Daily Grind

PAUL:
Well empty house and all that malarkey. Actually to be honest it has been really nice to be able to rattle in the house again. Just to take stock of finances and get a familiar routine back on.

We have been to the baseball again, this time to see the Florida Marlins. Fairly upset that I lost my 100% record of watching Nats victories but still thoroughly enjoyable. Even got tickets to see another game in a couple of weeks time. Getting to be a regular thing really. Good night out and not too expensive (especially with the thank you present that you get from the Washington Nationals every time you see a game. Half price tickets on the Foul Line (good view). The food is also pretty good. We tried Chicken tenders this time and they were a pretty substantial meal for only about $10. Could be better but for $5 you get a stringy looking hot dog that barely scratches the surface. We also spotted a BBQ item at the game called a short rib that we will try next time. Basically a bone as big as your forearm and coated in a delicious looking sauce. plus a BBQ corn on the cob - outstanding.

Big news of the week is Sof's decision to return to the UK for a couple of weeks at the end of May. There were already two weddings taking place then but the flight costs were way too high to justify a return. Then another last minute wedding got added and happened before my Nieces 18th birthday and flights got (a bit) cheaper and lo and behold, Sof is booked on the next available flight. Means I will have to tend the flowers (and mow the bloody lawn) whilst she swans off around the country. Around the country is right, she will visit London, Bath, Bristol, Weston, Cornwall Yeovil, Taunton and Stoke-on-Trent during two weeks. Rather her than me I say.

The cats are completely settled in. Chaos is a complete homebody, she gets let out and sits either on the balcony or just at the edge of the garden looking in to the woods. What a complete wuss. She tried to chase a few squirrels but to be honest they had her sussed from the first minute, now she can't be bothered and just looks longingly at them and the odd passing bird. Dini however is a complete git! Let her out and she's off. last night we were stood calling for an hour as the sun went down before she ambled back looking quite smug. Sof even got our first woodland present yesterday in the form of the carcass of a shrew. Nice! Sof wrapped it up and out of sight of the cat (she didn't want Dini to think she didn't like the gift) put it in the trash. Dini was apparently not best pleased!

Chaos did get a small infection, basically because she will only drink when someone is on the loo! Got the water fountain now and she is sorted but Dini is terrified of the noise it makes so we are running a dual water supply for them both now. Bowls for Dini and fountain for Chaos. Not that we are henpecked by the little kitties but we want them to be happy.

Lastly we got a little present for the kitties yesterday. We normally buy stuff that we like and hope the cats will too. Normally turns out pretty bad, as large numbers of discarded toys will testify too. This time Sof saw a brush on TV that proclaimed to remove lots of hair and the pets still enjoy it!? Chaos doesn't mind being brushed (with an old hairbrush) but Dini is not a lover of those sessions where we try and make her look a bit more presentable and perhaps a bit cooler too. The brush arrived (it is called THE FURMINATOR - I know great isn't it) and one pillow cases worth of hair later it has been declared a success. You would not believe how effective the brush is. Little teeth (like those on a pair of hair clippers) and a stiff brushing action has left the house covered in little fluff bunnies. It is freaky how a ball of hair can actually exceed the size of the cat that it came from! Chaos is actually 30% as a result. The big bonus is that the cats love it. They roll over, sit down for you and purr like they have been seen to by the George Clooney of the tom-cat world - Sluts.

Love you all and make sure you feed my wife if the Volcano goes off again

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