How did this happen? One minute you’re in shorts, and the next you’re digging merinos out of the back of a drawer. Last night we had our first fire for the year. According to my 2023 diary, our first fire was on 21 March and we had rainy, windy weather around that time which blew down my runner beans and turned my umbrella inside out. But we also had ‘gorgeous’ days and continued to paddle at the beach.

When I noticed Mum reaching for a knee rug yesterday afternoon, I knew it was time to light the fire. Felix was quick to find a fireside chair. He is quite recovered from his annual visit to the vet for his vaccination. He came down from the top of the cabbage tree just in time to make the appointment. His weight has doubled since his appointment in March last year, but he is still lean at 4.46kg and is advised to eat more wet food each day to ensure he is hydrated. Felix is quite happy about that. Despite the three claw punctures in his right ear, there’s no sign of infection. He has the odd altercation with visiting cats, such as the one he bailed up on the roof this week. Felix has a ‘don’t mess with me’ look on his face which seems to work despite the other cat being much larger.

This morning, he’s enjoying the sun. Notice that Mum has put her walker aside; she is walking independently more often.