Enjoying an old childhood song. Just the first verse here. Practising with the birds is amazing. Lonesome Pole Cat 🎶

Day 22. Dancing in the sunshine mmmm mmmm. Warm golden glitter ball in the sky shining down. Tunes playing. Birds singing. Body warm. Springtime sun in England is gentle and loving. Soft sunshine kisses make me rosy and bright. Listening to Gabriel and Dresden - The Only Road ❤️ smooth.

A song to uplift you - Tye Tribbet - You Are Good ❤️💛🧚‍♀️🧚‍♂️💛❤️ 🎶

Good morning world. Today I’m grateful for my determined legs. I’m grateful for my sturdy boots. I’m grateful for Simon. He’s there in difficult moments and beautiful ones. ❤️

Day 21. Back on it today. Dancing with the moves of a girl who has missed her previous rave session. On a new dancefloor, in a different kitchen. I love dancing on tiles. They’re so smooth. I also love dancing next to an aga when I’m cold. It gradually turns into a sauna session and I can strip down. I had two scarves on and didn’t even realise. I’ve been thinking how important it is to keep being grateful for what I have and avoid moaning. It’s so depressing. I try to to see beauty first and stay uplifted and in happy reflection. Dwelling is an unhealthy past time too and a bit of a time suck. That’s what cat’s have taught me. Stay present. No need to dwell. They’d be a mess if they dwelled. Stars now. Lots around here. Sparkling bright. Nebuchan - Frank T.R.A.X made me reach up high.

Warm sun on my face. Baby lambs bleating. Jawdaws discussing. Cold wind. Distant tractors. A car. A cattle grid vibrating. Lots of dogs barking and howling far off. Pigeons cooing. Pheasants sqawking. Many birds singing many songs. Robins, Wrens, chaffinches. Dogs barking louder and faster now, like they’re all running somewhere together. A chainsaw connecting with a tree. Machinery grating metal on metal. Ok time to come inside. It’s loud. Coming from the countryside in south England to north is a sensory experience. My senses are heightened. Everything is new.

Found some super cute images from The Wind in the Willows in the cottage. They’re painted on plates and hung on the wall. Artist unknown.

This is a mega dairy. It’s huge. Cows here never go outside. Never see sun or grass. Get milked all day through midnight. It used to be a little farm where cows had freedom. They’d mosey on down the lane a couple of times a day, end up in people’s gardens, chew the cud, breathe in fresh air. There’s an eery silence over that place. It’s unsettling. If people feel they need to drink milk, drinking organic milk means cows see daylight and have more freedom. And that’s the most important thing in life. Freedom.

Bunnies play, jackdaws chat, wrens sing, breeze blows, sun shines in my paradise garden. I got me some space here.

Day off dancing today. Did a bit of wiggling in the service station…😊 So I’m excited to dance again tomorrow with the help of this beauty. An absolute gem of a solo rave up is coming. Sounds of loveliness are on their way yippeeeee 😄

Super long day! The kitties waved us goodbye then we were off. We stopped in to see Simon’s work colleagues half way up the country (and cause mischief) and now we’re north. In Yorkshire. In the middle of nowhere. With peace and quiet and sheep and rabbits and so many stars. 🌟

Day 20. Danced the whole day away. Tidying a house with the music turned UP is just the best. It’s been an amazing house-sit. I’ve learnt some lessons here. Communicate truthfully with people. Don’t repress emotions. Make friends. Don’t let boy cats near my stuff (spray time!).

Last photos of the gorgeous Tunbridge Wells kitty cat clan. Tomorrow a new adventure will be upon us. So long Cookie, Leo and Buzz. You really are the cutest.

Something wonderful happened yesterday. There was a knock at the door, I was down the other end of the house, a long way away. So I ran. I ran through the house like Tinkerbell. Weaving, dodging, climbing, gliding, leaping. With smiles. Without pain. All the way to the door🧚‍♀️

Shoes are important to me. They are a lifeline. They help me be vertical and comfortable. I’m not so confident or pain free when I’m barefoot. My legs have, in a nutshell, mechanical challenges. I’m grateful I can dance. I’m grateful I have comfy shoes, I’m grateful I have legs.

Following on from yesterday’s ponderings about space, I’m feeling super serene today as we move out of the house we’ve lived in for three weeks. When we first started this house-sitting adventure last year, our car was brimming. We’d sold everything in our house but still had a car and roof box full of stuff including a two harps and a computer. Then we downsized again and felt even lighter. We sold loads more stuff including the computer and a harp and gave other bits to charity. We’ve continued to shed. My suitcase closes without having to sit on it now 😄. It used to be full to bursting. The space in the car is abundant. The space in my heart is abundant too meaning living simply keeps my mind clear and let’s me focus on creating beauty. Being a producer rather than a consumer. It’s addictive to give things away now but also reminds me to think hard before buying things in the first place and think, is it useful? Do I really want to bring this into my life? Then I have time to feel free and happy rather than heavy and burdened by stuff.

Oh Cookie. What a sweet little Tinkerbell you are. Light and dainty, chatty and kind. If I had a cat I would wish her to be like you ❤️

Day 19. Tonight in my dance I got to thinking about simplicity and space. I love space. I move through space and feel free and empowered in my body, not worried about banging into anything. I feel a sense of relief in the simplicity of a space. In the homes I house-sit, I see rooms full of objects. Often there is no room to move and stretch out fully. There are big sofas, tables with trinkets on, tables in front of windows making them unopenable, side tables full to bursting with ornaments, coffee tables, stools with papers on, cluttered desks with no space, so many chairs…. Each day, I spend more time inside than out, so it’s important to have the right balance between practicality, aesthetics and expanse. Too many things feels constricting. I know people who can’t stop buying things. It’s suffocating them, making them ill. They’re being swallowed up by their own stuff. Scary! The more they have, the less they appreciate each object because it gets lost in a sea of other objects. I want to breathe into my space. Breathe in its purity. I want to honour it. Steve Jobs’ perfect room set up was a record player and a light. And lots of…Space. Amazing. I want to take this lesson forward for when I finally settle down. Less is more.

Yes Leo. You are definitely King of the Castle 🥳 Eeeek.

We put the pens up here to get them out the way of Leo who loves to nibble the ends. But alas, there is no mountain that cannot be climbed, no dresser that shall not be mounted to reach the sacred pens of loveliness. 😄

Oh Buzz. You really are the best snuggler. Anytime, any place, anywhere.

The Cat Whisperer

I want to tell you about something sweet and beautiful that Simon did yesterday. Little Cookie cat had been in the hot conservatory for a long time snoozling. Then she was outside by the hot tub steps and he just knew she was looking for a puddle of water to drink from. So he brought water to her. A big bowl of fresh spring water and she lapped it up for ages. This level of observation, thought, kindness and care is just so beautiful. You are wonderful Simon 😄 I love you ❤️ Thank you for being you 🌟

One wiggly ribbon, three cats in position ready to pounce. Quite like breakdancers who give one another room to show off their skills, each kitty has their moment against the ribbon of desire. Buzz jumps high. So high that I shriek with delight and fall into giggles as he surprises himself on landing. Leo pounces with paws open wide, so fast and low he’s always too quick for me. He flies through the air like something possessed striking again and again at supersonic speed. And Cookie, well she takes it easy. The ribbon of desire may or may not get swatted as it passes slowly in front of her. She’ll get back to you on that one after she’s taken an eight hour nap. They all have their free styles and it’s fun to watch. I love them dearly and will miss them very much (except for the rabbit episode - I won’t miss that one little bit 😬).

One wiggly ribbon, three cats in position ready to pounce. Quite like breakdancers who give one another room to show off their skills, each kitty has their moment against the ribbon of desire. Buzz can jump high, so high that I shriek with delight and giggles at his moves. Leo pounces with claws open, so fast and low he’s almost always too quick for me.