Sunny outlook

Horrible weather today, stuggling around the 5°C and raining/drizzling most of the time. Not quite sure why it didn't snow. I stayed indoors and did all the heavy boring work (keeping the fire fed with logs, doing paperwork, internet "research" etc) while Angie relaxed by mucking out horses, chickens and walking the dogs, all three of them donning waterproofs.

In the afternoon I took off for the village of Oberroth about 30km north of here to collect Sunny, an eight year old lady who needed a new home.

Many weeks ago I mentioned to sheep farmer friend Karl that we had been visited by a friend who works (full time employee) at the local animal rescue center. He simply mentioned he would like another cat (he has one tom) but they must be older and castrated/neutered. So I had contacted the rescue home only to learn it would cost a good sum and subsequent phoning around on adverts proved amazingly difficult. I gave up totally frustrated thinking that there must be loads of poor older cats  that were difficult to rehouse. I understand animal rescue units are not swimming in cash but here in Germany they are usually semi state run/financed operations with most parishes paying in a fixed per inhabitant annual "tax". If the parishes are not in the scheme, the homes can send them a bill for medical care and maintenance costs for each animal rescued in the parish and this can quickly add up to lots of money.

On Monday Angie had seen the classsified ad looking for a home for Sunny. The children who had had the cat for eight years had  left home to study in various parts of Germany and now the parents were moving to a new home where they weren't allowed to have a cat. I said no I had lost interest and was fed up with the hassle and being treated as a potential animal torturer. Angie insisted asking me daily if I had phoned. Yesterday I gave in and took up contact and straight away the connection matched. Although someone was due to come and see Sunny on Staurday, the owner was sure Karl was the right new owner.

So we arrived at the house which had almost totally been emptied of all furniture and fittings. Sunny was very friendly but a bit fed up at being kept in all day and probably also confused by all the missing furniture and sleeping places. She looked it excellent health. We didn't talk long, packed her in her transport box and said farewell.

From there I headed back homeward but by-passed our place to go straight to Karl who knew nothing of this. Sunny was excellent in the car and we had a good chat, a nice change  from the nagging woman with verbal diarrhoear on the navigation system, warning me about every 5okm/h speed restriction and upcoming farm entrance.

As I came to the front door, Karl called from somewhere to say he would be there in a minute but I should go in. So took in the transport box putting it on Karls seat in the semi dark dining area. When Karl appeared, I shook hands, apologised I hadn't bought along a beer but pushed a tin of cat food in his hand. "Don't need this, got enough and there is masses of dry food and enough mice for one lazy tom". Then as he moved to his seat, he saw the box. "Don't need that either". Luckily I know him well enough  - it wasn't more than a few seconds before Sunny was taking a slow inspection of the room trying to avoid the fixation of Karl's jealous border collie Sophie.

She then found a large window to take up position and inspect her surroundings. Tom came in, they greeted one another, nose to nose, no scratching just a single warning scowl. Sunny was clearly on guard but not noticeably nervous.

As it was getting dark and Karl knew the sheep woud be wandering on someone elses fields we headed off in his Sheep Mobile Animal Rescue Transporter (see extra photo), a sort of SUV (Sheep Utility Vehicle). Hammered down tracks where all BMW X5, Audi Q5, RangeRover owners would have pulled up afraid of damaging their wheels. Found the sheep, let out Sophie who rounded them up and sent them down the hill track towards their own fields. Meanwhile Karl spotted one poorly sheep, picked her up and put her in the SUV (see extra photo) as we headed back down to meet Sophie and close the gate.  

Back home Sunny had enjoyed the peace and quiet and had quite a relaxed expression although she hadn't moved an inch. She got up, stretched , did a 360° turn and laid down again.

Karl said "She appeals to me, I like her" - That was all I wanted to hear.

Back home Angie had cooked a lovely dinner and I phoned Sunny's old owners to pass on the good news. When she thanked me I said it wasn't my doing but Angie's persistence.

Although Sunny has lost her lifelong companions she is now with someone who will always put her care before his own and offer her a paradise playground for a cat. Just hope she sees it that way and doesn't take off. Time will tell and perhaps the upheaval at her last home will make her think twice.