Crag pets - France

I think I forgot to mention the most important member of Nic’s family – that is the cat, Mimine. But you can’t just say Mimine in a normal tone... you have to say Mimine in the highest pitch possible, until someone else in the family says it higher than you, and then of course you have to say it higher again and again and again, and the competition goes on until you are squeaking out the sound in the most ridiculous way that your mouth hurts, and you just have to burst out laughing. Mimine is the goddess of all cats. She is a great grandmother to Petite Mimine, a grandmother to Mimis which has gone astray, and a mother to Misty Gris. So the three cats form part of the Le Baut family, but everyone loves great grandma Mimine the best and so did I. She has an especially soft coat of 3 distinct colours and a purr that hums away, as she sleeps blissfully. Mimine spends most of her day sitting in a potplant with daffodils waiting for guests to come to the farm, so she can escort them from their car to the farm shop door. And when Nic’s brother Joss used to go to school, Mimine knew just when the bus should be pulling over, so would go and wait for him at the bus stop and walk him back home.

Mimine is certainly a beautiful and intelligent cat, but when you have been brought up in a family of dog lovers, it is hard to share the love. Cats scratch, cats stray, they are no ones best friend AND while we’ve met plenty of dogs at sports climbing crags, I’ve never seen a crag cat. Mimine could however be the exception. She is so loyal and loving, I doubt she would stray very far (from Nic in particular) at the crag, and I think she would love it there. She could do her yoga stretches together with me and then chase the butterflies while we climb. She could finish off our tuna for lunch and then sleep in the sun.

But Mimine is very attached to the farm, so perhaps if she didn’t want to join us, instead we could steal away Dennis’s fat rabbit Pin Pin for our crag pet. Pin Pin lives on Dennis’ verandah and spends his whole days eating and enjoying a spectacular view of Gap and the surrounding mountains. The exercise he would get around the crag could certainly assist with his diet. Pin Pin appeared to be on the Special K 12 week challenge when we stayed with Dennis. It was Special K and carrots for breakfast, and Special K and endives for dinner; while we ate our croissants and tarts. But the verandah which Dennis built was impressive and a perfect rabbit home, and despite the diet, I imagine Pin Pin indulged in left over croissants and tarts and even some bunny chocolate every now and again. Perhaps Pin Pin would also be reluctant to join us.

So I guess Nic and I will just have to content ourselves with our other crag friends. The giant ants that live in pockets and crawl onto your hands when you use their home as your next climbing hold, the friendly spider who lets you move him out of the way even though you destroyed his web because you need that jug; the green green grasshoppers who amble along camouflaged among the moss until you are up close and personal, the black birds that swoop down swerving justabove your head and the butterflies that flutter around joyfully, brightening up the grey rock, and any grey climbing day.

Afterword: Today at Ceuse I did see a little crag cat who seemed to be quite content sitting watching its owners. It was tied up to a tree so it didn’t go astray, and kill the native birds. Maybe this is the way of the future.