Flowerese

As I was expecting a phone-call from the electrician, and Vernon our flooring guy was still busy with his noisy grinding machine in the hallway, it seemed a good idea to retreat into the conservatory, which is a bit more isolated and soundproofed from the grinder.

If it wasn’t for the fact that the conservatory becomes extremely hot around midday onwards, and if I was an author, then I would most certainly spend the lion’s share of my time in the conservatory – one could not wish for a better natural environment setting, sights and sounds.

Whilst thinking about formulating the subject matter for the next blog (being the fixing down of the vinyl floor), my attention wandered over to the edge of the lawn, where Coco the Cat frequently sits, deep in thought, generally with his back to the open lawn.

(Above): One of the spots near the rose trellis, where Coco the Cat frequently sits quite motionless for up to an hour on occasions. He does not lie down and sleep: no, this is a sitting up, posture-aware, deep-in-thought kitty.

Firstly, I must apologise to Brynn (and to Coco) for spelling his name with a “a” suffix – Cocoa instead of Coco. I was under the impression that the cat contained brown-ish cocoa-ish coloured fur, rather than resembling a French fashion lady or the Latvian Nicolai Poliakoff’s famous silly clown.

Some 30 minutes later, Coco is still looking at the lone flower.

(Above): The jury is still out – the possibilities are really endless. Perhaps some readers of this blog would like to come up with intelligent suggestions, because this ritual repeats itself on a very regular, if not daily, basis.

At best, Coco may have learned Flowerese, the language used by flowers to communicate with other plants. Or Coco may simply be considering the gardening options as to the various alternatives which could be planted for the upcoming summer season.

Or perhaps he’s heard of that human occupation of watching the grass grow?

Et cetera or Air-ketter-aa?

A comment about the Latin expression for “and other things” or “and all the rest”: Just as we cannot agree on how to pronounce the English “pergola” or “tomato”, we are at odds as to how Julius Caesar (Kai-Zer) would have said Etc: Did he say “et-setter-aa”, because they said “e” generally not pronouncing the “t” and the “c” was a hard “k”. My belief is that he would have said “air-ketter-aa”

Whether Julius Caesar said “etsetteraa” or “airketteraa” makes no real difference, because I am simply referring to “the others” at Chartwell. To give their existence due acknowledgement, and to place them on a footing equal with Sophie and Bennie (as if that could ever be imagined!), allow me to introduce the two cats, Jade and Cocoa.

I do not want to enter the debate as to whether either/or of these is female or male, or interchangeable as their mood permits, suffice to say that they are referred to as “he” or “she” during the course of such conversations.

(Above): This is Et Cetera Uno, known as Cocoa, according to his/her colouring. This is one feline with which the dogs will not argue. Cocoa will sleep comfortably in the sun, taking up more than his fair share of the dog mattress, leaving the dogs to share the remaining bit, or simply to use the floor. Cocoa also stands on hind legs to be able to drink water from the dog’s 30 litre water bucket.Cocoa stands his ground and gives way for no-one.

(Above): Cocoa “shares” the dogs’ bed with the dogs – fair and square (in cocoa’s mind) in the ratio 50/50.  Sort of.

 
(Above) This is Et Cetera Duo, known as Jade. Jade is fairly aloof, not associating with fellow feline Cocoa, nor with the dogs. He/she spends most of his/her time either in safety sleeping on Tyler’s bed, or else in the sunshine atop the tall drinking water reservoir (more than two metres above the ground) and out of sight of all and sundry (including Et Cetera Uno!)