This week I had a few moments that were so surreal that I felt like I had inadvertently fallen into a Disney film.

First of all, Scene One: I told you about the discovery of Mr Ratty on my bird feeder and what appeared to be a mama and baby pair? I got a closer look at two of them and they looked like fat twin hamsters with long tails. Both were small, chubby and grey with white abdomens. The thing that got me was that they were jumping about in the trees like they were performing some kind of synchronised dance routine, minus the tutus of course. They brought to mind the mice who changed into horses to pull the pumpkin. They were moving in perfect unison, 2 chubby little bodies sailing from one tree limb to the next then scampering up the trees and disappearing when they spotted me.

I have now told several people about this and no one believes me. But often no one believes the crazy things I see, partly with justification because I am blind as a bat. But I have glasses and can sometimes see better than those who allegedly have no vision issues (*cough* Norman).

But what did I see? Even I had to doubt the veracity of twin aerial dance routine performing hamsters. Mice feel less germy than rats. But these did not look like what I imagined wild African mice to look like, they legit looked like cartoon mice.

Then I was convinced that I had identified him!!!

I was convinced they were black-tailed tree rats, also called black-tailed acacia rat or black-tailed thallomys, (Thallomys nigricauda), which are a species of rodent in the family Muridae.

However Norm pointed out their natural ranges and habitats and that Mr Thallomys does not reside as far south as Cape Town.

I then launched an appeal on threads to provide options but no one seemed to hit it correct. Four-striped Grass Mouse was suggested but these little guys did not have stripes.

After hours researching it seems as if it may be this guy, a Cape spiny mouse (Acomys subspinosus).

They are tiny but they still freak me out.

I said out loud “Black winged Sparrowhawk please come eat the mice/rats!“. I said it three times and then a sparrowhawk flew across the sky nearby and called out loudly. If he had actually landed I might have fainted. I kept saying it out loud, sometimes saying an owl, sometimes just saying ‘a predator’. Point being I did not want to have to resort to poison but the mice / rats were bring their whole family to the party.

On Friday afternoon I went outside and spotted a cat sitting very still at the bottom of one of the trees in the fairy garden. It was a big kitty with very unusual markings and huge golden eyes and a thick tail. I started wondering if it was an African wild cat?!

I sent the video to the family group and asked my son if it was a wild cat. Norm then chimes in it is the neighbour’s cat that he feeds when they are away. Ok less Disney or Africa and more rescue centre.

I then start to wonder about how news spreads among animals. How can dogs often sense tragedy that does not even happen in their physical environment? How do elephants know tragedies that happen miles away? How do the bloody mice all know I put out a new bird feeder and who told the neighbour’s cat about the mice???

Then, cue Scene Two. I went outside on Thursday afternoon and spotted something odd in the bird feeder which started all of this and I panicked it was a mouse and I was going to have to deal with him. However when I got closer I could see there was a sunbird trapped in the house. I carefully lowered it and kept speaking gently to him while he panicked. I slowly opened the lid and managed to direct him out. I am so glad I could rescue him.

Another then we have all of The Fountain Scenes. One instance I had just gone outside and was looking down at my phone when I heard Robin croak. I looked up and she was sitting on the feeder waiting on my attention, head turned. I greeted her and chatted, I asked her if she had tried my water fountain yet and she immediately turned and flew down to the fountain and walked around the bowl as if to say ‘yes mom I did, thank you’.

The waxbills have started to enjoy the fountain now, it is hard to catch them on film. They often dive down and fly through the water fountain repeatedly and sometimes they just sit in there enjoying the cool water.

I watched this little white eye having a wash while the pigeon tried to intimidate him. This pigeon chases off a lot of birds until I chase off the pigeon. I tell him he is welcome if he does not bully.

Final Scene: On our way home from babysitting Bree we encountered a troop of baboons in the dark. We only saw the mother and one baby but it was in the forest where there is minimal light. It is such a surreal experience coming upon a large baboon emerging from the night mist!

I said to Norm I felt very much a resident of Africa this week.

On Wednesday evening we babysat Bree so Wes and Caitlin could have ‘Date Night’. Bree kept saying ‘Mama and Daddy on a Date, me date Elisi and Papa Norm’ which was adorable. She discovered that my baggy trousers were very loose and had a drawstring and she kept pulling them down and giggling like a loon. We ordered pizza, pasta and a salad to share and Bree had her dinner from her dad. I ordered a very yucky pizza, no idea why I chose it. Bree was a bit annoyed that the pizza was not a plain margarita like usual. Me too Bree!

She was such a delight playing games and amusing us, she can chat away now and can tell you elaborate stories about Mittens the cat scaring off birds and the hadeda napping in the tree. She can say our names clearly and always uses them which is just so endearing.

When it was bedtime we went in to her room to change her and she started fading and said ‘me go in dere’ while pointing to her cot. I said ‘ok you can go to bed when we finish getting your pajamas on’. Once dressed she said ‘I want a book’ and pointed to her rocking chair. I asked ‘OK shall Papa Norm or Elisi read to you?’ She chose me and I could not see the writing in the book. Luckily it was a library book and I could adlib without her correcting me, because she does! She lay quietly and blew us a kiss and said ‘love you’ when we went out. She melts our hearts.

We had a lovely evening and were home by 9pm-ish so it was a great night and we were not zombies the next day at work.

Speaking of work, it is ramping up now with the build starting. The client made a point of calling me out and telling my consulting house how valuable I am. That was good for my ego and quieted down my Imposter Syndrome!

I had another shipment of bits and pieces for the playroom arrive this week. I ordered some things to go into the dress up box because the girls loved dressing up. I have a doctor’s scrubs with all the little doctor’s tools, a pirate outfit with a cutlass and various bits and pieces, 2 Elsa masks and capes, and a set of gloves, tiara and jewels. I also ordered a baby doll because we have a pram but no baby to go into the pram.

The new table and the towel rail both arrived as well. The table is for the soap as the kids cannot reach the window where it was. The towel rail was rusty and looked dreadful so the new one is a lovely chunky black metal. The little step stool is for both the loo and the sink.

Norm repaired two of my fairies that were both accidently damaged by Amelia. He did a great job!

He also bought some more wooden discs for me to put my new bits on. The new raccoon, chair and wagon have moved over to join the camper.

Norm cooked for us one night, baked pork chops, garlic mash and broccolini. It was a busy week so I appreciated it.

I am still rebounding every night for 12 minutes. I feel my body responding to it and it perks me up mentally to jump, dance and listen to music.

We are getting set for our next renovation project which is changing the kitchen tiles. The existing glass tiles have been broken in a few spots and there are a few issues with the grouting and I just wanted to change the look. I did not think the turquoise looked great with the greeny brown counters. I think this green tiles look great with both the cupboards as well as the counter tops.

We hired the same team that did the bathroom so it should look fabulous. We will go vertical with these.

Our friend came this week to measure up for a cupboard that will go over the alarm system, the gate battery and other things in the playroom. He is also adding a door knob to the bathroom door in the playroom.

Yesterday Kim mentioned that it is his daughter Happiness’ 4th birthday today so I ordered a cake, a stuffed animal & a set of construction vehicles for him to take home for her party. Happiness gets the stuffy for herself but can play with the cars with her sister. I love getting to spoil little kids.

Today Norm is off to a memorial service and I am pottering about the garden. The weather has been pretty miserable since yesterday.

But I do not mind if it is not actually raining because then I can’t potter about the garden, but the plants need it and the dams can always use it so let nature take her course!

Until next time, Kisses from the Kitten xoxoxox