Cougar territory

The prodigal cat is settling in nicely, she's beautiful and so affectionate. My brother didn't make many runs today, but there will be other days. He's gone to Adelaide to watch the test match. 

Days like today remind me that I'm going to have to make my life far more interesting if I'm going to keep up this blogging everyday business. My job hunting will step up into serious mode tomorrow. I have my uniform fitting on Monday and that gear will set me back about $550. Then there are books and equipment which will easily total over a grand. Oh uni, oh reality. My period of retirement is over and as Dr Phil says, "When you're unemployed, your full time job is finding a job." 

I also have to work out whether I want to go on first year camp... On one hand, it could be really fun and there might be a hot, male, 18 year old physio student in  need of 'advice' regarding adapting to university life (everyone needs one of those, right?)

On the other hand, it will predominantly be 18 and 19 year olds... That beautiful age where all of a sudden the little munchkins have way more legal privileges than common sense. I really enjoy that I no longer have to hold my friends' hair out of the way of a toilet bowl every time they lay eyes on something mildly alcoholic. Also, there will be ones who are young for their year, like I was back in the day, who won't be 18 yet... (Note to self: if you decide in favour of attending first year camp, be sure to ask for proof of age from anyone you look like "befriending" before you "befriend" them). 

Oh the joys of being a non-year 12 entry first year! I'm not even that old. I'm 2.5 months too young to be officially 'mature age' and I'll be the same vintage as the kids who started school when they were 6 and took a gap year. So it's not so much my biological age, but the fact that I'm mentally 65. I should just turn up at uni wearing slacks, pearls and a cardigan. 

Surprise!

The strangest thing happened today.

This morning Mum got a phone call from a veterinary clinic in Cranbourne saying that someone had found our cat (for non-Melbournians, Cranbourne is an outer suburb about 50 mins drive away from where I live). We had a look around the house and our cats were accounted for. We were puzzled. Then it dawned on us...

When my family moved over to Melbourne from Adelaide one of our cats never settled in our new house. The one of the other cats we brought over with us was her best friend and was sadly run over leaving her heart broken. It was after her cat friend's death that she ran away. The last we saw of her she was scrawny, thin and very aggressive. She wouldn't let us pat her and she'd growl at anyone who came close. That was five years ago and we had long assumed that she had probably been killed. 

When Mum called Dad to let him know what was happening, he thought she was joking.

She would have only been about a year old when she ran away and now she's all grown up! She is very affectionate, very healthy and has been eating well. I wonder where she's been. I think she probably was unofficially adopted by someone or a series of people because she's clearly been looked after.

We are keeping her in a laundry for a few days to give her a chance to adapt to her new environment by herself. Ironically, the currently laundry hadn't been built when she last lived with us! The other cats know something is going on and keep sniffing around the laundry. They are completely confused and it's pretty amusing. The next test will be integrating her with the other household pets!

It just goes to show that the pet micro-chip registration system does work. It's all pretty surreal!

In other news, my brother will be opening the batting for his local club first XI for the first time tomorrow. It's quite an achievement to be selected in this capacity, especially as he is 16 years old. I hope he'll have a great knock. He's a very mature and technical left-handed batsman and handy spinner. You've all got to know a bit about my sister; my brother is equally as special (and insightful), I'm very proud of him and love him a lot. 

Lastly, thank you! Yes, you. I've had some wonderful feedback about my blogging and I'm so grateful that someone is taking the time to read my writing (Shout out to Tam and Sarah who were lovely enough to compliment me today!). Please feel free to leave a comment with your feedback, I'd love to know what you do and don't enjoy about my writing. I love discussing ideas, so please challenge me if you disagree with something I write! Also, if there is something you'd like me to write about, let me know.

May your weekends be full of lovely, unexpected surprises!