They love being outside at night time, the cats. They’ve dozed all day in the heat, and they come alive in the cool of the evening. Sometimes they refuse to come in at bedtime, and stay out on patrol all night. Uncle Herbert howls outside the kitchen when he wants to come in. Sometimes as early as 5am. But last night the howling started a lot earlier than that…at 12.15 am! Yes, I had been asleep for all of 40 minutes.
Uncle Herbert
I went downstairs to the kitchen and opened the door. Herbert was sitting on the path, but instead of darting inside, he just stared at me and howled again.
Animals are very intelligent and they do their best to communicate with us. So what was he trying to tell me? A shape appeared at the gate. It was Monty! Then I understood – Herbert did not want Monty to be left outside on his own. He would not come in without Monty!
Monty
Now, there are 2 routes into our garden when the gate is shut. Over the low wall at the back, or over the high wall via the tree platforms at the front. But Monty was sitting outside the gate, saying ‘Meeeh!’ Despite his considerable size, he sounds like a little mouse. After 8 years, I still find it slightly surprising.
‘Meeeeh!’ he said again. I have learned what this means, when he sits outside the gate. It means ‘I would like Premium service, human. I do not wish to navigate the wheelie bin, the high wall, and the tree platforms, in order to get into the garden, on this occasion, thank you’.
So, in pyjamas and bare feet, I went down the steps, opened the gate, picked up all 8kgs of Monty, and carried him into the house, with Uncle Herbert trotting after us.
And where was Larry, when all this was going on? He was asleep in bed with the OH, being a good boy, for once.
Larry
Knitting Revolution 