To let the squirrel in to play the Xbox, and while I'm here - do cats understand lawnmowers?

[ThreeInEachLobe]

Yes I am sober.

We have a few regularly visiting squirrels, i feed 'em nuts as i quite like to see their happy little squirrely faces jumping around the garden. One squig though always seems to stay around when the xbox is on (you can see it from the patio doors). I've just turned it on to have a sneaky go at minecraft - squig is eyeballing me again. Tempted to pass him a controller and see what he can do. That's perfectly reasonable isn't it?

And on the cat thing. Last time I mowed my lawn, cat (not mine) just kept moving a little bit away rather than buggering off somewhere else. I swear it was tutting at me as well every time the mower got near him. Don't they understand I'll be mowing the whole lawn?? For notoriously lazy animals, he created quite a bit of work for himself there. Its been bothering me.

TIA for any sage advice in these pressing matters.

[Sparklingbrook]

I bet Sparklingcat knows more than she lets on as well land.

[LetsFaceTheMusicAndDance]

The foxes are saving the trays and plates and foil to mke a 'gypsy' dinner service for Christmas Day. It being the season of goddwill and all, they've got a dinner planned for Fat Barry, Mrs Barry and the squirrels.

The cat has been invited but is considering his options before he RSVPs.

[landoflostcontent]

Isn't that just like a cat? Wait and see if a better invitation turns up!

Don't think my badger will be invited - not after the incident last year involving a young badger and a large hedgehog and a Sunday morning dash to the out of hours vet. (Hedgie made a full recovery, was taken in by (would you believe!) the badger rescue people and was nursed back to health and released in a badger free area)

However, the badger was in the garden last night rearranging the garden furniture which indicates he may have hopes of an invitation

[LetsFaceTheMusicAndDance]

Yes they're a bit of an unknown quantity at a 'do'. They look so elegant but after a few drinks, some of their more 'un PC' opinions can tend to leak out. And no one wants one of those 'But why are you kicking me under the table, Cynthia - I'm only saying what everyone's thinking!' moments.

[landoflostcontent]

Also shuddering at idea of "But why are you kicking me..." moment.

Think I will have to decline on behalf of my badger, he is not one to keep his opinions to himself (hence his disapproval of my positioning of the garden furniture) and the key to a successful "do" is "Choose your guests wisely"

[LetsFaceTheMusicAndDance]

I think you might have overlooked the possibility that he's hoping for the job of butler/gardener.

[landoflostcontent]

In that case, I think he should set his sights a little higher than butler/gardener in our rather modest abode

[CuriosityCola]

I am baffled and some what concerned about the paper plate being stolen. I suppose it could be the steering wheel for a spacecraft?

@ rearranging the furniture

[GummiBear74]

Obviously the squirrels and hedgehogs are in it together. They need the Xbox controller to steer their spaceship.

I can't explain the paper plate, except maybe they think that paper ones would be safer than conventional ones in zero gravity?

[Sparklingbrook]

It's a worry. What shall I put the foxes' supper on tonight?

[GummiBear74]

I suppose that depends on whether you want to help or hinder the spaceship building efforts...

[Sparklingbrook]

One of the plastic trays has just been found by DS2 at the very top of the garden.

[landoflostcontent]

Is there any sign of the shoe and small plastic watering can I mentioned above?

I, too, was baffled by their appropriation of the paper plate - I think the idea that they believe paper ones would be safer than conventional ones in zero gravity is the only logical explanation

Three guard that x-box controller at all costs!

Sparkling if one of the plastic trays has been found at some distance could this be their way of suggesting you organise a take-away service as well as dine-in?

For what it's worth I would not recommend the use of the best dinner service...

[CuriosityCola]

I have completely underestimated their engineering capability.

[SummerRain]

Sparkling.... we tip the food out of the plastic trays and bring them straight back in. The magpies throw them all over the shop if we leave them out.... have you eliminated your local corvids from the suspect pool?

Our badgers are very civilized neighbours, as is our current fox. Our wheelie bins have been raided repeatedly lately though and I suspect a pine marten may be responsible... either that or dp and ds1 may not have been hallucinating when they claimed to see a 'really big black thing that wasn't a dog' streaking through the garden a while back

[landoflostcontent]

Good point Summer Once counted 33 jackdaws and a rather self-conscious crow on a neighbours roof. Probably advising on aerodynamics.

The foxes round here don't get a look in with the rubbish - the seagulls rip open the bags, I thought they were just being hooligans but maybe they are sifting through to see what they can recycle for the grand spaceship project

So far the pine marten is in the clear...

[Sparklingbrook]

We do have a resident magpie. He dunks the bread into Sparklingcat's water dish, leaves it ten minutes then comes back to eat it.

Summer you may be on to something.....

[SummerRain]

We have one particularly deranged magpie who caws constantly. He hides food in the gutters of the empty house behind us but makes so much noise doing it that the local crows come and sit on the electric wires watching him in bemusement.

He gets particularly frantic sometimes and I end up going out to check he's not being eaten by my cats. He'll invariably be sitting in a tree happily shouting away to himself

[CuriosityCola]

We have one crazy magpie. It quickly grabs the food from my garden and 'hides' it in one of the neighbours plants. Then all the birds eat the food from their.

[CuriosityCola]

*there

[aquashiv]

I knew someone who knew a man that was attacked by a squirrel. It flew out of a tree and clawed his face as he walked through the park minding his own business.
So mind yourself.

[CuriosityCola]

Come to think of it, I haven't seen my Mr and Mrs squirrel for a few days. I wonder if they are making the voyage to help with the ship?

[BuzzardBird]

I hate them with their long tails and their stupid twitchy noses. (shoots two squirrels, "eep", "eep")

Black Adder

[ThreeInEachLobe]

So what's the consensus on the cat and the lawnmower then? Beyond cat comprehension that I might want to cut ALL of the grass?

Or was it just being an awkward little sod.

[Sparklingbrook]

That is odd Three. perhaps the cat was admiring your mower?