Random Thoughts and Some Spring Pics

I took this picture yesterday afternoon, as I took Rosie on her walk. I love spring! (You can click on it to "biggerize" it, though it gets too big for my screen.)

The following is a collection of stuff from inside my brain...pick and choose, or enjoy them all!

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I worked late today--again, but the overtime is sweet!--and so am enjoying one of my favorite sandwiches for dinner. If you don't know what that is, I ain't telling you!! I don't like to have bologna in the house, but I got a craving, so splurged last weekend at the grocery store. They're really great with organic milk....mmmmm.

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I feel the need to respond to those of you who complimented us on our motivation and stamina in the garden. Don't be impressed. Just wait until things start heating up, and then I will find lots of excuses to stay inside. Be prepared to read lots of "I was going to mow today, but..." and "I really need to weed..." Fortunately, tomatoes and squash seem to do pretty well all on their own. And we learned last year the importance of fresh mulch ('cause we didn't bother)!

Oh, and we now have teeny little arugula seedlings emerging (no pictures, 'cause it's been too dark when I get home). Miss Chef left me a note that she "planted the rest of the seeds." I'm not sure what that covers, and I'm a little nervous, because she gets pretty darned ambitious come planting time! I suspect there are beans and Swiss chard in some dirt around here somewhere...but I'm not sure. She's got a seed starter tray filled in the living room window, and I don't really know where she plans to put them all. Should be interesting.

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Last week, Miss Chef got a speeding ticket on the way home from work. She was steamed, not about the ticket--she was speeding, she got caught, that's life. She's not even steamed about the fine--I think the officer was lenient, because he only gave her a $50 fine. No, she's pissed about the $170 court costs. Not about the costs, themselves, but about the fact that she has to pay them even if she doesn't go to court. She doesn't like things that don't make sense, when there's nobody to address her dissatisfaction to. Can't say I blame her, though after having dealt with both French & Russian bureaucracies, I'm a little less surprised at these kinds of ridiculosities.

Oh, and then two days later, she got a letter from a law firm offering their services. She was also steamed that the county was giving her information to lawyers. "It's public record, honey." I can't tell you how many times I said it that afternoon.

On Monday, she got seven more.

As of today, she's gotten a total of sixteen. Unbelievable. I'm just glad she didn't murder somebody.

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Two of my friends' pets have died in the last week. I didn't actually know either pet, but I ache for my friends. In my few decades, I've lost two family dogs and four cats, not to mention my 4H rabbit Dad accidentally killed on butchering day. (That's a tale likely as traumatic for him as for me!) The loss of a pet is indescribable; they reach into us in ways that no human can. I can't help but think of the day down the road when I will have to say goodbye to Rosie, and I wonder how the hell I will survive it. It amazes me that we are willing to step into this pet relationship, knowing how it will inevitably end. And we do it over and over again. Are we stupid, or noble, or addicted?

Charlie, my parents' dog, is 14. He's nearly blind, nearly deaf, and is having nervous system issues that cause him to fall easily. But he is still playful and wants to interact as much as he can. My parents are both adamant about not getting another dog when Charlie is gone, but I wonder how they will deal with it. I'm as worried about them as I am about good ol' Charlie. I mean, who will they talk to? Each other??

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Well, that got depressing, but it's the last thing I was going to talk about. So I'll leave you with another image of that spring tree. I've decided this is my favorite tree in the whole neighborhood. It reminds me of the apple tree that grew in front of our barn when I was growing up; I swear the perfume filled an acre of field. Last spring, I stopped under this tree to investigate the odd humming coming from it. Every bee in the city must have been in that tree, and boy, were they happy!

Oh yeah, a little update: Mason was scheduled to go to his forever home today! It's rare that something I do directly results in a pet's adoption, but I remember very clearly the woman who ended up adopting him. I got a good, responsible vibe off of her, so I am very happy to have been able to help them both out.