Magic Melon - PowerHouseCreatives Contest - 12 May 2019

Melon was unmissable and has been gone for nearly a year. Ginger Melon MP.

She came home in December 2009; she and her siblings had been abandoned at two or three days old, on the side of a highway, in Mitchell's Plain, one of Cape Town's largest suburbs. One Saturday morning, the Husband had gone into the local vet to collect something for another feline (more of her, another time) while The Cat's Mother sat in the car. When he came out, The Cat's Mother was bidden inside.

And there they were: an entire litter of the tiniest ginger kittens! An equal number of males and females and one of them, with the saddest little face. Vet Nurse had already called her "Melan" - short for melancholy. The Cat's Mother oohed and aahed, and notwithstanding Mrs Vet's "We're looking for homes for all of them. Wouldn't you like one?" went home resolute.

Really?

By the time The Husband and The Cat's Mother got home, the decision had been taken. Melan would have a home. Mrs Vet was given the good news, and although visiting rights, were granted, there was a few weeks' wait until Melan was able to come home.

Melon's arrival - complete with starter pack. The best bit, of course, the box.

She was a real character and grew into a regal and aloof cat. When we moved to McGregor in 2011, she took to country living like a duck to water.

Melon would follow us along the road to and through a neglected vineyard when we went for walks

She was an "up-cat" and this was her tree. She would hare through the garden and up the tree and then sit watching the world go by, unnoticed, for hours. If, however, she was feeling mischievious, the game was on - with the hapless grounded human...

Melon in her tree pretenting to be an owl

It was after the first winter storm of last year that we noticed that she wasn't well. It was sudden, and on the Monday morning The Husband took her to the vet who thought she'd been injured. They would medicate her and if she was no better in the morning, x-ray - under anaesthetic.

The following morning, the call came.

She's no better. May we x-ray?

Of course.

Not more than half an hour later. Another call. This time, The Husband took it. It wasn't the vet nurse. It was the vet:

She has lymph cancer. She's riddled.

We should let her go and not bring her back from the anaesthetic.

So, almost as suddenly as she made an appearance in our lives nine years earlier, she left.

Even as a tiny kitten, she had a very un-catlike favourite pose - especially when it was very hot or when she was just content with life. We used to laugh about her being "wheels-up". She'd sleep like that, or let you think that she was asleep and just the tip of that magnificent tail would twitch, letting you know that she was very much aware of what was going on.

Melon basking in the late afternoon sun

Every photo I have of her, wheels-up and many, many others, are my favourites. She's gone and most definitely not forgotten.

Post Script

This would have been my engry into @zord189's weekly PHC contest if I were not this week's guest judge.

The contest

Your favourite pet pics

Criteria :

1. Share 2 or more of your favourite photos of your pet - any pet. It doesn't have to be domesticated animal like a dog or a cat; it can be a horse, snake or even a spider that you consider a pet and therefore has a name.
2. Write a little about your pet and what about the photo makes it your favourite - make sure that in at least one of the photos, the type of animal is recogniseable
3. Entry must not be less than 350 words....

Good luck to all the other entries - I am sure that it will be a difficult decision.

Until next time Fiona The Sandbag House McGregor, South Africa

Photo: Selma

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