A CAT CALLED MERLOT

Thursday 29th October 2020

Within the first two days of putting it on a crowdfunding website, Saffron reported they had raised nearly £500 for Gideon’s Eco Pod. There’s been a lot of activity too, during the evenings, in Gary’s garden workshop and yesterday, he told residents of The Avenue to get ready for next week’s unveiling. I had a peek through the window and the pod, which is being constructed from light-weight, reclaimed wood is really taking shape. Carol from Number 29, has been busy making a foam mattress that she’s covered in a bright fabric, depicting Gideon’s great love of books. She’s also going to make a matching curtain for the small window. Alfred, keen to help, donated a tin of yacht varnish, he’d found in his shed, whilst Marcus managed to source two small solar panels at a very good price. By last Friday, Queenie was dancing round the living room with joy at the way the residents of The Avenue are pulling together. I had to admit, even for a cat, it’s touching!

Meanwhile Carol’s husband, Jeff  had a less than enthusiastic response to his appeal to members of TARTS (The Avenue Residents’ Theatre Society) to join Zoom rehearsals for a socially distanced carol concert at the local Care Home “The Last Gasp”. The home is also known as “The Departure Lounge” partly for their notoriously bad food, served on plastic trays but also because the residents’ communal area looks like an Easy Jet departure gate. Only Mrs Waters, Sheridan and Elsie (Number 30), joined Zoom to sing ‘Once In Royal David’s City’. As both Sheridan and Elsie are tone deaf, it sounded from the top of the garage in Jeff’s garden, as though cats were being systematically slaughtered. By the end of the rehearsal, Jeff, hovering on the brink of a bout of depression told Carol that it was a blessing when the link finally went down as listening to them would surely drive the residents to earlier graves.  

On Saturday, I have a date with a queen I’ve been chatting to on YOWL! App. She’s just moved into the next road and her name is…Marjorie. She’s a British Blue, a breed to which I’m rather partial. If her profile picture is to be believed, she’s got a shiny light grey coat, amber eyes and is rather beautiful. I have high hopes but I’m wary about getting into another relationship since Lola let me down so badly. Still, I think “Merlot & Marjorie” has rather a classy ring to it. Lets face it, in the 1970’s it wouldn’t have looked out of place emblazoned across the sun visor of a Ford Capri! I’m glad now, I had my teeth done but I’m having a dilemma about what to take as a gift: vole or goldfish (Oliver and Emilia at Number 36 have three in a tank and I’m sure they wouldn’t miss one) or is a goldfish excessive for a first date? I’ve come to the conclusion dating is all very exhausting. Perhaps a nap…

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