Spaying, Praying and Soup

I have spent the week nursing Chi Chi back to health after her having been spayed. Just a routine operation one might guess, and yes it was, however, she was given back to us still heavily sedated, and when she began to come round she was totally distraught and not having been given any long term pain killers, the poor wee thing was in agony and spent the first few days screaching in pain, trying to attack the wound as she knew that was what was hurting her. She wouldn't eat or drink that latter being the most important and was becoming increasingly dehydrated. At one point I truly thought we had lost her. I spent many a moment on the floor lifting her listless little head and force feeding water into her through a syringe and finally managed to get Tuna water down her and that seemed to be enough to kick the appetite into gear and she is now thankfully well on the way to recovery.

I have also cherished every moment I can with TBH all the cats and freinds. It is so easy to take everything that we have around us for graunted, until suddenly, it's gone. We have friends in Aussie,living in both Towoomba and Brisbane,and we also have friends from Sri Lanka and I have seen and been in the shanties of Rio, where life is on the edge at the best of times. So many have lost their homes, crops, livestock gone,pets drowned and worst of all friends and families washed away in a split second in a torrent of water. None of us know what any moment can bring and my heart goes out to everyone who has lost, and is now battling to survive a dunting an uncertain future.I only hope that through disaster people will come together and help each other, building stronger relationships, to help get through the worst.

I hope that our litttle village never has to endure such natural disater.This is where many in our community meet and exchange stories, the local fruit and veg market that is here rain or shine, swealtering or freezing. Every Thursday it is a buzz in the village and as you can see there is an abundance of fruit and veg on offer. Unlike my veggie box which has not really been a success.I stocked up with goddies and made my way back up the hill, pleased as punch with my purchase and pinched a couple of Lemons off a friends tree on the way past.

I snipped a couple of sprigs of basil off a plant that was growing in the street too and I hope to get it to root. Then I will plant it out the front with the lavender and rosemary that we ( thanks Mum) planted at the end of last year. But for the moment it's fragrance is filling the air in the kitchen it is just devine.

The weather has really turned today and it has become very very cold. All of us here in the house are heading to the warmest corner we can find, which isn't always easy in a building with no central heating, insulation, curtains or draft excluder. Extra layers are a must and I am now even more thankful to those who sent me winter wollies, socks and scarves for Christmas. They will be very useful now as we brace ourselves for an 8 degrees inside temperature. I gave in however this afternoon and let Kissora gain some heat energy from the halogen lamp. Shame the poosr cats don't have extra layers to put on.

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I also used some of what I got at the market yesterday, this afternoon. There is nothing for it in this sort of weather but to snuggle up with a good movie and a nice hot bowl of home made cauliflower and bacon soup.

If only all the worlds problems could be solved with a bowl of soup hey. Take care and have a warm and safe weekend folks.