DH was away, and Other Chap (OC) was away, so I've been going to do the allotment chooks each day. It's been good to see them. I wish I'd thought about it more carefully, I could have wormed them as I'm seeing them every day anyway.
The Littlees have at last developed a taste for green veg, so I've been buying loads to make sure they have plenty.
Small Person and her family popped by on Friday so that I could finish her leggings (see previous post). They were off on holiday.
My Friday evening was meant to be me watching my new box-set, Once Upon a Time, Season 7. I planned to start watching in the early evening, and then to keep watching until my eyes could take no more.
I started watching the first episode.
And then I had a phone call from Small Person's dad, my cousin. Their cat had come in and had obviously been hit by a car.Their vet was just closing, so they were sent to the emergency Vet, a few miles down the road from me. The cat needed to be anaesthetised for the xray, it had eaten when it dragged itself home, and so the xray couldn't be done until Saturday morning. They were due to go on holiday that day.
No problem. Happy to help. Cat could come here, assuming he was OK to leave the Vet.
My Saturday was spent phoning the emergency vets, to see if the necessary xray had taken place, and fitting in everything else around that. The Vet explained that they had had some emergencies come in, and they would do it at 1. Then 3. Then 7. Each time I was told that someone would phone me when it was done.
I later realised that these were, literally, emergency vets. They take over a practice overnights and over bank holidays, and they provide an emergency service for lots of surgeries in the area. This meant that every animal that came in to them was an emergency of some sort.
DH popped home on Saturday, and immediately set to work getting our summerhouse ready for looking after the cat. He's not castrated (the cat, I mean), so we had to protect the walls and the floor, just in case. We excavated the loft to find a cat basket that had not been recently used by our cats, and we also found some VetBed which was new and unused. And a litter tray. And cat litter.
On Sunday morning, I phoned again and they confirmed that they had now done the Xray. Cat had a broken pelvis, an operation was unnecessary (there was nothing that could be operated on), and he just needed to heal. I could collect him that afternoon. Phone again at lunchtime.
While I waited I started pressing the grapes that Small Person's parents had given me. A previous, test, pressing had shown that 1kg of grapes would yield about 950g after de-stalking, and this would deliver about 860ml of juice using the slow juicer. I did the whole bag, a lot of grapes, and stood the jugs of juice in the fridge to settle overnight.
I collected Cat, and installed him in his temporary accommodation, and tried to do some stuff relating to the upcoming party.
On Monday, I got up early to do the chickens so I could sort out a few other things.
, and I attempted to make grape jelly. It didn't set, and I haven't had any Certo (pectin), or any enthusiasm, to reboil it.
I went to Ikea, to get some cheap glasses for the upcoming party. I will never again go to Ikea on a Bank Holiday. Their stock system leaves a lot to be desired. Usually items show as "in stock", "low stock" or "out of stock". Some of the things I wanted were "in stock", but when I got there they were no where to be found. The two assistants I asked for assistance were no assistance at all. I ended up having to go round again, scrutinising the displays and taking stuff off the displays to try and get what I needed.
I don't think I've ever spent so long in an Ikea.
I had planned to pop in to Costco on the way back, but Costco had closed by the time I finished.
This morning, I had to get up early and get back to the emergency vet to collect the cat basket. They'd denied having it, which is why we had to excavate ours, but it turns out they did. Cat was due at his own Vet today, and I wanted to use his basket instead of our bag (better structure for a cat with a broken pelvis).
I also had to go and buy some more cat litter and a second litter tray, and run some more errands including seeing to the allotmenteers.
The Cat's Vet apppointment took some time, and I was relieved to get home. I need to go to Costco, but I just can't face it now.
I still haven't unwrapped the new edible ink printer, either. That was delivered last Thursday. I may have to forgo the icing on the cake.
