This evening I met Sheila and Randy who told me that people have been killing skunks and dumping them in the field across from us. I really must stay up late at nights watching what goes on out there because I never hear or see anything. I smell skunk and even Robert, another neighbor closer to us, says he's come home at night and seen them right at his door. They come from the golf course area and drink water in our faux stream and forrage around for pet food that people leave outside. I can live a few more years without needing to surprise a skunk.
Randy said there was a peregrine falcon spotted here lately. And some people I met yesterday said they came out on their deck one weekend morning to enjoy their coffee and saw a turkey vulture on the fence across from their place. It's strange that we have all this wildlife in such a suburban and industrial area. It shows that wildlife can adapt if forced to.
When I came home, this is what I saw inside the window next to the door:
My days of single-vision lenses may be numbered. I've been fighting against bifocal lenses for years now. I've tried them, stumbled down stairs and run into things. I couldn't stand how I had to keep adjusting my head depending on what I want to look at. And progressive lenses were a joke. It was like being seasick and having the flu at the same time.
But I really can't see stuff close up. I wear my glasses to correct for distance, which isn't really as big a problem. When I'm in the store, for example, I just look under the bottom of my lenses to see tags, ingredients and etcetera or just take off my glasses. But it doesn't work for using the cell phone, adjusting the settings on my camera, reading maps...
Oh why can't big '70's lenses come back into style? They're much more practical for bi and trifocals. Not that I think they're attractive or anything. (But I guess I did when I had my senior photo taken for the 1976 high school yearbook. Eeek!)
But seriously, folks. One of the things I live with is Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Nobody really wants to hear specifics so I'll just say that lately I've been more irritated than usual. This is the opposite of what happened on our last road trip when I failed to pass anything solid for about 5 days. Just imagine that. Uncomfortable? Yeah.
This morning there was a breakthrough at my vacationing friend's apartment. Spooky was really glad to see me. She was very vocal, very affectionate and didn't attack when I brushed her, pet her and massaged her head. She couldn't stop rubbing her face against my hand and acted like she just learned to like it. She sat on my lap and kneaded my leg with her paws. Okay, that was uncomfortable because her claws are like needles. But she didn't do anything aggressive.
So I tried touching her paws gently and kind of giving her a paw massage. That was risky, I know. But she was very gentle. So maybe tomorrow or Thursday I'll take the nail clippers and see if I can cut some of those things down. It needs to be done. Yes, Mom, I'll have plenty of alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and cotton balls handy in case of a thrashing.
I'm still thinking about that last trip to Berkeley Bowl because the sight of fresh lychee fruit made my mouth water. I suppose I was denying myself things just so I wouldn't spend money but that doesn't explain the $1.68 white chocolate bar. I took a photo, though, and that's how I'll end tonight.
Perhaps I'll tackle some serious writing one day soon.
(Clicking on the photos will give you a larger version. All my photos are online at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/the_worm_turns/ )
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