News From Amphipolis 18/8/26

Despite their fur coats, the cats have been perfectly happy during the various heatwaves this summer, presumably because they know they can count on fresh water (even if Hector prefers to drink from the pond or the bowl outside by the flowerpots) and regular meals rather than having to worry about hunting (though we have had an increase in the number of shrews having to be rescued and released, perhaps because they’re trying to find food and water and so are easier to catch). Buddy (above) comes downstairs to lounge in sunbeams and otherwise sleeps; Olga and Hector roam the neighbourhood – sometimes together, which is always worrying – and get very cross at being kept indoors in the middle of the day, regardless of how hot it is. Otherwise the only issue has been Hector wanting to curl up in a basket with Buddy, who has got vastly better at tolerating other cats in the two and a bit years he’s been with us but is still not having that… In the Garden We have just had a hosepipe ban…