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Yikes, Suzy, I think a lot of allegedly fit people would find that a challenge!
Derek wrote: "Our new puppy was born today, in fact we have a choice of two brown males. His name will be Magni."Good going Derek. Glad for ya dude.
And speaking of pets, I'm wondering if anyone could advise me on a situation involving a certain pussy. No I'm not considering an affair and it's nowt to do with Are You Being Served. Said pussycat has been causing problems for our daughter and her two cats who live next door.Putin (we called him that because he's a bad-ass and takes territory that doesn't belong to him) has been visiting our property for a year or two and likes to get into our greenhouse and take a nap. The fact that we have dogs bothers him not a bit. Never been a problem before so we've let him come and go as he pleases.
Now it seems he's decided to expand his empire a little more and has taken to sitting on the fence next door waiting for the cats to come out who he then proceeds to hassle.. There's two of them but he's a big bugger and fearless. Every single day from around 8 till dark he's started doing this. Also when approached by our daughter (she tried to befriend him) he lashes out. Actually bit her on the hand once!
First thought to be a stray, we then discovered that he belongs to the farm on the back field and is in fact a Maine Coon cross. I know nowt about cats or whether MCs are particularly aggressive; this one appears to be. I've known the dude who owns the farm since we were kids and he's not an unreasonable type, but we can't expect him to keep his cat inside all the time when it's so obviously an outdoor sort.
Any suggestions welcome.
I wonder if he's neutered - difficult to see since MCs are very furry? There's a ginger and white entire tom who lives at the end of our cul-de-sac who is aggressive and unconcerned about territorial rights. The dog gets all giddy when she sees it but is wary of actually approaching it since it sits, watches and ignores her frantic barking and attempts to lunge, it's that 'ard! We're pretty sure he has got into scraps with and the better of our neutered tom Louis requiring two mildly expensive visits to the vets to deal with infected wounds. The folks who own him don't seem the sort to take social responsibility seriously but if you're a friend of the owner then maybe explaining the problem and suggesting neutering would do a lot to fix the problem? Neutered toms don't roam as far, are less aggressive and usually live longer, healthier lives as a result.
Y'know, I think he might still have his. Like ya say tho, his coat is so damn thick. Will have to get that confirmed.Wun't say me n the farmer are friends as such - tho we were as kids but our families kinda both got the funnies on with each other (like folk do) at some point far in the past for reasons I forget. Stopped having owt to do with each other since then but he's a pleasant enough fella and will still say hello or wave from ye old tractor and such.
Seeing as we last proper conversed when I was about 8 or 9 yrs old, I'm not sure how to approach him on the matter of his cat's nads. : )
Thanks for the suggestion anyways Brass; may well turn out to be our only option.
Some years ago, we had a similar problem with a mis-named 'Daisy'. We left our cats' food in an alcove in the kitchen by the back door which was glazed with patterned glass. Daisy would sit just out of sight outside and as soon as Tip and Coco started to eat would charge the door to frighten them off. Pointless, as there was no way to get at the food from outside but the noise of the impact was quite alarming, even to us.We moved the food and resorted to chasing her off with a water pistol but that only worked when we were around. It went on for a year or so, when eventually Daisy disappeared, either moved away or died. Tricky one!
Yeah Isabella, there seems to be a lot of that about; we found out his actual name is 'Alfie' but he doesn't look like an Alfie to me. We/I christened him 'Putin' not just for the reasons I gave above but also because an old mate of mine had a cat regularly visit his house and sit on top of the coal-house. Whenever I came up the path with my dog, he'd throw himself off the roof at the dog and me. He was a proper mental! We christened him 'Rasputin' and this recent visitor brought back those memories. For the record, we don't know if Putin has been neutered or not. I thought he wasn't but Daughter informs me that I'm thinking of another cat that used to visit our greenhouse. That one was indeed a stray because others in the area fed it on a regular basis. Notice I speak in past tense of this other cat. Not been seen for quite a while. Wonder why that might be? Could it be in the shape of a psychotic Maine Coon perhaps?
Our greenhouse is obviously the Caesars Palace of the feline world. : )
Dutch government offering to resign! No such luck with our shower of shit. Pardon me French. Right. I'm off to do some sit-ups because belly is starting to sag a bit. I mean it's been a tad too large for a few years but it kinda had a more 'solid' look to it. Alas, no more. It's gone a bit wobbly. The muscles in that location have obviously given it up.
TMI?? Sorry.
"I'm off to do some sit-ups" - like you're actually going anywhere!!! Just don't tell us about your tantric sex routines.
Get some thick gloves and two housebricks. One of you grab him and lift his tail then the other does a 'street' neutering with the bricks?
... ! ... dontcha dare, Mr B ! ... or we might just practice on you first! - LOL!!! ;o>
Blastro, I'd invest in a couple of Water Pistols like Isabella suggested and get your Youngest involved in an early evening Game of Soak The Cat ;o>Other ideas might be to have a motion-activated Sensor Light that shines directly onto just where he likes to perch on the Fence - so long as it doesn't annoy any of the other Neighbours by having one coming on. And maybe putting up something sharp and prickly or spike-like on the Fence - those types of things that you can fit to deter Burglars - so he won't want to be jumping up and sitting in wait for the Cats on there!
If you keep on unsettling him and making his habit of hanging around to be as unpleasant as is possible for him then he'll surely soon stop doing it. You obviously won't be able to stop him from going for your Cats on the outside of your Garden but it sounds like it's high time to reinforce the fact that your Garden is NOT his territory - that it belongs to your Cats - and they should be left alone to wander around it in peace and safety ;o>
Ha ha yeah ok I'm doing sit-ups a couple of feet away from the laptop but it just sounded better like that. Like I'm off to my own gym or summat. Actually still haven't got around to em... but have done a cross-trainer session. Err, that's not in me own gym either... it's behind the sofa. Used to do loadsa sit-ups in my much younger days but it's been a long long time since I've as much as thought about em. This gonna be tough. Wonder if I can even manage five? I'll be honest and say so upon returning.Tantric sex? I ... or rather t'other half wishes. : )
To be honest, I can't say I've ever noticed much of any difference to all of the neutered Cats around here over the years personality-wise - as there have always been vicious territorial Cat Fights from time to time that have often required chasing off, water soaking, and even Saucepan banging to break up. I think some Cats just come with a certain kind of cattitude! ;o>
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Blastro, I'd invest in a couple of Water Pistols like Isabella suggested and get your Youngest involved in an early evening Game of Soak The Cat ;o>Other ideas might be to have a motion-activated..."
Bugger water pistols, get a Supersoaker and Blastro 'im good and proper!
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Super-Soaker...
Yeah might give the water pistol thing a go. Can't do much re the fence cos he'll just find another spot. He sometimes even sits outside the kitchen door! It's hard not to feel sorry for him when it's this cold but... apart from the fact that he reacts badly to being approached, Blastronette's two cats really don't like him. And who can blame em when he's so damn intimidating and has already come close to tearing one of them a new one.And I promise thee Suze - Putin has a most definite 'Screw you, this is now MY territory' look in his eyes' that be for sure. I mean I'm sure there's sattelite images of his tanks (paws?) crossing our borders but he'll just deny it and say he's a separatist... and maybe even offer proof of the many days spent in our greenhouse to back up his claims! He's not supposed to be here but ours is just a small garden compared with the might of the much larger Farm. I mean it's like taking a water pistol to a fight with a combine harvester! : )
Isabella wrote: "Yikes, Suzy, I think a lot of allegedly fit people would find that a challenge!"The reason for all of the sets of Steps is because the centre of Stockport is built on top of and all around a 240 million year old Red Sandstone Cliff overlooking what was once a very important Roman Ford over the River Mersey, Isabella.
There are other huge Cliffs nearby and many of them have Caves carved into them that folk actually lived in until the early 1900's - and some are still in use although they house Lock-up Units for local Businesses these days.
The huge one in the Town Centre has a labyrinth of Tunnels carved through it that made up the old Air Raid Shelters. The smallest of the Tunnel Shelters could accommodate up to 2,000 people and the largest 3,850. They subsequently expanded to take up to 6,500 people during Bombing Raids on Stockport and quite a few people chose to move in and live there for days and nights and even for several weeks at a time.
Over the last 25 years these Tunnels have been re-opened and explored and set up as a fascinating underground Museum and Tourist Attraction. ...
You can see the Tunnels here ... https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=sto...
Blastronaut wrote: "Yeah might give the water pistol thing a go. Can't do much re the fence cos he'll just find another spot. He sometimes even sits outside the kitchen door! It's hard not to feel sorry for him when i..."Hmmm? ... so you might want to consider asking the Police or the Armed Forces as to where a Civilian Army of Blastronauts could possibly hire a Water Cannon from?!! ... HA HA HA HA HA!!! ;o>
"Our greenhouse is obviously the Caesars Palace of the feline world"close, you're getting too close to the truth, blastro, but geenhouses are portals for wormholes linking this world to one of 100% feline population. once they've flooded the world with agents, a given signal will trigger the take-over. it will be swift..............and fluffy!
proof of the above comes in the form of bob (the first), who was taken out when he threatened to blow the lid off, and bob z,, who has yet to wilt under torture. both came from THE GREENHOUSE! all we can do is watch.....................and wait! just don't run out of ******* dreamies!
Oooh?!! ... I'll never look at our Greenhouse the same way ever again now!
suzysunshine7 wrote: "Blastronaut wrote: "Yeah might give the water pistol thing a go. Can't do much re the fence cos he'll just find another spot. He sometimes even sits outside the kitchen door! It's hard not to feel ..."Pity he's a couple of years late to buy Bozza's water cannons, then again Blastro'd probably want them to work? What HAS Bozza actually made work smoothly, timely and effectively?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...
"What HAS Bozza actually made work smoothly, timely and effectively?"tbf, his boaby seems to be all those things!
EUWWW!!! - tech!!! ;oOI feel sorry for all of his Kids ... they must turn on TV every day in the hope of some light-hearted entertainment and instead and there's their mostly estranged deliberately daft-acting and yet downright devious Dad with his silly Hair and silly asides bluffing his way through yet another Public Announcement or Interview.
I wonder if they all rely on DVDs just to avoid having to keep on seeing him?
Tech XXIII wrote: ""What HAS Bozza actually made work smoothly, timely and effectively?"tbf, his boaby seems to be all those things!"
OK, he's a guaranteed wanton impregnator. Anything socially or economically useful?
He's very likely helped to increase the number of Hair Appointments at Barber's Shops and sales of Hair Clippers and Hair Control products? ... because no other men really want to have a Hair Cut and a style that looks anything quite like Boris, do they?
"Anything socially or economically useful?"no
Tech XXIII wrote: ""Anything socially or economically useful?"no"
Agreed.
Tech XXIII wrote: ""What HAS Bozza actually made work smoothly, timely and effectively?"tbf, his boaby seems to be all those things!"
And it would probably do a better job than Gavin "Private Pike" Williamson as education secretary.
Stuck a couple of photos of mum and pups in my profile.It's the mum's first litter and she doesn't look all that impressed! She seems to be doing her job OK though.
She looks very serene to me. And the pups look very healthy. Which collar is Magni?
Val wrote: "She looks very serene to me. And the pups look very healthy. Which collar is Magni?"We don't know which one is Magni yet and won't get to pick which of the two brown males is going to be Magni for a couple of weeks at least.
As soon as we know I'll post again.
Brown boys are the one in a red collar and the one in the (not very manly) mauve collar. New pics on profile show them a bit more clearly.
Gordon wrote: "Tech XXIII wrote: ""What HAS Bozza actually made work smoothly, timely and effectively?"tbf, his boaby seems to be all those things!"
And it would probably do a better job than Gavin "Private Pike" Williamson as education secretary"
And Justin "Wonga" Tomlinson as Minister for Disabled People, Health & Work ;o<
Derek wrote: "Stuck a couple of photos of mum and pups in my profile.It's the mum's first litter and she doesn't look all that impressed! She seems to be doing her job OK though."
Awww, poor Mum looks proud but absolutely shattered ;o>
And all of the Pups look so strong and healthy and absolutely gorgeous ;o>
I must admit though that I'm drawn, as always, to the black ones.
Thought you looked familiar tech; you've been squeezing through those bloody gateways haven't you? Possibly passing through our greenhouse on yer journeys? : )Having said that, I'm pretty sure Putin guards that portal very well. He's actually asleep in our gre... our hotel/casino as I type.
ha ha, call me mr stargate!be warned tho' - you've probably been CHOSEN! auld putin might fancy he'd be better off with you rather than with who he belongs to!
Going back to friendship, spoke to an old friend of mine on that Facebook messenger thing, his first words 'How are you, you soft southern git'.Ah yes the male forms of endearment
LMAO
And not only that but the fecker was in bed, where he'd been allday, watching Netflix, and drinking Whiskey.
Fkr.
"the fecker was in bed, where he'd been allday, watching Netflix, and drinking Whiskey" - despite having retired the puritan streak in me shudders at the thought of such extended and dissolute idleness! I wish I could be like that but I have to 'earn' my leisure by doing something useful each day (I washed all the windows and took Minnie on two walks totalling 3.5 hours since absolutely no-one asked).Minnie, ultra-friendly pooch that she is, went up to a woman who was crouching and trying to get her dog to come back to her. She started to fuss Minnie and suddenly exclaimed, "I know you, you were in my Tik-Tok video!" I guess she's memorable then? I have not seen said video nor have I ever been on Tik-bloody-Tok. It's an age thing.
Tech XXIII wrote: "ha ha, call me mr stargate!A tad self-aggrandising? Perhaps Mr Stairgate?
I'm on first name terms with tech and so I get to call him Stannah ;o>
Brass Neck wrote: ""the fecker was in bed, where he'd been allday, watching Netflix, and drinking Whiskey" - despite having retired the puritan streak in me shudders at the thought of such extended and dissolute idle..."Yep I know what you mean. I suppose my chances of such idleness are nil, as my house is full of children who have all their various needs :0
My mate can drink whiskey and sloth allday as he only has adult children and he lives alone.
It could be a temporary shut-down and switched-off life choice? - but it could also be a bad case of being in a really deep Depression? Either way, it sounds like it was a very good time and a good thing to get in touch with him now ... to remind him that he has got friends who are thinking of and caring about him.
suzysunshine7 wrote: "It could be a temporary shut-down and switched-off life choice? - but it could also be a bad case of being in a really deep Depression? Either way, it sounds like it was a very good time and a go..."
Yep, tough times, Suzy. I can't think of anyone I've spoken to recently who isn't struggling with this latest lockdown and virus surge.
Suze:Find your details about the Stockport tunnels of great interest.
Near us, catacombs in Warstone Lane Cemetery in Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter were used as air raid shelters during WW2, though have now been bricked up.
Also in south of the West Midlands, in a town called Kinver, there is a large sandstone outcrop that had rock houses/caves carved and were inhabited until half way through 20th century. One of the houses has now been reconstructed and furnished and is maintained by the National Trust. Cave dwellers are known as Trogladites, even though it conjures up images of people wearing animal skins and going 'clubbing' - armed with cudgels!
Aparently, the houses were dry, and cool in summer, although water was pumped from wells, they used coal fires and candle lighting.
In late Victorian/Edwardian era, there was a tea room opened at the rock houses, and it attracted weekend outings by charabanc from Birmingham and the Black Country, as the nearby Kinver Edge provided an exhilarating and scenic walk, as well.
Re the cat problem: sounds like Putin just needs a bit of love, and a tummy tickle. Just make sure you wear police riot gear and heavy duty gloves before trying it!Either that, or your own cats need to be sent to feline martial arts classes.
Love the theory about the true purpose of greenhouses. How about feral cats - are they the feline renegades?
Yep, think Mad Max 2, where the 'kept' or 'civil' cats are defending the greenhouse from marauding ferals with punk-like hairstyles and dressed like gimps. : )Actually wouldn't rate the chances of any wild cat - or gang of - against old Putin. Not even sure a fox would fare well. He fears nowt.
Three new puppy pics on my profile. They started weaning the pups yesterday, it sort of looks how I imagine dinner at techs place to go:-)
Amazon exiles
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Ten Poems about Snow (other topics)And So This is Christmas: 51 Seasonally Adjusted Poems (other topics)
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Christina Rossetti (other topics)John Keats (other topics)
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A Stopfordian decided to set a Blog dedicated to them and has recently also put together three Town Centre Heritage Trails of the Steps ... Welcome to Stepport! ;o> ...
https://stepport.wordpress.com/
For more fascinating photographs of the Steps and Slopes in Stockport you can also check them out on Google as well ;o> ...
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=ste...