Hephaestus

We have been acquired by a crippled kitten that Fonda says must have been hit by a car. Whatever, he's a feisty chappie and Sam treats him respect so he stays. Doesn't come in the house and when he places a paw on the lintel I point at the good leg and enquire politely, "Want the other one seen to, mush?" which mother for some reason thinks is a little 'sick'. Whatever.

Louka is gone but Someone up there is determined we're landed with another 4-legged so here is ... whatever we name him.

I looked up game-legged Greek gods and they gave me Hephaestus which is a lousy name for a feline so it's back to the drawing board. I'm just terrified that BadAss Ley will come up with summat brilliant which will mean I have to kow-tow and comment back "Brilliant! You da man!" or some such rubbish to set him preening.

I saw him first. I was lugging pots out of the greenhouse and there was this movement and i thought shit that is a sizeable rat but it turned out to be Heph with his sideways gait.

I have a lot of pals with crocked limbs - bikes, cars, mountains, dojo, plain careless taking their eye off the ball - and they're mostly people I'd choose for my foxhole. The BS's been skimmed off them and they've mostly come back quiet and better than before.

Heph reminds me of them, the way he scoots around with that crooked gait but it doesnt slow him.

Rats have gone. He spurns mum's cushioned box for somewhere in the wood pile, exactly where the rats would come from and never seemed to die out not matter how many poisoned pellets I'd drop between the cracks. Apond talked of ammonia announcing a serious cat presence; now we have the real thing.

He yeowls at the door at brek lunch and dinner and then is gone for the day.

I've suggested to maman that no one picks him and fondles, that he stays unpampered.

Anyone with a good suggestion for a name, leave it at the door. Just in fun, I suggested to mater that Ashley might be a good 'un.

"But Ashley's a girl's name, we don't even know what sex it is."

The sun went behind a cloud and somewhere over Albania thunder rumbled.

"Careful, mother. There's a mountain man out there would dispute that."