Le Baron du Breuil goes solo................

Yesterday It was so cold here you would not believe. The wind cutting across the marsh was so harsh and cruel it felt like the Provence Mistral that makes your skin ache with its icy blasts. Overnight someone must have entered the cupboard and flicked the switch marked "Spring" as this morning was bright warm sunshine, the air was still and it was totally divine.

As you know I have been worrying about the first time that our kitten should be allowed outside alone.We rescued Charles le Baron du Breuil a tiny injured apricot kitten from a ditch last October and nursed him through the amputation of his back leg. That tiny bundle spent most evenings on my shoulder nestled into my neck and sometimes he seemed more bandage and sticking plaster than kitten! So you will understand why I am so protective with him!

So today seemed the day to do it. Fortunately Diggers my Jack Russell decided that today was a good day to finally discover what was living in the base of the hazlenut tree, so set about doing what a terrier does best!

The baron tentatively stepped outside and then went loop the loop! Tearing around the garden, running under bushes, chasing flies and trying to chase birds as they flew past! He went down to the waters edge and fortunately didn`t investigate any further! We sat and watched his antics in the warm sunshine.

Finally an exhausted Charles flopped out in the heat to take it all in.

Diggers gave up trying to catch the rabbit or mouse and ambled in for a drink.....Charled padded in behind him. Then they both went to the steps and settled down for a little sunbathing................

Guillaume who lives in the village came to visit with a cadeau of two trout he had caught this morning and was a little non plussed at what we were up to! So tonight the Baron had a supper of fresh fish as a reward. He really is the cat that got the cream....................or is that the trout?