more cats

My time at the cat sanctuary passed quite quickly, particularly since the owner returned as she drove here from the UK with piles of provisions (mostly cat toys and blankets…), all of which has had to be unpacked, washed, sorted through, etc.  I managed to get talked into coming back here for nine days in August, when I should have been seeing as-yet-unvisited bits of Turkey, but I suppose it will save me a little cash again.

I think the biggest down-side of being there was the inability to get any exercise.  Whilst I wasn’t doing anything measurable for much of the day (when not cleaning litter trays, watering the plants, etc), I had to either lock the little kitten and one of the disabled cats in a bedroom, or allow them to enjoy the garden but watch the kitten constantly, as it was small enough to escape between the gate bars into the big outdoors where there were feral dogs (as well as the sheep, goats, donkeys and bulls that wandered the area).  After seven weeks of inactivity I’m wondering whether even going up a flight of stairs is going to be a bit of an effort!

[blog platform not allowing me to attach photos, for some reason - but I suppose everyone knows what cats look like...]

When the owner returned, my quality of life improved in terms of food and drink – which is a major factor in a day that is confined to the house.  She got out a good coffee machine (to make cappuccinos), made daily smoothies (with oats, bananas, cacao powder, etc), bought tons of fresh fruit and bread (which she put out for the sheep, etc, when it passed its best), etc – and I was invited to partake in all of this.  It reminded me of my time in January, staying with my friend in Sydney.  & I reflected again on what kind of life I might lead were I to return – one day – to live in my flat in London.  Would I continue with the ‘cheapest possible’ approach I’ve followed for so many years, or would it be time to relax my frugality and spend a bit more?  Then I thought about this again last night, as I arrived at my Heathrow hotel and laid back in a hot bath … lovely … for a few minutes, until I thought how alone I was there, and how in many ways I’d prefer to be in a poor quality shower in a hostel dorm, where there were other people around who I could go and chat to afterwards.  Impossible at this stage to know where my life will take me – and I always assume that I will go ‘home’ at some stage – but who knows??

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