It Ain't Easy

"The truth is so precious that it must be hidden. "(Churchill) Tunisia can be proud of her citizens. They value morale, freedom of speech, human rights higher than money. Being poor doesn't  mean they are prepared to sell their souls. Governments (e.g. in USA) should more often listen to the people...  A lesson the Saudis and hopefully in particular MBS (Saudi crown prince) learn, is that money isn't everything and decent guys don't want you to get away with murder. I remember a Spanish judge issuing an international arrest warrant for Pinochet and when he came to visit Great Britain he did actually get arrested. Thank heaven for civilisation, international laws and folks (no matter whether Muslims, Christians or Jews) who are not prepared to look the other way! The people in Argentina, Germany, Denmark, Finland, Turkey and other countries share this believe. Hopefully the demonstrations will remain peaceful. - Inflation is high, 15% are unemployed. Prices have risen 2 or 3 times this year, bred remains cheap, so everybody should at least be able to buy bred. Not surprising imports have become especially expensive, some products are no longer on the market, but with a bit of luck local alternative products are available. Imported dry food for cats, a 20kg sack from the vet, used to cost 238 Dinar meanwhile I have to pay 260 (this may seem a luxury, but if you love cats.... (are perhaps willing to live modestly) and it contains Taurine, cats need this for their health). The so-called salami (600 g turkey meat mainly) used to be 2 Dinar, now the price is 2,600 Dinar, all prices quoted are of this year. Milk and butter stock remain limited. Customers are requested not to buy more than 2 l of milk per day.  It ain't easy, in particular when more or less all prices appear to be going up. Chapeau for citizens who say the Saudi crown Prince isn't welcome here!

Postscript Cats know my Name

Cat education isn't difficult, after a few days they've already taught us what is most important. Life without money is possible, providing you manage to convince folks it's worth their while to support you. If your manners are good and you are charming, you can even have servants (dogs have a master and/or a mistress, cats have servants). When the cat is away, the servants are mourning. It is an advantage to be beautiful, but it is not necessary, intelligence is more important, it offers you many opportunities. Cats are very loyal, you can't buy their love, they are not corrupt, not vindictive, but they know jealousy. Some are happy in a community, others prefer to be "the only child". Amira, our first Tunisian cat, still lives with us together with her 4 now adult children, Tiger, Soleigh, Sandy, Bijoux and our other fur angels. Sandy doesn't like when I am surrounded by other cats. She is really only happy sitting next to me and me stroking her golden fur. Her reaction to Jolino is special, she obviously doesn't like him,  makes a lot of fuzz, as if he threatens her, while he only sits in front of her, saying and doing nothing. I think he enjoys her strong reaction. He is my biggest cat, approx. 6 kg, mainly white fur with golden patches. The other cats feel comfortable in his company. Sometimes Sandy, Tiger and lately also Diana and Alien copying the others, chase Myriam, who likes to sleep in the wooden house that a local carpenter created for us. I don't know why he made it look classic German style. Sometimes Felicitas, Lilly or Eileen join Myriam in her wooden house, they get on well with each other. Unfortunately the cats here tend to have a lot of teeth problems, due to adherence. Poor Bijoux had an appointment with the dentist vet 3 times this year, she is 5 1/2 years old. Nature's protection device for sick cats, hide when you are weak and maybe easy prey, is not very helpful when you want to take her/him to the vet's (apart from the possible fight as the cat doesn't want to enter the transport box). But anyhow, when your cat's behaviour changes, in particular when hiding, she or he is likely to be sick. Screaming while eating makes it pretty obvious what's wrong. Unlike us the cat needs anaesthesia, but then again we wouldn't attempt to bite the dentist. Though there are times when one may feel like doing likewise.

Cats know my Name

And my address I may add. There are days when my cats don't feel like eating much, strange,  those indoors and those outdoors, my usual guests. Whenever I have surplus food I take it to a place where poor little fur darlings look for food among the garbage. Some real beauties among them,  and looking so neat (exception when sick), in Europe they would be expensive. Lately two or three of these come to my house looking for me when they are hungry. I may add my now regular outdoor guests once upon a time also discovered my address, now they try to prevent too many additional newcomers. The two cat mummies, Esperanza and Alice, (both are left with just one baby still alive, I let them temporarily sleep in my small corridors) like to chase away in particular young new cats. As a result of this I always take special care not to let them out until my other guests have finished their breakfast. Esperanza and Alice appear to enjoy each others company, sometimes they play "husband and wife".  When I call them:  " Come your baby is missing you", they usually arrive, occasionally out of nowhere. When the baby calls her mother and she replies, this interchange is so sweet. Esperanza watches me carefully whenever I touch her baby, once or twice she even slightly slapped me as the service was not exactly to her liking. Nice to know she doesn't consider me too old to learn. By the way, Esperanza recovered well following her operation of her broken jaw (car accident). At the time her vet advised us that since she's young her chances are good. One day her 4 weeks old baby walked out. I couldn't find her anywhere, nor did I see her mother, therefore I hoped that they were together, possibly in an unoccupied house ruin nearby. Next morning I was disappointed neither to see Esperanza nor her little one. A couple of hours later first the mother arrived and after several minutes the little darling also speaking her mind, at least it sounded as if she had a lot to say. I guess she missed her warm soft bed last night  but anyhow I was happy to see she's doing fine. Following their breakfast the two decided to have a rest, a lovely picture lying side by side, mummy with a leg around her baby. They looked so peaceful. I am always worried when cats are outside, the traffic and those disturbed kids/young men. One 5 or 6 year old I repeatedly caught abusing cats and hitting a little girl, "just for fun". It makes me feel so helpless. I don't believe in looking the other way. This stupid boy pulled our very special Bella's tail and hurled her around. Viewing this I wished for a moment that the cats wouldn't be so gentle but scratch him so hard he wouldn't dare touching them again. In the past I saw him throwing stones at cats and the other day attempting to kick one. Hopefully speaking to his parents and explaining to them that their son is  on a bad route, will help? Bella and Honey call us when they see us, even from quite a distance and Bella lately started to accompany my husband also, when shopping, like a dog might do, only she without a leach of course. Knocking at the sitting room door (hitting the key attachment against the door) was first Felicita's idea, copied by Lilly, meanwhile Amelie, Suzy, Sandy and Alien do the same. Learning by watching, not bad my little treasures! Eileen prefers to "knock" at the window with her little paws. When Tiger sees I am getting ready for bed, he calls and follows me. My late Filou used to climb down his tree and join me. Cats and dogs are great to have as friends and can have as a family member a positive effect on kids' development. Kids learn by watching. Teach them to see and appreciate the beauty of nature and animals. An older grey cat, Grace, used to spend most of the day lying in front of my entrance day. She loved Croquettes which I buy from the vet's. About 3 weeks ago I heard a shuffle, cats' and dogs' voices, by the time I arrived at the door I only managed to see 2 dogs disappear with a dark coloured cat in their mouth. Ever since neither I nor my neighbour saw Grace again, the victim must have been this little darling. Yesterday Esperanza went for  an evening walk and didn't return. I tried in vain to find her and got quite worried. She wouldn't sleep outside, stay without her baby, not by choice. Breakfast time, most of my fur treasures are there (apart from the usual long-sleeping suspects), but where is my lovely Esperanza? Lunch time, still no sight of her. I hear a cat calling, but where is she? From the roof of my house I discover much higher on another roof the sweat little cat face that I know so well, Esperanza. I feel so happy she's alive, I just must work out from which roof can I fetch her down and unite her again with her baby. The neighbour is not at home but luckily returns not long later. All is well, Esperanza is thirsty.

This is the Life

Father: "Son, I don't want to hear any more of your stupid lies, I want you to be polite and learn good manners, otherwise you won't achieve anything in life." Son: "But I want to become president!" Father: "You are not in the USA here, furthermore you won't inherent millions of Dollars." - For approx. 3 weeks items like milk, butter, several cheeses more or less disappeared from shop shelves. This gave me a chance to discover Arabic butter. I love it, it is not pre-wrapped and tastes very light and fresh. Some of the cheaper cheeses (not talking of soft cheese) lack flavour and my husband wonders "why Tunisians didn't learn from the French how to make tasty cheese".  If yo u spread mustard on top it's not too bad. The Tunisian Camembert is okay and the smoked cheese, in my opinion. Whenever the quality is acceptable, we are happy to buy Tunisian products. But when you like a product, it may well suddenly disappear. It happened with beautiful tiles. "We like to produce new designs every year." What if you wish to replace broken ones? Better buy some as a reserve. In Germany I discovered a shop that bought remaining tiles from various sources and thus offered a chance to find just the one you were looking for. Carrefour supermarket used to sell excellent bred and rolls, an alternative for those who don't want to eat only white bred. If you can attract customers with e.g. such a product, you are likely to sell more items to them at the same time. Lately Carrefour seems to have a new supplier, pity. The small round barley bred sold elsewhere is good. In Kairouan one can find various types of excellent tasty breds. Any white bred should be eaten while crusty and fresh, thus fairly quickly or use a toaster, we don't like wasting bred. Several folks collect old bred which they re-sale for the production of animal food, unfortunately they also re-sell molding bred, which can cause cancer, in animals too. Heating up doesn't make it less harmful. If you keep old bred without plastic it will harden without mold. - A neighbour first had one Alsatian dog on the roof, now there are two. I wonder whether we need regulations that restrict the number of dogs one may keep on the roof. Dogs here seem to be gentle by nature, unfortunately these kids or youngsters believe it's fun to kick/beat dogs or pretend to attack them and then start running. Not surprisingly this makes dogs nervous, if not aggressive and bark a lot. If the owners and kids would instead really care for their dogs, try games without aggression (unless they want fierce dogs),  the situation could be so different. -
When we had a lot of rain I discovered (for the first time) 5 snails with a long shell crawling on my terrace wall, it was the type I previously found in Europe in my aquarium. Since I don't live near a river I presume they arrived together with sand delivered from a river site. - I mentioned before that ignorant folks drop their litter in front of a garage door (and even worse inside) in the neighborhood. The town cleaned the pavement now, repeatedly. They do their best, bravo, but those stupid people appear to be willing to continue the bad habit, even though it's against the laws. If it were my garage, I would put up a notice saying: "You forgot your litter, please leave your address so that I can return it to you and maybe also leave mine in front of your door."

My 2 Black Angels and Other Habibati

Cats are a present from heaven, their purring so relaxing. Felicia and Lily, my black ladies with shiny soft fur, like velvet, are real gentle angels, never fighting with other cats, welcoming all new comers. Every cat around enjoys their company. And so do we! Approx. 3 years ago I discovered my cute Felicitas, only a few weeks old, climbing behind the barrier, very sportive. She used to be very fit and lively, a bundle of joy. We let her sleep in the bedroom whenever she wants to, as she in particular likes to cuddle with me and lately also with my husband. When she started to loose weight I discovered that my little darling sometimes just pretends to eat, she puts food in her mouth, then spits it out again. The vet advised me that cats only eat food they can smell and this they can't do when their nose is blocked. What helps is Physiol Drops and when it gets real bad inhalation at the vet's. Felicitas is very special for me, unfortunately she suffers from a chronic cold, therefore can't be vaccinated. Though I actually can't afford to pay for all my little darlings to be vaccinated which would require 2 injections every year. This medical protection is very much more expensive for them  then for us. Justified? Or is the pharmacy industry once more just taking what they can get? By the way,  in a documentary about an island with a poor population, it was mentioned that vaccination against rabies only cost 25 CT (there offered for free). Cats' immun system in Tunisia appears to be much weaker than in Europe. Sudden death in particular among very young kittens is rather common, in addition several get run over while crossing streets, life hasn't got much to offer them, so sad. Lily used to look like Felicita's twin sister, but now is much fitter and weighs more. Children discovered her 18 months ago, sitting on my cement strip, large bump on her head and another injury, under shock (biten by a dog, hit by a hooligan). She has a great character, much like Felicita. Strange some folks don't like black cats, most of them are superstitious, the ignorant believe any nonsense. Gloria, Alice and Esperanza almost gave birth to their kittens in front of my entrance door. In each case I was there just in time to rush them in and make use of the make-shift shelter I managed to provide for them. Gloria's babies were the fittest. This loving mum never stopped caring for her kittens even when they got older. Gloria is the most beautiful cat I have ever seen (black, red, brown and a bit of white), so gentle. Unfortunately she disappeared 3 weeks ago, as I had her operated she can't have started a new family, I can only hope she is still alive. Some of her little ones died, the others are fine. All were old enough to cope without their mummy, when she disappeared. I am also missing Cinderella, white fur, blue eyes, gentile and sweet. Hopefully she is living with a new good family now, she would have returned if she could. Tunisian folks prefer very young kittens, if they intend to have a cat, but in view of her beauty someone may have made an exception. I asked around and checked the streets in the neighbourhood, these 2 little habibties are nowhere in sight. Esperanza and Alice had their kittens within the same week. When these 2 dedicated mummies go outside for a few minutes, they walk together briefly and seem to exchange their experiences. Babies calling, they quickly want to return, usually. Sometimes Alice has a bit of a rest underneath my yucca plant. One evening she went out and I couldn't trace her anywhere. She was nowhere in sight, I tried again and again to find her. Something must have happened to her, I knew she wouldn't desert her kittens. Early in the morning, feeding time - no Alice, I checked the neighbourhood area. All in vain, until finally later in the morning she returned and waited underneath my yucca plant. She was bleeding from her mouth and nose, a poor sight. So this was the cause either an accident or an attack from a dog maybe. The vet thought an accident, broken jaw. Now I have 2 cats that had a broken jaw and I know my vet can operate it well. The other one, Myriam is doing fine and Alice is quickly recovering. I am so happy and so were her kittens (only 2 survived, 2 were already born dead) which adored their mum. Unfortunately later on another kitten died, so she is left with only one now and so is Alice who has a very lively little darling with black and red fur, not at all looking like her golden coloured mother. There are so many things in life we don't really need but cats are essential - at least for me. Thank heaven for these little treasures.

Postscript In Autumn and other Seasons

Living here for more than 5 years, what has changed? Nothing much I'd say. We've seen kids physically growing up, mentally not so much, not knowing how to spend their time they hang around, doing some damage to our property if they can (looking at it positively, at least they are not lazy). They are strong, bend metal and even manage, with some kind of tool, to make holes in strong metal pieces. Yes, we get a lot of attention! There is a continuation, younger kids have taken over this local "folklore" of throwing stones, yelling like lunatics, demonstrating their disrespect, having problems tolerating cars on the street. Teens riding their motorbikes with one wheel in the air, the younger ones acting likewise with their bikes. Couple of days ago a young man on a motorcycle ignored the right of way of a car whose driver was speeding. The accident was fatal for him. For his funeral service approx. 100 young men turned up plus family, relatives etc. Very sad to see, hopefully they will learn from this the need to avoid dangerous driving. Live fast, die young. In a so called "collective taxi" we once passed a place where a fatal accident happened a few minutes ago. Our driver slowed down for 5 minutes and then carried on his dangerous overtaking. I guess arguing with him while he's driving could also have a negative effect on his driving style. On account of car wheel marks on our house wall we have had a concrete strip made attached to the house wall as a kind of spacer. This was welcomed by local hooligans as a bench. They thanked us by dropping their litter, being very noisy and rude. The strip turned out to be very useful as a "cats' table" for my little guests, but these hooligans were just too much and we had to get it demolished, extra costs so unnecessary. Some folks have pols installed so that cars can't park on their pavement. A neighbour had 5 large brick stones fixed with cement for this purpose, she tried it 4 times, each time 3 or 4 got smashed. I guess revenge for her not accepting footballs being kicked against her wall.We have to always consider hooligans' reaction as well, what is possible in other streets, we often can't do. By the way, the household rubbish that I mentioned before (dumped inside and in front of an empty garage), that what was dumped in plastic bags outside, was picked up by a small rubbish vehicle, loose litter remained and soon attracts more rubbish. - I came here with a lot of good intentions. In the beginning I thought of arranging a street party with finger food and soft drinks for the neighbourhood, thus introducing ourselves and getting to know the folks around here. I further planned to show housewives various techniques of making toys and creating wall hangings, mobile, etc at practically no costs. Some items like that I had successfully sold years ago in my arts and crafts shop in England. Following the hostile reception we partly received, I no longer feel the inclination! Pity, looks like the revolution had a negative effect on some, at least my experience prior was so different. Luckily we also encounter good charming folks, educated, with excellent manners. They are the ray of sunshine that give us hope for a great country. It is possible after all.

In Autumn and other Seasons

A man got married and has a lot of stress because his wife has so many wishes. He thinks: I guess I am lucky that I am not a Muslim married to 4 wives. As years go by his wife gets bored, studies at the university and gains a well paid job. The man now thinks: Pity I am not a Muslim married to 4 wives........

Expats are all rich, come from rich families and don't know any poor folks. Really? You wish! But that is what some believe here and they are willing to supply addresses (their own) of those in need. Travelling by taxi with a neighbour's son. The taxi driver decided that I am rich (does he know something I don't?) and suggested to my fellow traveller he should persuade me to support him as he has 5 children and a low income. On other occasions we have been asked by people we hardly know, to contribute to the costs of their operations, medical treatments or other expenses. Nice try. I have previously written about the contributions of expats to the country's economy.  Several have left again on account of the bad reception they received by several ignorant country men, women and children. So sad. - At present residents are not allowed to transfer money out of the country, I guess there are exceptions for imports etc. The country needs money, I wonder if the rich would honestly pay their taxes or even be prepared to support their country according to their abilities..... But this didn't even happen in Greece. Less greed, less corruption, honest politians, a better world, a dream. - In the neighbourhood I found proof of the "Broken windows theory", according to which one is ill advised not to repair damage (like a broken window) done to a building unless one is happy to soon see all windows smashed. In this case it doesn't concerns a broken window, but an unused garage with a damaged door (wrote about it), while several folks dumped their garbage through the hole in the door, an elderly woman decided the pavement in front of this door is just as suitable for her rubbish. Not long afterwards many plastic bags etc appeared there  with litter. By the way within a few minutes walking distance there are garbage containers that are emptied daily (not at all a nice job without gloves or other protective clothes, shoes, I hope the guys receive at least a decent wage). - Some kids now have a bike, but don't think they would cycle to the near beech, no for unknown reasons they prefer to stay within a very small radius, a toddler could walk it. The world is full of surprises. A woman returning from a holiday in Europe stated Tunisia is the best country in the world, yes it can be if we manage to change the mentality of a few. The need for this I heard several folks express. By the way, I must correct myself, I previously said we are very lucky, no extreme weather occurances here, this is no longer quite true unfortunately, at Cap Bon the flooding was severe, did a lot of damage to buildings, swept away cars and even caused death. Via mobile phone and internet there is a call to show solidarity and donate a Dinar (or more). Crowd funding to help the victims, a good idea. We need this attitude. Let us make this country great and teach the ignorant.