I am like a child when it comes to going to bed: I don’t like to go early in case I miss out on something important. But yesterday I had another all day upholstery course and after quite a long week involving quite a lot of snot, I thought I would get an early night on Friday in preparation for leaving the house at 8.30am.

As I cleaned my teeth I heard that nose all humans owned by cats will recognise: the sound of a cat about to throw up. I located Norman just as he therew up all over my bedroom carpet. I cleaned up and got into bed a little later than planned, but still earlier that usual for a Friday night. 30 minutes later the cat flap clattered and Norman didn’t miaow as he came in, which is a signal that heprobably has something in his mouth. Sure enough, he had a mouse.  I chased him round the house, back out the cat flap and got back into bed again. It wasn’t to last. 10 minutes later there was another clatter, another lack of miaow and this time he got under my bed before I could get to him. Shining a torch on the pair, I realised that 1) Norman had dropped mousey and 2) mousey was still alive – actually unhurt – but presumably so terrified he couldn’t move. To cut a long story short, after 30 minutes with a mixing bowl and the long Hoover attachment I had mousey safely in the bowl. I then had to convince Norman I was releasing him in the front garden, leave Norman there to run to the back and release mousey in the Norman free back garden. I let Norman back in the front door and got back into bed. 10 minutes later Norman, presumably due to the excitement, threw up again. Some kitchen roll, Vanish carpet cleaner and a scrubbing brush later, I finally made it into bed at 1am. Feeling very humphy and a bit sweaty.

I was a bit humphy on the upholstery course too, the sewing machine didn’t like me and I spent a fair amount of time swearing at it between accidentally stabbing myself with a huge needle and getting blood over my chair in the making. I learned to do piping though, and although I have still not finished my chair (another cause of my humphing), I did some more last night and this morning and I am very slowly getting there. This chair contains my blood, sweat and humphs. At least there were no tears though :o)