends - you don't need photos you have an inner photo album in your mind's eye I'm sure!

Take care and keep smiling - getting old is definitely not for wimps!!

Jane x

Elisabeth said...

The sound of fingernails on the backboard is an unbearable memory but a dog barking for hours is worse.

The rest of your post by way of contrast is filled with cheer, apart from the upended pot plant.

In this sense your post seems to represent a microcosm of life, mostly good sparked by the odd scratch of fingernails across the black board.

Thanks, Meggie.

Anonymous said...

Meggie, popping in to say hello, making an attempt to do some blog catch-up reading (dreadfully behind for two months now). I always love Connie Francis tunes, she was always one of my faves back in my day of growing up. ;)

Thimbleanna said...

But wait! Which little self-portrait belongs to SG? That towel is a fantastic idea -- I wish I'd thought of something like that when the kids were little. Morty looks like he's providing you with lots of entertainment. Whether you want it or not LOL!

Jess said...

Oh my goodness, Morty grew UP!

What a handsome gentleman!

Catalyst said...

Beautiful cat and photos.

Kathy's Klothesline said...

Love the photos of Morty. He seems to know he is well loved. Why on earth have a pet if you aren't going to care for it? I am referring to the barking dog....

Anonymous said...

Great photos. Thanks for sharing. Good to see you enjoy some positive times with family and friends. I think that tea towel idea with all those self-portraits is simple the bee's knees. :)

Ali Honey said...

The tea towel is lovely. So are whiskers on kittens and friends calling in to give you a little joy.

persiflage said...

I love that would-be hunting cat. the eternal optimist?
Your pots look so pretty. It is lovely to have flowers, and spring is so satisfying, when suddenly everything is flowering.
Those school tea towels are terrific. look at all those spiky hairstyles! And there is nothing like old friends.

Pauline said...

loved reading all the littles - the tea towel is such a cool idea. I may steal it for a retirement gift for a fellow teacher :)

Morty is too cute to be so naughty!

Warty Mammal said...

Your granddaughter is lovely, and what a good-looking cat friend you have!

The tea towel idea is brilliant. Such a nice memento and a nice change of pace from some of the dreck one sees.

Sheila said...

You can always rely on a cat to put a smile on your face. Trust Morty to pick up where GOM left off...lol
That should endear him to GOM's heart if nothing else.
I remember that sound on a blackboard even after all these years, awful wasn't it.
We also wrote on little wooden framed slates with a strange sort of stylus, I don't remember what it was made from, but I don't think it was chalk. A paperless excercise uncomplicated by a temperamental computer.

I'm glad you have been enjoying some visitors.
As for the barking dog, we had one next door for years and it was very annoying, but I always felt sorry for the poor animal, all he wanted was some companionship.
Love and hugs
xx

RSA Online said...

I cringed so hard just reading the words nails on a blackboard!!
Morty is so cute in his perch :)

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

I have a teatowel like that from my grandson when he lived in England. They are so special.
fingernails on the blackboards, I got a shiver just thinking about it.

quiltmom anna said...

Morty is such a handsome cat- I love his soft carmel tan color- He looks like he takes good care of his fur.
Meggie,
How nice for you to have visitors- I am sure fun was had by all.
Loved the tea towel with the faces on the drawings are so much fun.
As for fingernails on the blackboard- I don't like the sound nor the feel- I use a whiteboard and will soon have a smart board that one can write on as well.
Pansies were my grandmother's favorite flowers and I love seeing the beautiful pots of them. They are gorgeous.
School has begun- and so the fun begins.
Regards,
Anna

Anonymous said...

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Tanya said...

Morty is beautiful in the tree. Cats and trees so go together, it makes me wonder why I won't let my cats outside to experience tree climbing. No cars around your place? That is what I fear most for my kitties. I wish they could join Morty in his tree.