It’s been a while since I showed you the progress made by the Milky Bar kids. These past ten days has seen a marked difference and suddenly, Maman Fleur has time on her paws to enjoy the company of our other adult cats while her little ones explore their new world. Since I last blogged about them, they are now bombing around, climbing, running and chasing one another. They have discovered ping pong balls, and toy mice. The litter tray was introduced and immediately understood. They are also enjoying baby food and cat milk rather than draining their mother dry. Their bowl of water affords them endless fascination as they dip their paws in, creating little waves and much mess.

This has been an incredible journey for us humans too as we watch (and learn) the inter-play between Maman Fleur and her little ones, the different calls she makes to them when it’s time for their feed, teaching them how to kill a toy mouse or when she returns from being away from them. So far we’ve managed to name Little Fleurette, but the ginger boys are proving difficult. At one point I nearly called them Tom, Dick and Harry but it didn’t seem quite right. Nigel is keen to call at least one of the boys Ginger, but I’m somewhat hesitant. I’m sure you’ll remember last year he wanted to call Fleur’s brother Yoda (’cos he had rather big ears) when we adopted them. Yoda is now sensibly called Graham.

Least you think that my time revolves solely around these little furry balls and my computer, I must tell you that I do, occasionally, join the adult world. Such was the case when I attended a workshop entitled ‘How To Get Ahead In Publishing ‘ this morning in Valbonne. The presenter was a super lady called Marie Clayton who gave an excellent insight into the book publishing world. She is to give three more workshops which should empower us all to become authors. It is true that I write but I don’t feel I am an author. And while at times I can find it frustrating to face a blank screen and wonder how it is possible for my inspiration to suddenly deflate, I am writing short non-fiction articles on a subject that is easily researched. But to write a book and keep all the threads going - now that I am in awe of.