Friday 3 April 2020

C is for Climbing




What can I say? I like to climb trees.  I have a good vantage point of the surrounding area. I can see the undergrowth shaking if there is a little creature scuttling in it. I can sharpen my claws on the trunk. I can look starlings in the eye and laugh at their frightened screeches as they fly away'

I am a tree-mendous climber. Unfortunately, I am not always a brilliant getting-downer.

So it was that yesterday I was surveying my kingdom from the top of a magnificent oak tree. I had soothed an itch by rubbing my back on the rough bark. I had honed my claws to perfection. I had frightened four starlings, three sparrows, a blackbird and a cluster of bluetits. All in all a good hour's work.


I began to get sleepy and knew I mustn't drop off on the branch or I would, well - drop off.


I stepped onto the branch below - so far so good - and then onto the one below that. That's when the trouble started. I heard a long crack followed by a short sharp one and the whole branch sheared away. Oh Lord. I don't mind admitting I was a tad concerned. The next available stepping place seemed an awfully long way away.


I meowed. Nothing.


What were the old man and the old woman doing? Why weren't they concerned about the whereabouts of their most treasured possession? ME!


Long story short. They EVENTUALLY  realised I was missing. The old man got a ladder out of the shed and just as he gingerly reached the top of it I had the brilliant idea of stepping sideways and then down and I nimbly shimmied swiftly to the ground.


Honestly! What language - tut, tut, tut! The old woman made a big fuss of me and I could see she was trying not to laugh at the old man. He put the ladder away and stalked indoors. Discretion being the better part of valour, I took myself off to the spare bedroom to sleep off the trials of my day.


I think the old man has forgiven me now.


My blog That's Purrfect is also in the A to Z Challenge. Read it here www.thatspurrfect.co.uk


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Well, I've finally done it. I have written my no-holds-barred exposé of my life. Prepare to be AMAZED, prepare to be SHOCKED, prepare to be ENTHRALLED blah, blah, blah. Left is the paperback, right is the Kindle version.



            





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11 comments:

  1. You are too funny. Glad you were able to get down.

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    1. Funny? I think you've got the wrong word. I think you mean brave, or maybe clever, or it could be beautiful. Ha-ha!

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  2. Ha, yeah, good times. I've rescued a few cats from trees. Well, more like one cat that got up multiple trees because the human she lived with had a shotty back door and refused to get it fixed because she liked the sound it made when it didn't latch. Humans are weird, cats are awesome.

    J Lenni Dorner~ Co-host of the #AtoZchallenge, Debut Author Interviewer, Reference& Speculative Fiction Author

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    1. "Humans are weird, cats are awesome." YES!

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  3. You did that on purpose, if I know cats! Once my dog chased a neighbor kitten (half grown) up a tree in my backyard. It was so trusting (and smart) it knew to jump into my son's arms! She hasn't been in the backyard since. I actually don't want neighbor cats in my yard, they mistake it for a litter box. Hope you know better!

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    1. Did it on purpose. I couldn't possibly comment, Lisa.

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  4. You needn't be modest. I know one of the real reasons you climbed up the tree is because you look so fabulous with your coloring contrasting with the leaves. Picture perfect I'd say. I'm glad in the end you got down on your own. I know it would be tempting to use those perfectly sharpened nails to express your opinion about being manhandled down by ladder, but trust me humans tend to get cranky about that.

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    1. What a sensible comment. Modest - check. Fabulous - check. Picture perfect - check. You are a very discerning woman, Deborah.

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  5. I once caught our cat Tilly when she fell out of the neighbor's tree, about two stories up in the air. ~shudders~ A German shepherd chased her up there, I think, and we started keeping all three girls inside soon thereafter. It's a miracle we didn't tumble down the steep surrounding incline! Take care of your hoomans, Toffee :)

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    1. The old woman's friend has a German Shepherd and when he comes round, I go sit in the bedroom and wait impatiently for him to go.

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  6. It's all a ploy for sympathy and attention! But it works! Cheers!

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