Day 46 - Today I learnt not to count my chickens, or in this case, my schemes before they have hatched. Let me explain. When I installed my speaking tube device to communicate with people at the front gate, I knew that I should have to be able to use it with my balcony window closed, in the event of inclement weather.
I had my eye on the neighbour's window catflap as inspiration. But suddenly I realised that what need had I for inspiration? I needed merely the catflap itself. The old neighbour with the cats is suddenly gone, together with his five remaining cats, and a new young couple are moved in, sans chats. They need no catflap.
As I mentioned, these are terraced houses, all built at the same time, with only slight variations in design. Without benefit of telemetric implements, I could still determine, from a certain vantage point in my garden, that the window with the catflap matched that of my balcony, being one of two panels which open at the middle. I need not draw you a plan. The two windows, doors actually, would merely need exchanging, one for the other. I need only get the required permission from the new neighbour fellow, as well as a person to perform the task, possibly also the neighbour fellow.
So, early this morning, as I heard the shutters of the couple's bedroom being raised (I assume it is their bedroom), I prepared myself to meet someone's morning gaze into my back garden. My gardens are far the lovelier of the two, and even the cat neighbour agreed that cats and gardens do not go well together. The young woman who had raised the shutters stood at the window, laughing and rubbing her scalp through her long red hair. Yes, fine, I muttered. Now get your husband to the window. Duly he made his appearance, and I halloed him, wishing him a good morning. He smiled and waved back. I told him I wanted to discuss a matter with him as soon after breakfast as he was available.
So, at half past ten we were all three in the back of the house, standing on either side of our adjoining fences. I explained my idea of exchanging the window (although I was rather vague about my actual reason for wanting to do so), and they seemed quite willing to agree, so long as the windows fit, and that mine was not defective. The fellow, Michael, said he could do the work easily enough with a bit of balancing help from me. His wife, Ann, mentioned that the flap had worried them, as one of the cats had not yet been caught and was running wild. They had sealed the flap, but the cat still managed to get through. This would solve their problem well.
Just as we were turning to go back inside to prepare access (we would be using only the rear doors into and through my house so as not to arouse suspicion from people in the front of the house), just then the cat in question tore past us at bullet speed. Michael put out his foot to trip it up, which caused the cat to run to the very back of the garden. There it turned and headed back again towards us, picking up even more speed with its longer run. It crashed headlong into the catflap, which was sealed, ripping it from its position in the window, and breaking the window as well. The cat had got inside the house for the last time. It lay dazed and fazed in the room, much out of breath, to be sure, but still breathing and not actually wounded in any way. Ann put on a pair of gardening gloves and threw a cover of some sort over the cat, grabbed up the ends of the cover, and tied the cloth together like a bag. Or so I was told, for I had immediately retreated to my back door at first sight of the dreaded beast. I learnt later too that the old neighbour had been notified, and that he had sent someone 'round for the animal. The question now is who should pay for a new window. At least I am in the clear.