All my Perls and Diamonds

" Don't think money does everything or you end up doing everything for money. " " Judge a man by his questions rather than by his answers. " "Truely, whoever can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." "Cheerish those who seek the truth, but be aware of those who find it." Voltaire.  "Experience is merely the name men gave to their mistakes."  "A good friend will always stab you in front."  Oscar Wilde.                           Being accustomed to welcome 12 to 15 visitors to my Cats's Table I was shocked to only see two this morning, a little later another three turned up, one running from some distance, viewed him right at the end of a long road. What happened? Knowing that this here is not exactly a paradise for cats (and dogs), I worry and checked several times later whether some little treasures perhaps overslept. Did not look like it, only a lovely gentle puppy appeared. His chance to enjoy a bit of saved sausage. Minusa, Salvador, (more or less Siamese beauties) and heavy weight boy Ricardo had to pay an urgently needed visit to our veterinarian - dentist, discolored theeth and red gum. Happy to see them in a much better shape afterwards and to be advised that suddenly appearing black spots on the gum or even black gum is not a sign of any illness. Minusa and dainty Salvador are now receiving Antibiotics on account of an infection. Riccardo is feeling fine, thank heavens.  Black beauty, Masud, wants to "eat out" and thinks the croquettes fed in another room are more tasty, though actually taken from the same 20 kg bag. Not feeling well I went to bed after breakfast. When my husband wanted to check how I am, Malek joint him, sneaked into the bedroom and greeted me like a long lost friend. So much pure love!!! Those who don't like pets miss out on such a lot. Feral light orange-golden coloured gentleman, Nikola, never gets angry. He allows others to snatch his piece of sausage and when he gets attacked he just closes his eyes, when threatened just walks away. Unlike several kids in the neighborhood (plus some adults) he certainly doesn't require an anti-aggression training. While I was lying sick in bed young girls were calling me, "Madame, Madame, Madame.....". It sounded urgent and got me worried that they discovered a cat in stress. But then they demanded "Bonbon, Bonbon, Bonbon" (sweets). I remained quiet and of course did not attempt to get up. Next I heard stones thrown against the metal fencing of our house. My husband was shocked, he had thought stone throwing would be just be a specialty of not very bright boys. Looks like there is no longer a big difference between the behaviour of boys and girls here, at least as far as kids of families are concerned that tend to keep a distance from education (as little reading as possible, no books in the house apart from school books temporarily). For a short spell (too expensive in the long run) I bought fairytale books and presented those to the children here, hoping they would discover the beauty of books. In addition I hope to teach them respect for animals. They do watch me and occasionally comment on my special relationship with ferals, which is new to them. One women looked astonished at a guest to my Cats' Table and explained: "This is my cat. What is he doing here?" Then she picked up the little beauty and carried him to a house in the neighborhood. By the way, now 12 cats again attend my Cats' Table, so I needn't have worried about their well-being, though, of the regular 4 more or less completely white cats only 2 returned. I had offered shelter to pretty brown-black Fleur with blond streaks because she was pregnant. She mainly lived in one of the 2 wooden pet houses on the roof terrace. After she had her kittens and finished feeding them, I missed the appropriate time to get her spayed and neutered. So she decided one day spring is a good time to enjoy the freedom of the road, an opportunity to get as often "engaged" as she feels fit. Fleur now just returns for meals (she really loves her sausage, locals call it Salami) and if need be she can always make use of one of my outside shelters. Beautiful little darling, I respect her wish and I am always happy to see her being well.