Poor Hydro-puss (by sarah)

Well we took her to the vets this morning and it is an absess that has burst probably from a bit or scratch that became infected from fighting. The vet thinks it is unlickely to be one of our own cats (which due to terratory stuff includes tim and betsy) so that only leaves mystry cat 🙁 I thought he was getting on well with the other cats - him and tim just mew at each other all the time, but then hydrogen is the stupid friendly one out of the cats and has no concept of personal space or boundaries and is always being batted by the other cats for being in their face.

Poor little thing. I had organised a cat box to take her in but then we couldn't fine the house this morning so she had to just be wrapped in a towl and taken in on my lap. Fortunatly (and unfortunatly) the trip Al was supposed to be on was canceled so that ment Jean still got to nursery as dad was here aswell. Hydrogen meowed pitteiously all the way there but stayed very still nestled in my arms rather than really making any attempt to escape.

We thought they'd just clean her up and maybe do some stitches and give an injection but instead she's got to go under and have ther area shaved and cleaned and then drained. She was also running a temperature from the infection. So we have left her there and the vet will phone us later.

Mauled (by sarah)

Poor Hydrogen has been mauled by something she has appeared with a nasty looking cut on the side of her neck and smells funny, there was initially lots of blood but now only slime. I have made her an appointment at the vets for tomorrow morning first thing but unfortunatly I am here on my own today so I can't take her straight in. She seems quiet distressed and keeps mewing and weeing everywhere :'(

Poor little thing. I've made a little bed for her though and shes carmed down abit. I cant even get a taxi as Al has the baby seat and with my back I couldnt make it to the bus stop with baby and cat even if our cat basket wasnt in storage due to flood 🙁

I hope she'll be ok.

I also feel guilty as I have been feeding a rather fine looking stray cat - could he have attacked her? Or some animal she was trying to kill? Or has she just got cut on some wire somewhere? I dont know 🙁

Filters (by sarah)

Finially filters have been fitted on the Mills water supply which being fed from a spring through cracked pipes just happens to be full of stuff like e-coli. There is now a partical filter and a UV tube for killing off the bugs. The UV tube will have to be replaced about once a year I don't know how often the partical filter will need to be changed - but still this now means the waters safe to drink 🙂

This is a great relief when dealing with a two year old who loves water 🙂 They made sure especiallly that the bathrooms water supply was after the filter too.

Re the wriggly monsters I found in the cats water (you can read about that here it turns out Barbara gets the cats water from the water butt outside so no wonder it was full of mosquito lavea!

The Disicated Mouse (by sarah)

The Rainbow people came again on Tuesday and pronounced that we were wetter than the previous week and therefore the property though very damp is naturally that way and they have returned the building to pre-flood levels. This ment they removed all the fans and dehumidifiers and will be signing us off so that the builders can begin their work.

However they did warn us that any floor covering we put down will go moulding in about a year and have suggested various things like ceramic tiles and waterproof layers - flag stones would apparently be the best as they would allow everything to 'breath' properlly. I think that what will probably happen is that a water proof layer will be painted onto the floor again even though that just means all the moisture will just go round it into the wall cuasing problems with plaster - sigh.

We really wish we had some spar cash so that we could sort it all out properlly once and for all but I dont think thats going to happen for a while yet.

We also found a little shrivelled mummyfied mouse corpse that had been dried out by the dehumidifier - in fact it was pretty much under the machine - I really wish I had a working camera as it was a photo oppertunity I'll probably never have again - gross but interesting - sigh I'm not sure that artist and scientist is such a good mix somethimes!

The Dipper Bird (by sarah)

We apparently have a dipper bird Albert Barbaras gardener informs me - this is a bird that looks like a big wren with a white waistcoat and dives into the water from low laying stones and then 'walks' under water catching things to eat!

I really really want to get a photo of it - its responsible for the strange sounds I've hearing too!