16 minute read
What’s in a Name
By Sara John
This period of so-called ‘Harmless House Arrest’ has encouraged many people to think about finding an animal companion, or two or three. They used to be called ‘Pets’ but there were so many complaints to the Woof Times, the Western Meows, Horses Own, Donkeys Weekly, Ewes and Ours that ‘Animal Companions’ has replaced the banished word, ‘pet’. What’s more, some people, in particular those who have found it possible - if not downright congenial, to work from home, could well be considering moving out of town altogether anyway and settling down in the country. Better for health, less pollution, less noise, less crime; the list goes on. However, animal companions are becoming very scarce. The Kennel Club has issued statistics showing enquiries are up 185% and that is just for dogs. Many other species apart from Cats and Dogs are also on the “Wanted” list and are being moved on to the rather long “Waiting” list. Having lived in Pembrokeshire for ten years some time ago I was able to observe (and envy) lots of relationships between people and animals which clearly benefitted both parties. Today, these relationships are even more desirable.
There are many types of creatures, great and small, furry or feathered to choose from including horses, ponies, donkeys, llamas, Highland cattle, poultry, birds of prey, goats and sheep. Oh! And water buffalo (not suitable for keeping in the house though). Living in Manorbier enabled me to make friends with a large family of badgers who were living in a large habitation under part of the Pembrokeshire wall (man-made of large stones, soil and turf) bordering our fields. I was advised by a local lady that they had a sweet tooth, could smell sugary foods from a mile away, loved Custard Creams, preferred nutty brown bread for their sandwiches and relished bramble jelly jam (quite hard to find these days). “And don’t be stingy with the jam”, she added when advising me. By putting out a small buffet for them on their own plastic platter just before dusk, and moving it a few inches closer to the house each time, they were soon happily advancing towards the sitting room window every evening. Do not ask why, but it soon became clear that only ONE adult badger came each time. Each would eat very nicely finishing off with sliced apple to clean their teeth after all the sweet foods. I did not think I would have much joy persuading a badger with a toothache to squeeze into a cat basket and travel quietly on the back seat of my car to visit the vet. And possibly have dental treatment! How did we know that the different badgers only came one at a time each evening for their suppers? It was because they all had a slightly different pattern of white stripes on their heads from just above the eyes to the tops of their heads. I am afraid I never got round to making a rota myself to find out whether they always stuck to a strict list of whose turn was next.
Although we recognised each badger, we never got round to naming them. That was then but back to the present. Apart from reading up on the needs of your chosen animal companions, getting them comfortable and settled and registered at a veterinarian practice, you will need to decide on and agree on an appropriate name.
Of course, we will never know what animals call each other. Did the baby badgers call their mothers Mam? Or Mummy? Or Doris, if that was allowed? We will never know. Or, Aunty Doris if it was the badger next door? Now that we are getting accustomed to living a life less hurried and urban maybe we should exploit this opportunity and share our lives with creatures furry, woolly or feathered? Starting with the feathered variety one of my neighbours had a one-sided relationship with one of her chickens who was known as Attila the Hen. A chicken of nervous disposition, argumentative and very very bossy. We assumed she had been badly let down in another one-sided relationship some time previously with a very fine cockerel called Cameron.
He, with his exceptional good looks, had the pick of the farmyard. “Nay” some would say, “He has his pick of the Parish” Another neighbour had an eccentric hen called Mrs Bradley Lloyd-Williams. That was the name of the hen, not my friend’s name. Mrs Bradley LloydWilliams never really joined the rest of the chicken flock preferring to make her own way. She travelled about the county, far and wide, in an open basket attached to the roof rack of my neighbour’s shooting brake. They went everywhere together. The rest of the chickens answered to Dulcie, Bertha, Felicity, Bella, Beatrice and Dora. And so on.
Another rather eccentric chum living close by had two parrots called Tarapaca and Rupununi which are Amerindian names. She, herself from the American west coast, explained that such parrots (they were on each of her shoulders at the time in a not very large village store and Post Office) find such words easy to pronounce because of the repeated vowels. I thought to myself Magellan and Humbolt might also have suited! We hosted tack sheep for the winter months, and as they were from Breconshire, they fared better in milder Pembrokeshire than in the cold and rain of the Beacons. We were warned by our next-door neighbours who had generations of experience in these matters that we must not forget, ever, that these are ‘animals’ - whatever animals are. We counted them. We checked on them. We moved them to fresh pasture every three weeks as instructed, (not just by their owners but by the sheep themselves who would line up with their noses pushed under the gate sniffing the fresh grass, none of them had diaries so how did they know the date??). The years we lived in Pembrokeshire included the awful year of the Foot and Mouth outbreak. It was also the only time we had pregnant ewes to stay. We were blessed to be and to remain outside the stricken area but, it meant that we had the responsibilities of caring for the ewes for the few weeks when they were giving birth. For us, as first-time farmers/carers, it was impossible not to be emotionally involved. The sheer delight of watching a field full of bouncy, clever, whiter than white lambs playing, jumping and being never still is unbeatable.
The ewes included Elsie, Doris, Mrs Blackface, Serena, Brenda, Dilys, Edwina and Gwenllian.
The firstborn lamb, born on a Monday was called Lucy, but by Friday we had changed the name to Lucien as I had, by then, finished reading the book, “Sheep Rearing for Beginners” and knew a little more. The sheep as I had been warned, preferred a natural birth, best at night and with No Interference, in particular from a lapsed townie, with a handbook and a torch, wearing a very old green fleece jacket and a Cardiff City bobble hat of long ago. The lambs arriving safely over a period of three weeks or so were named, Agnes (patron saint of sheep), Pandora, Gregory, Panda, Dewi and so on. There were twenty-four in all. Heaven on earth!
At the other end of the scale for Animal Companions under consideration are the size, weight and cost of Highland Cattle: Beautiful, gentle, peaceful, and now swiftly growing in popularity outside the Highlands. They are easier to name as the clue lies in ‘Highland’. Best to consider names such as Rochester, Benson, Dexter, Wellington, Wilkes, Wilberforce, Frobisher. Minstrel is good for a black and white cat, Orlando for a ginger one and perhaps Mustapha for a serious one.
To find suitable names consult works by Sir Walter Scott and select at leisure. Friends of mine who had ventured one year to the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston outside Edinburgh and had fallen in love with Highland cattle decided to purchase and for names, opted for Lochinvar MacTavish for the male with Miss Ishbel McKay for his favourite wife to be. A list including Morag, Elspeth, Hamish, Caitlin, Morna, Alasdair, Buchan and Angus was drawn up ready for the hoped-for arrival of tiny hoofs at a future date.
Or, perhaps, just opting for a dog or a cat would be a better choice for now?
Dogs deserve distinguished names. They will no longer answer to Rover, Sammy or Spot. They watch too much television, in particular, period dramas where all the dogs are Irish Wolfhounds with what sounds like surnames with no Christian names to be heard. Consider Babington, Wolfgang, Pericles, Amadeus, Carlyle, Hugo, Benedict, Aaron, Barclay, Broderick, Conway, Dakota and Dunstan.
My favourite at the moment would be Tasker Wayward For female dogs you might try Gloria, Maisie, Gudrun, Flavia, Francesca, Natasha, Imogen and Heulwen. My favourites would include Arabella and Aurora.
Broadly speaking all cats like to be alerted by a whiff of cooking in the air with someone tapping an empty dish of priceless porcelain with a silver spoon and calling “Pwssi-pws-pws” Gentleman cats prefer names no other cats in the neighbourhood have even heard of. Black furred females might accept Carmen, Desdemona, Lucrezia, Persephone, Anouska, Bathsheba, Bonita, Chiara, Delilah, Grace or Katya. My favourite would be Scheherazade.
Light-hearted cats’ names could include Pushkin, Buster Kitten, Group Captain Trubshaw, Catmichael, Horatio, Rufus, Taffytriog, Klapcat (the final T is silent), Paderewski, Goldsmith (for a ginger tom) and Mephistopheles (for a black kitten full of mischief). My favourite would be Khachaturian. Our family cats in the past have included; Solomon and Sheba, Oscar, Bruno, Catriona, Alexander, Leonardo, Princess Yasmin, Tiger Lily, Daisy- Belle, Natasha and Ajax. When deciding on names always say them a few times out loud. Do they have a suitable ‘ring’ to them, could they be misheard? When calling “Mischief, Mischief, come along darling and have your tea” to the new kitten you do not want also to provide supper for two goats, a Newfoundland dog, next door’s donkey and a passing fox (frequently seen in rural areas). A distinctive name, loud and clear works best and it will quickly become associated by your animal companion with tasty food!
It is much more difficult with humans’ names. I cannot recall clearly the children’s names, but they usually answer to baby, although never in public as they are grown up and off doing their own very grown-up things. I always call my husband “Darling”, but he often calls me “Arthur” as he confuses me with his (younger) brother.
Delving deep into the lockdown journeys of Cardiff’s most admirable women
Two of Cardiff’s most inspirational businesswomen discuss their day-to-day schedules and life in a locked down capital By Kellie Williams
Lisa puts the P in Pinkspiration Credit: Leon Brown
Lisa Marie Brown, the 39-year-old entrepreneur owner of Pinkspiration and winner of UnLtd’s Fast Growth award said her lockdown has been the busiest year of her life and the most successful 12-months of her career. Forget relaxing and taking it easy, Lisa, an advocate for women starting their own business, has sold two properties during lockdown. Both were processed at £1.2 million in just 12-weeks, all through social platforms Facebook and WhatsApp. “It was a huge challenge, a big decision to make,” said Lisa who admitted she was working day and night to close the deals on both houses. “My bank manager said it was an absolute miracle during the lockdown,” she laughed. Lisa has also bought a new house that she has named ‘DreamWorks’ and has been full speed ahead on designing and renovating her dream home overlooking the ocean in Penarth. Working on housing regeneration in Newport and Swansea, Lisa spoke of her struggles turning her working life digital. “I’m used to working on-site and out in the community, so it was a bit of a culture shock for me. I have found it challenging. It’s a bit isolating to work at home during lockdown.” Known within the community as the “Pink lady,” Lisa’s brand rose to fame, launching her career to new heights. Lisa designed her very own pink McLaren in October 2020, a dream come true for Lisa who said the entire design process was done via WhatsApp and text message. A supercar fanatic, Lisa said she is excited to support McLaren in this year’s Formula 1. Slowing down During her working week creating online content, Lisa insists on breaking up her busy 8am to 9pm schedule with a “long lunch” of two hours. During her long lunch, Lisa enjoys socially distanced walks with a friend and embraces a little ‘me time’ drive, listening to dance, jazz or R&B music along the Welsh coast.
Proud of her new home in Penarth. Credit: Lisa Marie Brown
Missing her boxing class, Lisa said she has used the time during lockdown to get fit and healthy. Lisa dedicates three to four hours a
week to her running regime and admitted her husband Leon has had to take over duties of cooking and cleaning in the home. With her busy schedule, Lisa said she ensures to pencil in time with her husband on a Saturday. A recent date night favourite is to spend some time in their new jacuzzi and enjoy a takeaway dinner on weekends.
“The jacuzzi was the best investment I think that I bought last year,” she giggled. “I think it’s really important to take time out for yourself. I haven’t exactly got the balance right yet. I think most of the time, my diaries are all work and not much downtime.” Currently reading, ‘How To: Be More Pirate’ by Sam Conniff and Alex Barker, Lisa said she loves reading her book in the bath during a rare evening away from her iPhone and putting work on hold, admitting she finds it difficult to “switch off.” Changing gears With her foot firmly on the accelerator, Lisa’s most recent adventure found her at Cardiff Airport shooting content images of the pink Wizz Air aeroplanes alongside her limitededition McLaren. With hopes to collaborate with Wizz Air in the future, Lisa said, “It’s all organised chaos, but it’s a dream come true!” With no time to spare, Lisa remains eager to do more for the community and admits that her busy work schedule is driven by the fantastic results she has accomplished in helping other people. Lisa aims to support brands and businesses that aim to build a better, more eco-friendly and safe future after experiencing online hate and sexist discrimination over lockdown. “We need to do more work around creating safer communities for women to thrive,” said Lisa. Lockdown has made work a lot more challenging admits Lisa, who was determined to live by her motto ‘Think big, dream big.’ Lisa has been working alongside companies to expand her brand and has no plans of putting the brakes on living life in the fast lane anytime soon, as she discussed the possibility of creating her very own audiobook about her life and discussing her top tips for a successful business through her new business adventure called ‘The Millionaire Club.’
Coming home Nikesha Patel, a 31-year-old who has been working extensively as a Bollywood actress and international model for 12 years, was forced to move home and live with her parents throughout lockdown. The experience has been humble, said Nikesha, who misses her family when she’s travelling and moving to different countries for work. With over 35 Bollywood movies under her belt, Nikesha has taken time out of work due to the closure of her agency and the industry through the pandemic. The time out has allowed Nikesha to explore what she loves and delve into a whole new career in business. “I personally made a lot of money in lockdown and it just happened overnight… My lockdown actually went pretty great, and it still hasn’t quite hit me.” Waking with excitement Admitting she struggles to relax, Nikesha found an interest in e-commerce and launched her very own e-commerce business selling luxury hampers. Nikesha’s company specialises in keto diets, gluten-free and sugar-free hamper baskets. During the lockdown, Nikesha kindly donated hampers free of charge to elderly customers and customers battling cancer.
Showing off her World Exclusive, limited edition McLaren sports car. Credit: Lisa Marie Brown
Grateful for her time at home with her family. Credit: Nikesha Patel
Waking up at 7am each morning with excitement and ready to work on her business, Nikesha checks her social media and her inbox and has come to enjoy a more peaceful lifestyle. Before starting her working day in lockdown, Nikesha enjoys a cup of both tea and coffee mixed in one mug, topped with two teaspoons of coconut oil to build up her energy. A lover of makeup, Nikesha loves to wear a natural 10-minute makeup look during lockdown, even if she’s sitting at home. Not fussed about her outfit for the day Nikesha said, “If I can’t find anything that I want to wear, I’ll actually go to my dad’s cupboard or my brother’s, and I’ll wear an extra-large shirt as a dress to sunbathe in the garden.” Nikesha’s relationship with food has been challenged through lockdown. “I actually put on weight through lockdown, but I’m happy!” she said. Stating her parent’s home-cooked Indian food makes it difficult to keep up with her keto diet. Admitting that going food shopping is difficult, Nikesha said she ensures she eats before she is tempted to cheat on her keto diet. However, on a “cheat day,” Nikehsa indulges till her heart’s content. “I’ll have lots and lots of cakes. It doesn’t stop at one cake,” she laughed. During her evenings and downtime, Nikesha binge-watches reality tv programmes such as, 90 Day Fiancé and Married at first sight, a luxury she didn’t have time for before the pandemic. Leaving the industry Spilling secrets, Nikesha said, “I don’t want to go back into the industry. I’m so happy. I don’t like being a part of that industry anymore. I feel like I’m too old for it.” Looking to the future and coming out of lockdown, Nikesha said she is excited for the annual family holiday that she and her family, unfortunately, missed out on last year due to the pandemic and is excited to explore the Cardiff dating scene. Calling Cardiff home, Nikesha said she loves visiting old friends in Cardiff, driving past her high school and going to the bars she enjoyed when she was 18 years old. “I love that no one knows me as an actress in Cardiff, it’s freeing!” she smiled. Concluding, “I just want to settle down, get married, have kids, and not know what a diet means anymore.”
