look what Fate brought us

In the absence of any great progress with either of the houses, and no conclusive news about our local government's Flood defences cock-ups, I thought I might as well breathe a bit of fresh air into the blog, and share our delight in the new addition to our household.

Potok, I, and a builder were driving through a forest miles from any human habitation when something small and furry crossed the tarmac, making us screech to a halt. The macho builder immediately opened his door and ran to get it. And this is it: a tiny baby kitten, which I of course couldn't leave there - it was looking pathetic, it was shaking and I suppose it wouldn't have survived for much longer. Someone must have dumped it there as I don't see how it could have wandered off so far, let alone not have been eaten by the martens or foxes or one of the many birds of prey that live here.

Well, life is pretty complicated this year for us, and even such a small addition adds a lot to it nevertheless. Luckily the kitten is a survivor: she quickly learned how to lap up kitten milk from a saucer, soon understood about the dirt box, and already by the second day she was playing around with everything and anything. But we worried about our resident 3year old cat: would he accept this little intruder?

Wasn't easy at first! When he came in during the night as he always does, just before dawn, he found the kitten sleeping on our bed - well, HIS bed as far as he was concerned. After some low growling, he left, disgusted. But a few days later they were friends - due to the kitten's persistence in initiating the friendship. Well, now there's a lot of hide and seek, chases and rough play going around now (so much so that I sometimes wonder how the kitten survives), but as you can see, the older one is probably quite pleased to have his little friend - even though he still prefers to be out and about most of the time.The rest of the time, then, the kitten takes up MY time - it's hard to get anything done with this small being needing so much play and attention. Even now she's curled up on my lap as I write. But at least, for the moment now, I don't have to leap about playing games with her, like I am asked to do at any time when she is not sleeping.

The Five Petalled Rose festival

This year Krumlov celebrates 700 years since its first documented mention as 'town'. So the yearly festival was extra special this June, though the weather wasn't as kind to it as is usual at around the Summer solstice.
I've written two exhaustive posts about the festival last year, see
Krumlov - British Expats: The Five-petalled Rose
so rather than repeating myself, this time I shall just post a few pics from the market which you can (obviously) see by clicking onto them.

Restarting the works on Forest House

It's been a long time but at last I am getting on with the Forest House works again. Lots of pictures to come in the next few weeks - for now just a few that have been taken since May. I have a new team on board, just two people (3 at weekends) So far they've been excellent, and I feel more in control of what's going on. Too many mistakes were made last year which have still to be rectified, despite having had a building supervisor who was meant to keep an eye on things. The main work at the present time is the facade, and internal plastering.The garden is doing beautifully in the meanwhile. I've added a few trees and bushes, the vegetable patch is going from strength to strength and there should be a bumper crop at the end of the season.
And should you be wondering when the roof is going to be completed, it should be done in the Autumn, finances permitting.

day out at the riding stable

As we are still waiting to see what happens with the UNESCO cause, as I wait for the Lake house garden to return to some semblance of normality after all the earthworks, and as the riverside house works progress so slowly, here is something more cheerful to put up:The local riding stable that I so love held a beautiful family day, where the youngsters showed off their skills. As usual, the atmosphere was very gentle and relaxed, everyone came out with their kids and grannies, beer and sausages were aplenty, the girls dressed up the horses - and themselves - in amazing 'four elements' costumes and performed to music.

This is what small-town living can also be about: everyone knows everyone, we watch the kids growing up, and the community supports their members' efforts. The town hall might be a bain in our lives, but at the everyday level the sun shines and the living is friendly and easy.