Sunburn requires two ingredients. There needs to be a big old burning white orb in the sky and the victim must be outdoors long enough to burn. Neither factor has met in my world for a long time. The weather hasn't been great and so I am never outdoors long. Yesterday though I sizzled but didn't realise it at the time until later when I saw my lobster red reflection. Apart from my stupidity it was great to be outside again. Though I do have to say too much heat made me feel a bit sick after. We spent all of three hours on our tiny patch which is the longest I can remember being out without climbing the walls to get home again. I suppose the fact I was sitting outside my home helped. The highlight of the day for the girls was the daisy chains they helped their mum make as modeled by my eldest above.
The kids are a bit hemmed in. The short video above shows how little room they have to play in. It looks quiet and for the most part it is but cars appear out of nowhere at times and at speed. We also don't like them wandering off too far. But its something. Its better than being stuck in the house. They have a good time regardless and invent their own play. Its very run down around here. There was something a little disturbing I noted up the street a bit which I should have taken a picture of. Over night a hole has appeared in the road. Its not wide but its deep. As I looked it I was amazed at gap. It looks like there is more subsidance around here than I suspected. A bit worrying that.
Lately I've had a question in my head about the cat: In his old age has he become nocturnal or is he another agoraphobic to add to the clan? Left to his own devices he will go into hiding at home and occasionally appear for food. Only come about ten at night or after will he appear again to go out. So on some days I have to throw him out and he reluctantly scuttles off out of sight but as soon as the door is open again he bolts for it and up the stairs into hiding once more. This was not helped the other day when a few boys were walking up the road with their devil dog off the lead. Recently I have noticed their are a lot of males with status dogs- pitbulls, rottweilers, etc. Anything that looks menacing and up for a fight. So our old cat appeared and this dog went for him. As I lept up I half expected the cat to be thrown about and torn to shreds but he wasn't having it. He stood his ground and went for the dog with claws bared. The dog got a fright as did the owner who quickly gathered up his dog and went off. The cat's heart was beating so fast when I picked him up and put him back indoors but credit to him. Five minutes later the boys were back down the street with the dog running free again. They might have been looking for round two, maybe lost a bit of face. Old cat though was safe indoors and I'll leave him there during the day if he likes as I now see he has good reason to stay at home.
