August 1999

** Aslan's disclaimer ** for some reason, this post and the next few do not show correctly

and there is an issue with the "word wrap" hence some words are split between lines.

I have tried what I can to amend this, please bear with me, normal service is resumed after

the next few blog entries xx

Yay!  Imprisonment ended!  However, as I am so desperate to get out and     explore, it is fair to say that this does not go according to Mum's plan.  Mum    carries me outdoors – neither the back nor the front garden are enclosed, and there are lots of open fields and farm land/yards about.  I take the opportun- ity to a) demonstrate my athleticism and b) enjoy FREEDOM so I leap out of  her arms and “leg it” across the lawn, up a massive tree and on to a 10 foot   high wall between my house and the next house (as you can tell, I had this   PLANNED!)  I had noticed that there was a high wall as there are a lot of brick build sheds attached to it on our side of the wall (I had noticed this from the study window) and that there were big trees for easy access.  I demonstrate my prowess by stalking across the wall several times then nonchalantly sitting and having a wash.  I studiously ignore the cries and pleas of “Aslan”, come   here babes, please” and the next thing I know, Mum and Dad are in the next door garden with the neighbours, who I now know are called Pam and Gordon  (they have a dog called Meg too)   Gordon says, “Hello cat, don't look at me  with that supercilious expression” (I am not quite sure what this means, I willhave to look it up ... “never be afraid to fill in the gaps in your knowledge – it is never too late” ) but although they are not “cat people” I can tell, they  think I am a “very fine cat indeed” (that's from a quote!)    I jump off the wall on my side whilst they are still in the other garden (humans do have a bit of a design fault when it comes to jumping and climbing unlike us cats) and by     the time they have come the long way round, I am GONE down the driveway  and into the farm yard for a proper old “nebs” at EVERYTHING.  Lots of bits of machinery (I will take care as it could be dangerous, but it looks great fun to  climb and investigate), lots of space, warm sheds, hay, grass, crops, rodents! (I am a champion hunter, I think) hideouts – I think this is not a bad place to live – I may well have landed on all 4 paws. 

 I am so into nosing about and   having my freedom back that I forget to go   back for my tea, or supper, and I  don't realise just how worried Mum is.  The next day I am sauntering up to thehouse when she spots me and calls, I come running and have some food,  she picks me up for a chutch and is about to go back into the house –NOOOHHH!  I squirm and scratch, Mum drops me and I  land badly – she feels guilty, but I am not hurt, and in fact within 20 seconds I am on the wall again.  This time Mum gets a ladder out, picks me up and I  scratch her (she still has this scar   years later) and I am off.  It is only later  in the day when I see her walking down the road asking other further neigh-   bours if they have seen me, that I feel a (very tiny) bit remorseful.  I go back and have a love up with Mum, and I think we both have the measure of each  other now – food, drink, a warm bed, a safe home and lots of love will always be available here, and the farm is mine to explore as I please as long as I am careful.....yay, best of both  worlds then ( I am one lucky cat !)  However,     there are loads of places to explore and I am working on a plan …...I've tried  to enlist Will, but he didn't seem very interested, or maybe he didn't under-   stand (being only a dog)  I'm not sure he would be the best side-kick to have anyway...........I may be the brains of the operation, but I want someone who could follow a simple instruction and not be distracted by a dog biscuit or a    human calling!

Me, nonchalently strolling back into the kitchen (Mum says to say the photo is in bad light and the floor is not really that dirty!)