Sunday 10 March 2024

Concentrate!

 

Concentrate!

Jellicoe snoozes

On Saturday morning I was feeding the animals, assisted, as ever, by Jellicoe purring round me and giving me encouraging little nips as I measured his insulin in the insanely small hypodermic syringe. There were no B12 capsules to split and spread on his food. He is supposed to have half a capsule every day but it’s difficult impossible to be accurate so he has one capsule every other day.

The routine is well established and I could almost do it in my sleep. Herschel and Jellicoe are fed first, as it’s the only way to stop the incessant yowling. I had switched on the radio, which I don’t normally do, and something interesting caught my attention, something so enthralling that I cannot now remember what it was.

While the cats were happily occupied eating their breakfast, Jellicoe in the kitchen, Herschel in the conservatory, I turned my attention to the dogs. Roxy is always fed first and Gilbert waits patiently. It’s a matter of moments before he can also eat, as Roxy consumes her food rapidly.

When I put Roxy’s dish on the floor, she looked at me with a puzzled expression. Gilbert appeared a little alarmed but he’s a well-mannered pup and doesn’t push in. As soon as Roxy started eating, I realised I’d already fed her and so she was enjoying a generous, unexpected second helping. Her rate of consumption was not noticeably slower and her girth had not
expanded, but she had a smaller supper later on.

Herschel finds a box to sleep in. He is a very long cat!

I’m not usually easily distracted but the radio interrupted my concentration. I’m sure Roxy hopes there will be further lapses.


40 comments:

  1. Oh, how I DO understand becoming so enthralled by something that you cannot remember what it was later when you want to share that enthralling tidbit.

    Roxie might just begin switching on the radio herself at meal times, hoping that you become distracted.

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    1. No opposable thumbs, so it's unlikely ;-)

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  2. At least you didn't say to to Gilbert, "Sorry mate. I fed your share to Roxy".

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  3. Ah so sweet. I bet Roxy enjoyed the extra!

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    1. She certainly did, but her expression was priceless, and so was Gilbert's.

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  4. Your description made me laugh out loud :D Thanks for that :)

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  5. My uncle Herschel was a wise old man and a great role model for your Herschel. Where did you choose the name from, by the way?

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    1. William Herschel was an astronomer and musician. He was born in Germany but came to England when he was 19. Among other planets, he discovered Uranus. He died in Slough, not far from where we live so that's the link. We name our boy cats after famous men!

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  6. Oh, poor Gilbert watching his food go to Roxy! Of course you then fed him too so all is well. Jellicoe is lovely to look at.

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    Replies
    1. Gilbert is such a good boy. He only growls when Jellicoe tries to steal his food.

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  7. Occasionally Gail forgets to fill my food bowl because she's shouting at someone on the radio. (Usually it's at an interviewer failing to as a scientist the right questions about an issue like climate change, renewable energy or some supposed 'breakthrough' in medical research).
    Disappointingly, I don't think she's ever fed me twice.
    Toodle-oo!
    Nobby.

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    Replies
    1. Give it time, Nobby.
      I'm glad to know that we are not the only persons to despair of interviewing techniques.

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    2. Sounds like there is a lot of shouting at radio journalists going on. Quite a bit of it being done here too. Poor Gilbert, but a short wait and his usual feed probably didn't inconvenience him, but I would love to have seen his expression of the injustice of Roxy getting unearned bonus.

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  8. I'm sure she does - and Gilbert is an absolute gentleman! xx

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  9. Looks like their enjoying a well earned sleep,
    after their feed...Bless'em!xx
    Last day of Crufts to~day to, though l have to
    confess it's the only day l ever watch...the final..
    not to bothered with the other heats...let's hope
    it's a proper dog that wins this year, some of the
    'silly' looking ones over the last few years, have
    been a bit of a joke...! I remember one winning
    it, a few years back, with just a very small head,
    and ball of fur, that even touched the ground,
    you could'nt see it's legs, just the head, and ball
    of fur...'ME' l call it cruel, but then The Kennel Club,
    are nowt to should shout home about..! :(.

    My weekend, has gone very well...Whey~Hey..!
    Italy won a rugby match, l did watch some of it, not
    all..in fact it was a bit early, but, l did open a bottle
    of vino, to celebrate, thought l'd drink half, and the
    other half tomorrow, well, you know how it is, you
    can't leave vino lying about in a half empty bottle...! :).

    One more thing that'll make my weekend, is that Liverpool
    can do the business over Man City to~day...! One game
    l'm really looking forward to...HeHe! Will l have enough
    vino...
    And..the sun is popping it's rays through the Paddington
    Bear curtains...What more could one want...! :O).
    🏉 🏉 🏉 🏉 🏉 🏉 🏉 🏉 🏉 🏉 🏉 🏉 🏉

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  10. I was delighted that Italy won, and then England.
    I have no time for the Kennel Club - they have a lot to answer for with their often ridiculous breed standards. I hope a 'proper' dog wins today.

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  11. Grace will happily eat her food and a second dish if she gets the chance, she often would finish Purdy's bowl, we have started feeding Grace a bit more to ensure she is eating enough.

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    Replies
    1. Ah, bless her. I hope she's not pining for Purdy.

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  12. Who needs expensive beds and baskets when a box is better. I'm thinking of getting one myself.

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    Replies
    1. Cardboard is good for insulation, almost as good as a duvet.

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  13. Poor Gilbert! Daughter's dog is not very interested in food, a fact I find amazing after having retrievers.

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    1. A retriever disinterested in food is an unwell retriever in my experience.

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    2. Mr B had one of those - they had called him Dyson in anticipation but he didn't suck up food, and to make it even worse was afraid of water!🙄🤣🤣🤣🤣

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  14. I wonder if Gilbert was then disappointed that his dish did not magically refill with a 2nd helping! And Precious would love if I would lose count of her helpings and give many many many....., you see where this is going.

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    1. He may have been disappointed, but he didn't say anything;-)

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  15. I wish I could have seen the expressions on the dogs' faces! Thank you for a good chuckle this morning. The cats look so very comfortable.

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    1. Maybe I'll do it deliberately one day, just so that I can capture their faces:-))

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  16. I'm sure there weren't any complaints from Roxy, but I can imagine Gilbert being alarmed, however patient a pup he might be ... xxx

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  17. Haha.. happens to the best of us. Lucky Roxy.

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  18. We found it very difficult to get our dog to take her tabs, but she would have wolfed down seconds of food! Ha ha Roxy must have enjoyed thar second helping!

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    1. She certainly did. The next day at breakfast she looked hopeful . . .

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  19. I did enjoy your words and description here, it certainly made me chuckle.

    What is it with cats and boxes!? Our sons two cats both love boxes!

    All the best Jan

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    Replies
    1. It doesn't matter what size the boxes are. Many times cats just sit in insanely small boxes, looking like the reverse of a pea on a drum!

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