In case you are wondering why the cat picture today, it’s because I’ve gone completely off-topic this week for our Free For All on Friday and, with apologies to all of our dog lovers, am posting a cat story, featuring a very fine cat indeed.
Please feel free to add your own off-topic posts today if you’d like, just so long as they fall within our community guidelines.
But firstly, welcoming all who have newly joined the community and I hope you’ll enjoy being here among us all.
Why ‘A very fine cat indeed’? This is a quotation from Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-84), the famous writer and critic who compiled the first English Dictionary. This witty conversationalist was devoted to his cat Hodge who lived with him at 17 Gough Square, London. Referring to Hodge, Dr Johnson is reputed to have said ”...but he is a very fine cat indeed…”
And nowadays Dr Johnson’s cat Hodge has a very fine namesake too.
This Hodge is a very important resident at Southwark cathedral, south of the Thames in London, and I’ve just come to know of him via my daughter, who after recently retiring from a career in policing, has started a job with the Church of England in that diocese, and in the course of her work, met this esteemed gentleman at the cathedral.
Hodge is the recent successor (since September 2020) to a cat called Doorkins who turned up as a stray at the cathedral in 2008 and took up residence there, where she was much loved until her death from old age in 2020.
Being without a cat seemed unthinkable after all that time, so a successor was chosen from a local sanctuary, Catcuddles, where Hodge had been rescued after being found in a Woolwich street with a nasty growth on his face which his owners had not addressed. They agreed to surrender him and Hodge received the medical attention which he so urgently needed and made a full recovery. And his next stop was as cathedral cat.
From the sounds of it, Hodge has done what most cats do in their homes, and has taken over its stewardship completely, training his humans to do his bidding. My daughter is now firmly included in his fan following and I’m hoping to go and meet him some time in the not too distant future.
When my niece first saw his picture, she said that “he looks as if he means business”, and I can’t disagree with that.
I hope all our cat lovers enjoyed his story and his pictures. The second one is his gift shop alter ego and apparently sales are brisk!
I also hope that everyone has had a successful week this week. It was really pleasant weather here in the south and it’s been good to have some late warmth and brightness before the days become more autumnal.
Hope you all enjoy a good weekend and are managing to remain cheerful. Take care!
I did love the story. Made Me smile. 😁Its been so rainy here in the south of the US. Hard to get out and about. I hate dodging raindrops. It’s exhausting!😅Told myself it was time for some self care to keep the doldrums away. So I started a new coloring project. Picked the brightest colors I have. So far, it’s working….time is passing. We’re supposed to have a dry spell soon. It’s all good. 👍🏼
glad that gave you a smile Isinatra! And your colouring! I find that so relaxing. It really is therapeutic and using bright cheerful colours tends to help our mood, I find. I agree about going out in the rain. If it's a country walk and I'm well covered, that's fine, but in town, dodging all those umbrellas makes being out very tiring!
Umbrellas are great when you are standing around but hopeless in the wind and when you are walking around.
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Yes, it's infuriating when they blow inside out, isn't it?
Great week this week here!
Sunday was a long walk with my sister in law at bute park which we enjoyed and a good catch up after I was upset or Saturday after being called bitter!
Had an interview on Tuesday and I was supposed to have had interviews today and Thursday and they got cancelled and I wasn't sorry as they opened up some unexpected free time as yesterday I had a great unexpected trip out to Barry Island which I enjoyed and Wednesday I enjoyed a planned trip to the lido!
Decided on a quiet day today after all the activity this week and I didn't get the job I went for on Tuesday but I wasn't heartbroken and feel it's a blessing in disguise as it was only temporary anyway but it was nice to have had a morning out and building up my confidence in going out and about.
Tomorrow it's my flu jab at Boots at 11.20am and no more interviews until 8.30am on Wednesday which is nice as then the rest of Wednesday is mine!
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I see you are still keeping really busy with your job hunt Catgirl1976 and it's great how you remain positive and keep going. I really do wish you some success soon. Sounds as if it was a good week and some good leisure time too. 👍
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At first I was annoyed or Tuesday morning over the changed plans but that soon changed when I had a look about what I could do in the time available and that's what I did and was ready for peace and quiet today!
It can be nice to stay home for peace and quiet every so often as long as its done for the right reasons not because you are terrified of going out and use home as a shield between you and the outside world.
Hi Callendersgal, great story and l’m a big cat lover anyway. Hodge does look like he means business but he was very handsome. Having my foot redressed today, then off to get our flu jabs this afternoon. Boots seem to have vaccine thank goodness.
It’s been a quiet week generally but all good and no real problems thank goodness.
Wishing everyone a lovely weekend and take care all.
please never ever apologise for a cat photo. they do so much for peoples happiness just as dogs do. but not so publicly as they don't have to be taken walkies......as well as being very beautiful. i now have no cat for the first time in my life and i have cats coming into our garden looking for a quiet place to snooze. I only realised when I saw a procession of moggies heading home at supper time
I have a black and white cat called Tuppence , she was rescued as a kitten . She joined a household with two other cats and two dogs .One by one the others died , they were older , and now she is the head of the household .
There really isn't anything like having a pet, they truly bring a lot of pleasure into life .
Our vet has a stray who sits at the reception desk , such a character !!
Hodge is a great name , suits him , he is also very dignified looking and I wish him many years in his new home !
Tuppence sounds like a lovely companion Gill and I agree that pet ownership is really life enhancing. I don’t know if you’ve read here of my own cat, a Bengal called Kasar. He’s a bit of a thug but I still wouldn’t be without him!
Hunter who died last year was a thug and poor Tuppence spent a lot of time dodging him . No , I didn't read about Kasar , but I know how close we get to our furry friends. I really have to watch that Tuppence doesn't get out , she is a house cat , and we have tons of birds in our yard .
We also , have a family of foxes and I doubt she'd fair too well with a run in with them .
Thanks for posting such an uplifting story and picture .
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Free for All on Friday
