As a true cat worshipper, I have gone on a pilgrimage to White City to visit again three furry deities who lived in a cat temple with high priest Mr E and his elderly father, Mr W. The holy presence of cats blessed Mr E’s and Mr W’s household with a total absence of otherwise ubiquitous rats. The three felines Mr E had adopted, despite their godliness, were not able to keep their temple’s backyard tidy and weed-free. That was the job of cat devotees like me.

Mr E was, as always, very hospitable and generous. He made me Middle Eastern-style coffee and brought fresh fruit, nuts, and biscuits to the garden as offerings to the cats’ dutiful servant. As we sipped a little cup each, Mr E told me about his felines’ (that had been all outdoor cats) strong preference to use the litterbox at home, although they must have had plenty of opportunities to go elsewhere to do their less divine business. When I attended to the garden later, I wasn’t so sure about his claim as I discovered that I needed to be rather careful about where I put my hands.

To literally get into the weeds, I decided to move some things around - well, more than some - which Mr E welcomed as a fantastic bonus. After becoming Mr W’s carer, he’d been overwhelmed with caring responsibilities and rearranging the house. He hadn’t got either the time or energy to look after the garden anymore, not to mention decluttering the items that were no longer needed and had ended up in the garden. He was delighted to see that I had bagged the clutter and moved it into one corner, which made the centre of the backyard look open and tidy.

Having 15 (or a bit more) minutes to spare before heading to my last session of the day, I spent the extra time in Mr W’s garden as his son had such a friendly attitude - full of appreciation for the help his dad received. It’s been a pleasure to help them today!