Alexander (the Great) is Happy to be at Freshfields

Sunday:

I don't know what came over me today but I made a snap decision to tidy the horrendously UNtidy office.Why is it though, that when you do this sort of thing, you just dont seem to be able to find anything afterwards? Anyway it looks so much better and I'm sure I will become used to the new order of things eventually.I have even put up last years Xmas present - a framed photograph of a baby orangutan(just love them) which has been moved from place to place, cupboard to shelf and back again for the past year. He is now in pride of place next to a treasured photo of Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh which I bought when I visited Plum Village Retreat in France in 2005. That was a very special experience and the photo reminds me of that time.

A stray Husky was brought to the shelter today but because he was microchipped we were able to reunite him with his owner who , at the time she received the call from the microchip company was driving round desperately searching for her pet. That's the power of the microchip for you.

The only new admittance today was a young ginger cat from Pwllheli which had been crying outside the doors of houses for the past few days .He has not been neutered so its possible he has been on the prowl for a female and may be claimed however that remains to be seen.Hardly any cats admitted here as strays are ever claimed, not even the neutered ones.

Monday:

A big handsome grey and white cat was admitted having been a stray in his area since Christmas. Although not neutered he is so gentle and I am enamoured already. He is adorable.I was a little worried having no place to put him except with another male waiting for the 'Big OP' and wondered if there would be some aggression between the two boys ,but when I went in later there he was stretched out in apparent bliss with the other cat sitting right next to him. He had been wandering his neighbourhood for a while and I expect he is just so delighted to be somewhere warm and cosy that he is oblivious to anything else. I have named him Alexander(the Great)

Two more youngster came in today, 6 months old brothers Michael and Isaac belonged to a man who had not checked his tenancy agreement before moving two cats in. Why do they do that? The Landlord gave him today to get rid of them! I am not sure if that is true but I have to take his word on it, I do not want to see cats abandoned becasue of someones desperation and it could very well be the truth. I have become very cynical!Of course they are not neutered either so they will be joining Alexander and pals on this weeks Vet trip.Speaking of the Vet, the senior partner has telephoned me to discuss the bill, I hope he was satisfied with the fact that I have this week taken out a standing order of £200 to be paid into the his account weekly and then I have to continue to pay off as much as I can every 10 days or so.I need to get the bill of £7,000 down as much as possible. They have been very good with us but at the end of the day they are a business and we do owe a lot of money. What a worry.