Not All are the Same

"You can't inject new ideas into a man's head by chopping it off, neither will you infuse a new spirit into his heart by piercing it with a dagger" (Martin Luther King). In Tunisia there is a lot of energy, shops are open 7 days a week, folks are very helpful if you e.g. are looking  for a certain building, street, etc.; you are often friendly greeted and asked how are you. But there is also a lot of sorrow and pain. Mainly elderly persons feeling depressed. It is so obvious, the way they walk, bend, head down. Disappointed, their dreams crushed. The everybody for themselves attitude, me first (Donald Trump style on a very much smaller scale). I may be mistaken, but this seems to have spread after the revolution. I know an old-age pensioner from Europe who settled in Sousse (outskirts). She learnt to love Tunisia during her holidays. The climate does her bones good. But the poor woman has the misfortune to find one Mafia landlord after the other, absolutely shameless and brazen. One worse than the other. While one declared when she dies he will keep everything she possesses and through psychological terror tried to speed up the progress, the next one tried to rob her straight away. When she discovered that he can't be trusted and moved out after 8 days, he prevented her from taking her furniture, plants, etc. with her, barefaced lie she gave it all to him (to a person she doesn't know,

whom she doesn't trust, why should she wish to start from scratch again, at her age?). They are shamelessly taking advantage of her being just an elderly defenceless foreign woman. You can view more expensive new cars on the  street than in Europe (as far as I can judge), yet this is a poor country and there are a lot of people also, in particular in the neglected south, that have problems making ends meet. They badly need jobs that don't ruin their health. Environment protection is a field where nothing much has been done so far. There every invested Dinar would pay off in many ways. Not only would jobs here allow many to earn a living, but also provide citizens with clean air, water, beeches and soil. In addition make Tunisia more attractive to tourists again and lead to further income and a flourishing tourist trade. May be even that famous beautiful North African smile would return again. For the presence, though, I feel it is high time to teach some parents how to raise their children, that is is a crime to neglect them, that a civilised society can not tolerate the abuse of animals. Children cruel to animals don't grow up and become respectable adults, caring parents, but often end up in prison. I repeatedly viewed children and teens throwing stones at cats hiding beneath cars (when a longer parked car finally drives off, you can see lots of such stones), even right in front of my entrance door, kicking, beating or toddlers attempting to spit at them. This not normal child's behaviour and it is hardly surprising cats watch the children here like enemies, which they are often after all. Disturbed neglected kids taking out their frustration on defenceless animals. In Germany folks called the police because a kitten climbed from underneath inside a car's engine space. The police saved the kitten as they do on other occasions when an animal needs help. If I would call them here for such a reason they would think I am not right in my head and refuse to listen to me! - Many kittens die very young in Tunisia, Alice gave birth to 6 (3 alive, 3 already dead) on 28.5.18, by end of  June only 1 is still alive, the adopted one also died. On 01.07 she tried for the 3rd time to steal one of Gloria's baby cats. I caught her just in time. Gloria (great mum and so beautiful) had 5 kittens on 21.06.18 of which now on the 01.07.18 only 2 are still alive, but she also looks after 2 kittens from a previous pregnancy and 2 adopted ones. Bella, a 3-coloured lovely gentle street cat (had her operated for "family planning") accompanied me the other day when I went shopping for cats' food. We walked together along a few roads. When we reached a busy street, she waited at the other side while I crossed the road -smart Bella - and when I left the shop returned with me to my house. Pity I can't offer her shelter inside my house, my cats won't accept another fur inhabitant. I'd wish I had a farm to provide for more homeless cats. I've given names to many cats, including several street cats. They all know their name and respect me, like I respect them. This is what Tunisia needs, respect, education, some parents made to understand their responsibility for their children, that it is a crime to neglect them as well as abuse animals. It is a fact that kids abusing animals seldom become good citizens one day, or caring sensitive parents. Instead of this what-is-in-for-me attitude, grab what you can, envy, all those bad feelings, we need more folks with developed interpersonal skills, people who understand they belong to a community and that it is also up to them to strengthen this democracy. Just imagine, women and children of one area meeting from time to time in order to clean the streets (not everywhere necessary) and various corners of rubbish, it would also give them a feeling for the requirement not to drop their wrappings, etc. anywhere. It is already forbidden, but all too often ignored. Further, men meeting in order to do what repair and decoration work they can to needy schools. Utopian idea? It has been practised in Germany. Kids can study in pleasant surroundings, instead of loitering on the streets, not knowing how to spend their countless spare time. What they learn on the street I encounter every day, school could teach them values, art technics, provide them with chances in life, and last not least to respect nature and love their country.

Postscipt Different Angle

"An eye-for-an-eye and tooth-for-a tooth would lead to a world of the blind and toothless" (Mahatma Gandhi? His biographer Louis Fisher?) It appears to be a wide-spread fashion to take revenge, not necessarily on the person who caused the anger but on anybody available. (Politicians do, simple folks do) Some feel society owns them something, if others are better off, no matter what, they don't deserve it. We've been receiving stones for more than 5 years, occasionally get hit by a ball, better me than one of my cats. Twice a car touched a kitten and kids informed me it is dead, but luckily the little one survived, like yesterday, received an eye injury but otherwise appears to be okay. I was pleased to hear children enquiring whether the kitten died and them praising Allah when I told them no. Thank heaven not all are without empathy. - A taxi driver said he had a young female passenger in his car, directing him to various streets and when the meter read 12 Dinar, declared she can't pay. The driver replied he'll take her to the police. So she advised him in that case she'll claim he touched her thighs. The poor driver then didn't dare to do anything, even though that is a lot of money for him. A similar case happened in Germany, only there the taxi driver didn't allow her to be successful with her dirty trick (success convinces people to continue, why should they change if it works?). The reaction from the police was a real surprise for the taxi driver. They informed him that the young woman is already registered for that trick, she uses it frequently. - My special cat guest, Alice, she gave milk to the adopted black kitten, but it also died, like the other 3 siblings. I picked up one of Alice's remaining kittens to check whether it's male or female, so Alice arrived quite cool, grabbed her babe by the neck (cats' style), took it away from me, thus making it quite clear: Her kitten, not mine!!! Pity I couldn't record it on video. Next day the 3-coloured kitten      died, now Alice only has 1 baby left, looking just like mum. Gloria is about to give birth again, nevertheless she still feeds and looks after her other, older kids. So different from Amira, who loved her babies and started to hit her children when she fell pregnant again. Even though we had her operated, she still hits Sandy, Soleigh and Bijou and appears to hate her gentle son (fears he sees her as the attractive female rather than the mother). As a result this family is difficult, Sandy likes nobody, neither human or animal, only me, her brother Tiger likes to sleep puring next to me (quite relaxing). Taking any of them to the vet is a big nerve-racking job and means quite a few scratches for me. I then joke my husband is a prickly person. We can learn from cats that a loving, gentle mother is likely to have kids just like her, while beating and yelling makes children aggressive, impulsive and vindictive. I saw on TV demonstrating folks in USA holding a sign saying: Only monsters put children in cages. A message for Trump and his followers. Very sad, that man has no moral, no empathy, as they say in Germany, he can walk over corpes without batting an eyelid. For all I know his parents were not the gentle caring type. Let us make our children see, enjoy and protect the beauty of nature, for a better world.

A Different Angle

A man talking to his friend: "You know what, my wife talks a lot with herself." The friend:"This really surprises me, she doesn't seem to be the kind." The first man: "Well actually she believes I am listening, but I am not, thus she's speaking to herself......"                        Information (INC) on my mobile phone, if you buy a dangerous toy you can injure a child. I am sure quite a few folks never think that far. While e.g. in Europe many parents worry what can happen to their children, in particular while they are playing outside, folks are much more relaxed here. The children know how to scream and run, in addition they are with their gang, enough protection, even for the very young until after midnight!  At the crossroads here up to 20 or even 25 kids arrive daily, dressed with football t-shirts, shorts and shoes. It looks very professional, only there is no football/ sports field and the surrounding houses bear the markings of all those balls and there would be many broken windows in addition, if they weren't protected with iron bars. Perhaps a sign is required advising:  "Crossroads, Not Sports' Field." - The town authorities (Belladia) decided to upgrade and clean the outside area around the lycee (grammar school) opposite the mosque, where various rubbish used to be dumped by thoughtless kids and adults. Thanks to Belladia it soon looked neat with a narrow gardening strip, different kinds of plants, benches, new slap pavement. The other day I viewed a middle aged man of considerable proportions walking his large roundish long fur dog on a leash. He guided his dog to what this mentally under-illuminated poor man mistook to be designated as dogs' toilet, the garden strip. He walked his dog all along this narrow garden, in order to allow him to do his urinating, leave his excrement, do his digging, etc., perhaps another sign is required here, advising: " Not a public dogs' toilet. " And: "Please don't decorate with your litter", as some kids/adults already dropped their rubbish  between the plants and I guess in order to gain more space for this, pulled out or bend a few, and like that it looks more like home to them. Talking about the environment, my neighbour's son keeps on and on trying to repair his motorbike (his garage is adjacent to our sitting room.) at 23.00 hrs.  The result of his attempts: stinking black clouds, burning my eyes, extreme noise, the floor shaking, feels like a slight earth quake. We are forced to keep our windows shut. Life never gets boring among the ignorant, you never know what they come up with next. I guess one can't have environment protection without employing folks who control and monitor that laws and regulations are not being ignored. If you want your town, village or community to be clean and an enjoyful sight, you need folks, some  with and some without payment motivated to protect the area. And it is very important to educate and educate, teach the ignorant, make them see and stop them having a blinkered attitude. Tunisia is lucky, there is such a large potential, many citizens with university diplomas, several even from poor and/or uneducated families managed to study. Yet 62 % are unemployed, very strange. Is there too much intelligence? Not the impression one actually gets. It does of course depend on where you are and whom you meet. Eid holiday, end of Ramadan, 4 o'clock in the morning, my husband asks some boys not to be so noisy, they retaliate with throwing stones. Later on a small boy, nicely dressed up for the holiday, spits at a cat in front of my entrance door and throws stones. I happen to view another one (approx. 6 years old) kicking a cat, just because he is stupid and bored or diturbed? Nicely dressed up women and young girls proudly walk past -is this the spirit of Eid? - A sick, nervous woman in the neighbourhood, fed up with having fiercely kicked balls damaging the walls of her house (our common problem here), getting angry, telling hooligans to disappear from this area. They retaliate by pulling down her door curtains, writing an insult with blue paint on her wall, smashing the large stones she had fixed on her pavement to prevent cars from parking there. I heard folk say, whatever you do, always expect their retaliation, one "wrong" word can already be enough. At the bank, I try to explain to a middle-aged man that since he arrived later than me he should queue up behind me. He looked so surprised, then laughed and went to another counter, expecting to be served first. (To be fair, some guys have excellent manners, some kids actually know respect, are educated with good manners.) Plenty of work for intelligent unemployed persons, just a question of financing? Retraining courses for lets say teachers to qualify them as social street workers should be more rewarding than having frustrated academics unemployed or taking on any odd job. In addition those kids growing up without rules, knowing no borders, no respect for anyone, abusing animals without empathy, will one day grow up and if nothing is done will most certainly not become "an asset" to society. Prisons are expensive and rarely make inmates better. Money is better spend on professionals qualified to interfere in good time, on anti-aggression training, educating the ignorant, teaching basic values, etc. We don't need an elbow society. Don't allow greedy, lazy, ignorant and corrupt folks to dominate. Tunisia is beautiful, whether it's a good place for living or not depends on the citizens.

My Little Treasures

Whenever I hear a dog bark, I hope that his bark is bigger than his bite. Most dogs on the street can be easily chased away, thank heaven. Cats carefully watch them, as they do with bored disturbed children of various ages. Just now I caught three 5 year old kids attempting to pour the drinking water (I leave outside for cats) over a cat taking shelter underneath my yucca plant behind my metal fencing. Yesterday I heard tiny kittens screaming from a garbage container, I lifted a bit of garbage but couldn't see them, too much rubbish of various kind had already been dumped on them. Treating the tiny ones just like vermin is what the ignorant, uneducated regard as civilisation. I fear they often also kill the mother, "capital punishment" for falling pregnant. Later on I discovered a lovely big, mainly white cat in an open cardboard box. She had an apricot sized wound on the back and was highly pregnant, still alive but I could see from her eyes that she's dying. So I just stroked her, I could feel her babies. She didn't make a sound and shortly later died. The wound (and her death) may be inflicted by a thrown stone, a beating or an accident. Everything is possible here, lack of empathy a big problem and I would like to stress such behaviour is not in line with the Quran. Not yet giving up hope, I often shout "Haram" (meaning the Quran forbids you such action). Alice, a golden coloured street cat and regular visitor to my Cats' Table, for several days stayed very close to my entrance door and on various occasions tried to get  inside (my cat community doesn't like it). I could see that Alice is pregnant and looking for a save shelter. I know the panting sound when a cat is just about to give birth, (the first time it was lovely Amira, our house cat, then glorious Gloria - also in front of our entrance door) and quickly took her inside. It was just in time. Alice gave birth to 3 sweet alive kittens and another 3 arrived already dead. She is such a caring Mum, one hardly notices this little family. The babies are happy, not screaming (unlike those taken away from their cat mother), my husband even asked whether Alice's kittens are still alive. I keep her in a small corridor, away from my other cats as the majority consider our community to be already big enough. My husband is of the same opinion. Anyhow, Alice is a quite gentle cat and her babies are just like her, a happy little family. As always one kitten looks like her/his mum and the others like their fathers. Cats manage to give birth to (usually 4) kittens of different tomcats on the same day. Due to a generally week immune system and other problems cats don't get old here, most die during the first 3 months of their life, several more during the following few months. I've seen so many dead: run over by a car, hit by stones, killed by a dog, bad teeth and gum making it impossible to eat, bad cold preventing the cat from smelling the food (what they can't smell they won't ear), fatal injuries and prior to this lots of pain caused by airgun bullets (in the neighbourhood), malnutrition, etc.. Lately I noticed several of my regular guests at my cats' table suddenly disappeared. It is highly unlikely they found another place to provide them with daily food or that they found a family, certainly not several at the same time. Sudden death by nature or poison? Both is possible. Among those who disappeared without a trace are Snowflake, a lovely cat with long white fur (wasn't well but recovering, may have had a home and hopefully returned there) and Tony, a big gentle tomcat that allowed me to clean his nose and eyes - cats actually hate that (some of my in-door cats react as if I wanted to kill them, less easy), he just started to eat again and I was happy to see this. Folks keep bringing me tiny kittens, but I unfortunately can' t cope with any more. Sad, at least these people try to save kittens' life, but I'd wish they would employ a vet and get cats operated in order to reduce the number of unwanted kittens. I had quite a few operated, yet I find so many kittens in front of my door or placed underneath the Yucca plants next to my entrance door. The last ones I accepted, were 3 grey and 1 black baby kittens, a few days old, had just started to open their eye, the mother is dead I am told (pity there is rarely a father in sight to take over, but I know of at least one case in Germany). I bottle fed them with 1/3 cow milk and 2/3 mineral water. Without the mother or at least a foster cat their chances are not very good. One died after 7 days, it looked peaceful. One of the others I added to the 3 that Alice already had of her own. She accepted it and I hoped the little family won't be too disturbed, as this little one belonged to these 4 that were accustomed to doing a lot of screaming, missing their mum. (With my really bad headache the last 2 days it was rather trying.) Anyhow, a bit more screaming and now all are happy. I wonder what Alice thought, when the additional kitten arrived (can't she count up to 4?), I think she just felt sympathy for the poor little darling. We can really learn from cats. Bijou has gone hiding in our house. We know her teeth are bad, the vet had to pull out 4, the gum causes pain, sometimes she screams suddenly, even without eating anything. What was intended as protection by mother nature (sick/week animals make easy prey, better to hide) is now a disadvantage, we can't take her to the dentist-vet when we don't know where to find her and then it won't be easy as she is frightened. Nevertheless I nearly managed but then she happened to put one of her claws into a vein of my hand, just slightly, but it was enough to get me bleeding. As son as I noticed this I quickly stopped the bleeding by simply applying pressure with a finger. Just as well we are provided with 2 hands. For the next attempt I shall wear oven gloves. Hope I'll find my little treasure soon, the poor little darling urgently needs help. - On the morning of the next day I found one of my tiny grey kittens dead, at least it looked as if it was sleeping, a peaceful death, of the remaining 2 one was with Alice for a couple of days meanwhile, well adopted, I tried to add the other one to Gloria's. But she is pregnant again, she was so fast, I've been thinking of getting her operated....... she was faster. Anyhow, she wasn't interested this time to feed her milk to yet another cat's baby and this sweet baby died also. All my attempts were in vain, except for one, they were just too young to survive without a cat mum. - I found a kitten that looked as if someone had thrown a bucket full of washing water over it (for the 2. time meanwhile, it definitely wasn't raining, besides it looked like dirt water)  cleaned and dried its fur, cleaned its nose and eyes. I wonder why so many kittens suffer from blocked noses and "sealed" eyes here. In addition they often also have pus in their eyes. Never encountered this in Europe. Strange. A few hours earlier I discovered a tiny kitten on top of an approx. 3 m high wall. Under no circumstances can it have got up there all by itself. Some bored stupid youngster must have placed it there, next to a small flat roof, without food or water. I asked a tall young lad from the neighbourhood to help me and he managed to get it down with the aid of a stool. The little one was so thirsty! Next I cleaned its nose and eyes, the usual procedure. Poor little darlings, they also have but one life. I hope the sun will put us all in a better mood and allow us to enjoy the beauty of this country. We need solidarity.

As Days Go by

A farmer with a big strawberry field put up a notice: "If you want strawberries, pick them yourself here, pay for those in the bucket, those you eat on the field are for free." A man arrived, took a bucket and returned from the field about an hour later with an empty bucket. So the farmer asked him why he doesn't want to buy any of his delicious strawberries. The man replied: "Yes, they are really delicious. I've been eating all I wanted." Farmer: "But what about your family, don't you think they might want some?" Reply: "Oh well, they'll come tomorrow." - The value-added tax has gone up by 200 - 300 %. the purchasing power has dropped by 25 %. If you spend most of your money on food, electricity, gas, rent, you really feel the increase on every item (between 10 - 50%) also on old stock, often still showing the previous price. Amazing how the poor make ends meet, on the other hand there are still those with plenty of money, nice houses, big cars, etc. I don't envy them, there is already a lot of that around here, even some for us, which may be the reason why we continue to have stones thrown at our house (yes, also during the holly month of Ramadan), and at cats - do they begrudge them their cats' food, or is it just what ignorant, bored and disturbed persons (of various ages) do? Yesterday I found one of my  regular guests at the cats' table lying dead on the middle of the road, bleeding from the mouth and one ear. Can't establish the cause, hit by a car, beaten by a boy, attacked by a dog? All is possible. She was a lovely yellow/white calm cat, approx. 1 year old. A kitten was hit by a car the other day, another one that an old man brought to me, skinny, eyes "sealed", lice (managed to eliminate them with "Frontline" spray), only survived a fortnight. Cats on the whole don't get old here, kittens are particular endangered (cars, children, adults, weak immune system). I found one dying kitten in front of my entrance door, hit by a car, another little one with a head injury from a stone which a stupid little boy with ignorant parents threw, kids told me the cat is dead, but I noticed it is was still breathing and I am happy to say under my care is now well and lively. One minor progress, children watching me feeding street cats asking me for cats' salami to feed these cats too. On the Internet a video of a dog who picked up food and carried it some distance to her puppies. Viewers click "like" . There is a house across the road with a garden, cats love the garden, the owners are not happy with this: "I found salami here. Attracts flies." It can't be much as it must be what the cat mummy  picked up from me, carried in her mouth across the road to feed her little ones. I am always worried watching cats crossing the road, but unfortunately I haven't got a garden. Further, I must accept that I can't save the whole world, neither all animals nor all who are poor. So much could be done if all tax payers (in particular the very rich) and all in power would be honest. Unfortunately we have too much greed, corruption, ignorance. -Like children, cats also learn by watching. When my 2 black cat ladies, Lilly and Felicitas, want to enter the sitting room, they knock at the door by hitting the key fob, Amelie and Alien started to do the same, likewise Honey walks around the house to my sitting room window and calls me when she wants to enter the house, Gloria (absolutely beautiful, great character and fantastic mum) does the same now. Parents give toys to their kids, what do cats do to provide their little ones with something to play with? They offer their tail, wag it, let the kittens catch it, they enjoy this game. Some times they  also play hide and seek with me (frequently underneath parked cars), often the mother helps me with "our" babies, another game: catch- me -if -you- can, stopping briefly to give me a better chance,  fair players, after all I can't run as fast on only 2 legs. Another advantage for 4 legs:  ball games, football as well as hand/paw balls. Pity, most of these football crazy kids aren't aware of this. Cats could be their really good companions. For training cats some times bring a live mouse to their kittens, to teach them how to catch one. I never watched this here, but in Europe I once had a tomcat, Filou, who brought me a live mouse upstairs to my first floor flat. He wanted to teach me how to catch a mouse. You know what, it worked, I managed to catch the poor frightened field mouse, pretended to eat it and secretly set it free outside in nature. This cat also knew how to open doors, including my fridge - he did it lying on his back -and took out what was mend for him anyway. From time to time Filou would punish me for "wrong behaviour", like not allowing me to stroke him when I get home  late, or emptying my book shelve because I went on a short holiday, leaving my brother to take care of him. Every cat is different with her/his own personality. I feel the loss every time one dies. Three hours ago sweet Luthuli, a black kitten of Gloria, ran out onto the street. At that moment a big delivery van arrived, before I had a chance to react, Luthuli got under one of the big wheels, a horrible sight, bloody head, bloody body twisting, rapid movements in all directions, some brain and lots of blood on the street. Eight hours before I played with the little darling. I feel like crying, his life had hardly started, such a horrible death. My nightmare here, I've seen so many die. - If you take the trouble to give names to cats, you'll find they will quickly all know their names, some even answer when I call them. I once had a cat, Mucker, whenever he was told off, would come, look you straight in the eyes and answer you back. Animals are not supposed to be able to do this. It seems to be strange to me that folks for a very long time believed animals can't think. Well, as a matter of fact, don't quite a few guys frequently act as if they can't? We have plenty of sunshine, the sea, beeches with very fine white sand, historic sites worth visiting, but not enough jobs, money, support for the poor, education for the ignorant, need laws to protect animals and people able and willing to ensure that folks abide by laws and good regulations (like those to protect the environment and people's health). The other day I viewed a fire in front of two garages, next to houses, in a residential area. Some persons where burning large pieces of wood, plastic and other rubbish. Not normal, a bit like the "wild west", also those kids riding motorbikes, usually without a number plate. In case of a fatal accident (lately a man from the neighbourhood died, the boys on the heavy motorbike were only 15 and 16 years old), will it be again: oh, they are still children, nothing one can do..... So sad, sounds like nothing can/will be changed. Let us not give up and hope for better days.

Saladin - Obituary

This is the story of Saladin, a gorgeous Persian tomcat. I am told Turkish folks brought them to Tunisia and that is why the people here call them "Turkish". Anyhow, approx. 2 years ago I found a lovely little Persian kitten in front of my entrance door. I could hardly trust my eyes, who would leave such a little bundle of joy just like that? I took him inside, gave him a bit of milk (1/3 milk, 2/3 mineral water, as advised by the vet) and cat food from the supermarket. Saladin grew up, a lively, gentle fur angel. He loved eating, whenever I prepared my little treasures' food, he seemed to think that I take too long and would jump up onto the sideboard to help himself. Trying to enter the kitchen without him following me seemed to be impossible, he was so fast and very sportive. One day kids informed me that I  have a cat sitting on my awning. To my surprise it turned out to be Saladin. With the aid of a long ladder I managed to take him down. Saladin must have jumped off the roof terrace. He did this also on another occasion. When Saladin suffered from diarrhoea, the vet advised me to stop his food for 24 hrs. This was hell for him and me, he cried for his food and looked at me with his lovely big eyes, not understanding what was going on. I had to lock him in the bathroom until all other cats had finished their meal. When I let him out, he checked all food bowls. No food anywhere within reach. So he finally decided  to jump off the roof terrace and onto my door awning. I happened to be outside and again kids discovered him first. Same procedure as before, felt so sorry for my little treasure, tried to reassure him that I still love him very much and reduced his short "Ramadan" to 20 hrs. I cooked chicken with rice and fine chopped carrots for Saladin and he really enjoyed his meal. For a while he was okay then his diarrhoea returned and he caught a cold. Running noses and conjunctivitis are a common problem here for cats (in particular during those periods with cold and wet days and/or nights). When he stopped eating, the vet explained that cats only eat what they can smell, with a blocked nose this isn't possible. Meanwhile I have my own little pharmacy for cats at home, which is just as well, as these little darlings don't like travelling in a transport box and several taxis don't like having them in the car (for "hygienic reasons" , utterly bullshit in view of a plastic transport box). With his prescribed medication (Marbocyl, in addition Kortison) and inhalation he got better. The vet informed me that a variation of food often causes diarrhoea. This was new to me, never experienced that with cats in Europe. For quite some time we believed that Saladin is dump.He moved his mouth as if he wanted to speak, but there was no sound. We heard his voice for the first time at the vet's, it took months. I did my best, but diarrhoea kept recurring. Saladin lost weight which didn't show straight away due to his lovely long fur. We bought an expensive special diet (croquets) from the vet. Strange, all the cats thought it's delicious, but Saladin didn't particular. I had to feed him separately, only occasionally offered a bit to a couple of other cats, in order to make these croquets more interesting to my little fur angel. It worked, thank heaven. Saladin was a good actor, apart from pretending to be dump, he sometimes pretended to eat, but spit his croquets out again, without me noticing at first. When the vet took blood from him to have it tested, she had to take it from a neck vein, as he got so skinny. Poor soul. The result of the blood test came as a real shock, only half as many erythrocytes as normal. The vet warned us that Saladin won't have much longer to live. For a couple of days my lovely gentle treasure (friendly with everyone and all the cats) seemed to get better. Wishful thinking. Saladin used to follow me around, seemed to be always at my side, the first one to greet me in the morning, purring. a gift from heaven. But only for 2 years. Some time between 23.oo hrs and 4 a.m. my beloved one passed away, Friday 04.05.18 or Saturday 05.05.18. I miss him so much, often, when he looked at me with his lovely big eyes, I wondered what he is thinking. He deserves to be in Paradise.

Spring Time

A commercial agent visited a poor farmer as he intended to sell him a milking machine. The poor farmer advised him that he's got only one cow and the bank won't give him a loan. So the commercial agent told him: "Not a problem, just give me your cow for payment" (Or did he say as first instalment?). - Thank heaven the days are getting warmer, but when it's cloudy the temperature drops considerably. As in previous years I either find kittens in a box in front of my entrance door or kids/teens or adults want to hand me 1 or 2 directly. I found in a book the advise, if you have too many kittens/cats, and no one to take them, leave them near a hotel, tourists will feed them. Looks like the advise here is, leave them with me or at my door step. Something has changed though, I managed this year to find new families for lovely little fur angels, so far for 6 (always 1 at a time) and in 1 case my shelter was only required temporarily as 1 little darling was already dearly missed by her family. (I don't like the expression "owner" and I refuse to see animals as objects.) - The other day I was surrounded by a group of young hooligans (or should I say disturbed kids  from the surrounding area?) demanding baby cats and sweets. This I refused for obvious reasons, helpless kittens should never be handed to children as toys, even worse to these here, no manners, no respect, no empathy. In addition I do not know what for I should reward them with sweets. When we first moved here, one lady warned us not to give any presents to these kids here, they would demand them daily, knocking on your door, without shame. I must admit I did not always follow her advise. Anyhow, they followed me to the garbage container place and back to my house, yelling together at ear-splitting level, I felt threatened. After I got inside my house, they banged at the door. As I rejected their demands they decided to take revenge and bend part of the iron strip that our locksmith had welded onto the net-iron sheeting (partly bend as well) outside, designed to protect our house and plants against  footballs and hooligans. By the way, if you think envy and revenge are perhaps typical shortcomings of many Arabic characters, you are mistaken. What about Donald Trump, his envy of B. Obama's achievements (e.g. "Obama-Care") and popularity, and Trump's constant firing of men he employed himself for high posts (ejector seat for those who dare to use their own brain), isn't this taking revenge? For all I know Trump is not an Arab, his family originates from Bavaria. -  An excavator briefly parked in this road, was discovered by a young boy, approx. 5 years old, he seemed to believe that this is a new toy his parents bought for him so that he can do bigger damages. A tradesman saw the little boy climbing up to the seat and he had to tell the kid 5 times to get off the vehicle, to him there appeared to be no reason to do that, what's on the street the children regard as their property and don't some car owners regret parking outside. Luckily the excavator was removed not long later. - The other day a young lady asked whether she can come inside to chose a cat. I informed her that I want to keep all the cats that I've been living with for a while  (up to 5 years), they are a kind of family for us. Sometimes I receive a request for a grey cat or a white cat, maybe I should create a catalogue ...... What do these people think, that I breed cats? One woman wanted one already vaccinated (approx. 90Dinar). I am not a charity organisation, I am only me, with limited means. In Germany I once got a cat from an animal protection organisation, fully checked, teeth done, vaccinated, great - but I had to pay for all this. To be fair, there are also different families in the neighbourhood, excellent manners, well behaving kids, the difference is amazing. They are like a ray of sunshine. Good to know them too. - Tony, a black and white tomcat, with a bigger head then usual, has a very special way of lifting his head and looking me straight in the eyes. He hasn't got a home and is a regular visitor to my cats' table. One day I noticed that he is loosing weight,  doesn't eat, just puts his nose near his food in an attempt to smell it, suffering from a cold this isn't possible. As cats only eat what they can smell (a protection by nature which can backfire though, as a blocked nose can lead to starvation in spite of available food); high time to clean his nose and add a cough remedy to his drinking water. It turned out he trusts me and just allows me to clean his nose and ears as often as necessary (cats hate this procedure). He is much better now and likes to hang around near my house. So  does a newcomer, a white cat, looking a bit neglected - a sign of sickness - and she had fleas (gave her a remedy). I wonder whether she had a home before and lost it when she got sick. The folks around here like white cats and she looks pretty with her long white hair, black cats are not so popular, uneducated people believe they bring bad luck. Wouldn't like to live without my 2 fantastic black lady cats, they are adorable. Whenever I am in the sitting room and they want to join me, they knock at the door, my lovely Lilly and Felicitas. Now Allien is copying them, but I won't let him come in as he likes to chew cables. When I have to distribute medication to my little darlings, I usually pulverise the pills and mix this under soft cheese. It can also help to pretend other cats are receiving the identical product and are enjoying it. The same kind of trick works with kids sometimes. - On the 16th of May Ramadan starts, this means neither food nor drink of any kind from sun rise until the sun goes down, if you are religious, no smoking in public or even taxi, unless you are a tourist. Communal election this month, most citizens say they won't vote, too disappointed with the administration ("Belladia"). The author Safwan M. Masri said in an interview on TV, France 24 that Tunisia is divided, there are those who want to live like Europeans and on the other hand those who would like to set the clock back, have woman dressed in black, Burka and head scarf. Safwan M. Masri just published a book: Tunisia an Arab Anomaly. (Haven't read it, can't judge). I am optimistic and pray for intelligent, decent, tolerant politicians who love and forward this country and successfully fight corruption.