This and that

Ste Agnès

I'm still struggling to get our big PC working properly. I've reloaded the operating system and it worked fine, then we seem to have got a virus - heaven knows how it got through the firewall and the anti-virus software but I gave it a Lemsip and it got better. Now it's started giving me funny messages, something to do with Visual Basic, hunting for the solution to that the virus came back again so I had to repair the operating system (trying Beechams Powders this time).

Now the screen is playing up and I lost the use of the webcam which was working nicely with Skype last week.

So, between doing the housework and getting lunch I've been sorting out Skype (webcam now working again), and now we're going through a mammoth defragmentation, which is soooooo slow!

It was great to use the webcam as we were able to 'see' our grandsons over the weekend. Jack has lost his two front teeth - with a little help from the school playground I hear - Leo is talking much more than he was and they both seemed to enjoy seeing us too. Hopefully this means that Leo will find us a little less frightening next time we see him in a few weeks' time. This may not be the case of course as he might think we are very small people who live in a computer. He was looking behind the screen for us the other day when we were talking to him and he kept kissing the screen. Can't wait until we see him for real.

We've been making the most of some milder weather and sat out in the garden the other day. We were just chatting when Figgy appeared with one of his little mouse friends that he likes to bring back from time to time for a game of tag. I don't think the mice much appreciate it but he thinks they are more fun that the balls he usually plays with indoors. Figgy and the mouse took a breather and we were astonished to be joined by a young tabby kitten. We were more astonished by Figgy's and Misty's behavour - they just sat and watched it as surprised as we were. The kitten clambered all aound the veranda of the chalet, where we were sitting, rubbed itself up against us and generally tried to make itself very appealing.

We were steadfastly ignoring it (we're certain it comes from our new neighbours) when suddenly the mouse decided it had had enough of a break and made a bid for freedom. Figgy went to go after it but our new friend, who was a good 20 yards further away than he, also leapt into action and got there first.

We expected a battle, a chase and lots of caterwauling but Figgy just let them go! He and Misty just watched the kitten 'deal with' the mouse in it's own way. If they could have been sitting with dropped jaws I'm sure they would have - so would we. In fact the only time Figgy growled at the kitten was when it tried to walk round behind him - he obviously felt a little threatened.

Yesterday the little thing was back again, trying to climb through the kitchen window (which was shut) and looking very endearing.

We don't want to encourage it so ignore the little scrap, whilst not wanting to chase it away - next door is not so far after all. We are trusting to our cats to let this one know whose territory it is here. Not that previous actions lead us to believe they are capable of it!