Off to Sunny? Sardinia

In a few minutes Lorenzo will be here and we are off to Genoa to jump on the night ferry to Sardinia. Ahhh... don't you just love the rumble of the big engines and the small waves that help you sleep?! Sardinia will be in flower now and the best: we will probably be alone since the tourist season hasn't started just yet.

The cat will be dropped off in her private hotel in Cuers - luckily the Pension owner is a veterinary assistant as well and don't see a problem in nursing my little (fustrated) kitty. Since she doesn't eat paté, I have cooked enough chicken to last her a week but strangely enough, bringing our own food doesn't give any discount at all... Anyway, the important part is that our cat will be fine there and we don't have to worry.

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Kitty Update

My poor kitty is quite ill and is walking around with a cone on her head.

The vet found a big abscess full of red pus (not blood) next to her bum. In his words this abscess was enormous. But the worst is that he didn't find out why she had developed it which means it might return.

The funny part here is that before Lorenzo could take her home from the vet yesterday, they had to re-disinfect her and my (slightly sentitive to gooy stuff) husband almost fainted holding the unhappy cat down on the table. Bless them!

To say the least, Topolina's not happy. She keeps on scraping the cone along the floor, banging into obstacles and doesn't understand that the cone is there to prevent her from cleaning herself. She also have to take antibiotics for the next 10 days which isn't all that great since we are celebrating our anniversary in Italy the next 5 days and we have to leave her in the Cat Pension.

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Ze Cat is ill

The last few days my little Topolina has been behaving strangely and she has been sleeping a lot. When she came to sit on my lap I got even more worried because she never, never seeks that close contact. (Now I know she was cold and needed to be warmed up, poverina!) So yesterday evening we called the veterinary on call to ask advice as she hadn't been eating or drinking all day long either. He told us it might have been caused by ze bird she caught the other day and to bring her in this morning for a check-up.

It turned out she had 40 in fever and had an infection of some sort around the tail/bum. He couldn't tell before she was sedated and he could touch her without causing pain. I felt guilty for not having noticed she had such a high fever but her nose and ears have been just the right temperature the last few days. The vet calmed me down saying that in some cases that 'trick' doesn't work and the nose stays cold and wet regardless of a fever or not.

When I left the clinic I heard her mewing loudly, something she never does either. It was hard to leave her there but hopefully when I pick her up later this afternoon Dr. Vet would have figured out the why's and how to cure her.

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One Year Anniversary

One year ago, more or less to the minute, we were standing on those steps overlooking the bay in Sestri Levante. If only we could do it all over again; have another glass of Ferrari, dance a little more, eat a little more of that lovely wedding cake... Aaaah, it was all so good. It was a day where my happiness felt like the bubbles in a champagne glass - they just floated to the surface in a continuous stream... And they still do :)

Happy Anniversary amore mio!

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I Jinxed It!

In march I told L : Look the allergy hasn't bothered me this year! Maybe it has gone again??!

Fat chance!

The spring was just a bit later this year and this is the third week where my nose is itching, eyes are sore and just to make it more fun it is even causing a bonchitis. Though I'm still crossing my fingers that I'm wrong, the signs are the same as every other time. Slight sore throat, dry discomfort causing a minor cough and then it keeps on moving down to my lungs and becomes a lot nastier...

Despite my allergies I do love the spring. Yesterday evening I was out walking and took these photos. It's simply the best time of the year when nature comes back to life and there are flowers everywhere.

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Ze Bird message

While Astrid's off making dinner I zought I'd say a few words. Yez I know, you all zougt cats couldn't write but zen I'm no ordinary housecat... I am also pretty, my fur glows in brown in ze sunshine, I'm a princess on my street among all zose male suitors, I make sure I'm never too accessible nor do I ever appear needy - and lastly but not least, you can look but not touch. ' You touch, I bite ' is my motto. Ozzerwise I have to wash my fur again and again! We french kitties have a reputation to keep up you know. Anyway, back to ze point:

After monz of training I finally caugzz, *ehem*, caught a bird. Yup. At first I managed to catch a few butterflies, zen a few double deckers and after zat a lizard. What did my owners say? Yuck! Zen zey tried to convince me zat I had done a good job as a cat - but zeir horrified faces don' fool anyone. So I stopped taking zem into ze house. But zat's not ze worst - no no. Zey didn't get ze message : I wanted a change in my diet!!

Zey have been feeding me home cooked chicken for monz. You zink I should eat zose filzy patés in a box? HA! You zink again! However zey can't go on zinking I can feast on the same zing over and over and yet over again.

So today I caught a bird. My first. A red eyed, black and grey feazzered bee-yootiful little creature. I played. He died. And zen I played again. Zen I showed him off to everyone. Oh, and zen Astrid came out - she winced, said "yuck", checked if ze bird was still alived (I so didn't like being pushed over like zat!) and walked back in again to phone Lorenzo. After 5 minotes she petted me and said I was a good girl following my cat instincts. Of course I am - I never doubted zat!

But ze best?! I am getting home cooked fish for dinner tonight. Zey have understood - finally!!

Since I'm sooo pretty I will add a picture of me in my hunting mode. Ozzerwise I risk hearing you all say... Aaaah, she's cute. But I know zat already. Now you all go taking care of your own kitties and remember that a little cooked ham or fish will make zem even happier. But of course zey will not show it...

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Connection!

Isn't it strange how one unexpected phonecall can make the rest of the day seem brighter and happier? A friend of mine from Italy, well I guess she's still just an acquaintance, just called me to have a chat for no particular reason.

It really made my day!

I've met her many times of course but she's always been the girlfriend of L's friend. And most often they remain just that - someone's girlfriend. I hate it when some people expect you to get along with someone's wife or girlfriend because your husband is a friend/colleague with the other part of the couple. Attraction and connection is not automatic...

In this case though, our friendship have grown over many years and quite a few parties. Even when we lived in Milan I didn't have much contact with her but we always had a great time together those few times we met.

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