Friday Night
It's after 3:00 a.m. and I'm snuggled in bed with my laptop (no sexual implications intended). I feel rotten and can't sleep, so I'm watching a documentary about World War I.
Just when I'm somewhere in the midst of Gallipoli, my cat Bosco comes running in the room, making spooky squeals, and jumps on the bed. He has a big mouse in his mouth!
"Holy crap, don't bring it here!" I yell, while leaping out of bed.
Bosco leaps down with me - still clutching the rodent - and takes off for regions unknown.
I don't know what the hell happened to the mouse.
A few years ago one of my cats left a dead mouse in bed on my pillow!
That's nothing. I have a friend whose cat left a dead bird in her bed.
There's no purpose or satisfactory resolution to this story, but I figured I'd tell it anyway.
Change of subject
The first day of spring was nearly 75 degrees (that's Fahrenheit, for those of you in Wuhan).
I naively thought that the frigid winter weather would kill all those pesky Asian beetles that plagued us last autumn. To my consternation (and disgust), the sudden warm weather revived the beetles and they were everywhere again.
Today (Saturday) the temperature has plummeted and it's 38 degrees. The Asian beetles.....and spring....have vanished.
An Aside:
Is it racist to call them Asian beetles? After all, I wouldn't want to offend anyone.
Yesterday (Friday) was bleak and dreary - like a monochromatic painting - with bouts of torrential rain....and several foul weather warnings.
Flash flood warning. Severe storm warning.
The tornado warning came while I was eating an early dinner. I checked the radar on the computer and was relieved to see that the tornado was several miles south of my location and heading east.
I wouldn't be in danger unless it decided to suddenly reverse its course.
In a moment of courageous abandon, I grabbed my El Cheapo camera and wandered outside for a brief walk. Everything was colorless and cheerless but at least no tornado was in sight.
A downpour eventually encouraged me to head back to the house, but not before I took a few extremely unimpressive photos.
Two views of the front "yard"
(above and below)
.....and the cow meadow at the end of my property
(I know that will impress you)
I have to make the dreaded trip to town next week and I'm more than slightly apprehensive.
Let's put it this way:
During the very best conditions, shopping at Walmart scares the royal crap out of me. Most of the people who haunt the store look like they're carriers of deadly diseases - - and a few of them look like they died several weeks ago.
Hell, I don't need a surgical mask. I need a Medieval suit of armor.
This makes me glad to have an indoor only cat. I am supposed to stay out of the store, and I'm trying to do that. Here I can get delivery from many different places or have a younger friend drop off what I need on the porch. Not so easy for you! Be careful!!
ReplyDeleteMy cats are indoor cats, too, but on nice days I sometimes let them out on the front or back porch.
DeleteI only go shopping about twice a month but, ironically, I was worried about catching viruses long before this latest epidemic. The local Walmart has recently restricted the hours they are open - but to me that seems a very futile effort to curtail the virus.
You can't catch a break dear. We had a warm spell this week, which like you the Asian beetles were back here too...but it's ALWAYS the same window. And they don't get in. But then a cold snap today. Now there between the window and storm windows all dead again. Strange.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I don't envy your trek. I haven't been out since Monday when I got back from mom's place. I hear the store are really picked over, and replacement provisions are coming very slowly.
There are lots of dead beetles around my windows and front door. And I found a few stink bugs, too. This roller coaster weather is driving me crazy. 75 degrees one day and in the 30s the next.
DeleteI'm hoping the store shelves won't be empty when I get to town this week.
Take care and stay safe.
Cats show their love by bringing you dead thing... Which is just weird enough to make me like them even more. Dogs are so obvious with their love... I like the unspoken words and hidden messages that cats provide. Also... Walmart scares the hell out of us as well..
ReplyDeleteCats never fail to amuse me with their antics - there's never a dull moment. They can also be extremely affectionate - when they feel like it.
DeleteAll Walmarts seem to attract scary people, but the worst Walmarts I ever saw were in West Texas. I lived in San Angelo and Odessa and you would not BELIEVE the creepy characters there.
Jon, stay well, and be safe. I currently have symptoms, as does my youngest daughter (32), I'm wintering over in Seattle (great choice, eh??) in her 2 bedroom apt. Got tested yesterday, will know for sure by end of week. You take care, please. Mike
ReplyDeleteMike, I'm truly sorry that you and your daughter have symptoms. I'm glad I live alone in a rural area, but unfortunately no place is safe. Please take care and keep us posted about your condition.
DeleteI put an order in for more cat food.... put more orders in to other stores..... no can do was the comment. What the hell is happening to our world?
ReplyDeleteValerie, it's really strange (and frustrating) that they don't have cat food. I'm wondering if there are any other places where you could try to order it.
DeleteThe world has definitely gone crazy.
Walmart is always scary. I take that back. We stopped in at one in Nevada and the people seemed normal. Do cows roam in the meadow? Asking for a friend!
ReplyDeleteThe creepiest Walmarts I ever saw in my life were in Texas (where I used to live). Words couldn't describe how scary the people were.
DeleteThe cow meadow adjacent to my property is very large. Cows are always roaming in it, but usually they stay way down at the other end - far from my place.
So sorry to hear you're not feeling any better, Jon. I'm a certified coward when it comes to rodents and tornados, too. Nevertheless! I've a hunch your wildness 'hood' may start looking real attractive to souls wanting to escape loony-toon urban environments and incarcerations. Hang in there, friend!
ReplyDeleteRodents don't bother me very much (unless a cat brings one into my bed) but tornadoes really terrify me.
DeleteAt this point in my life, I'm truly glad that I live in a rural area. I only wish I was about 20 years younger.
It looks so green there! It's still white and brown here. We had light snow flurries for a brief time yesterday, but it is supposed to be above freezing now for a few days--whoohoo! Be careful at Walmart! Stay safe and as isolated as possible. I wonder if the shelves will be pretty bare?
ReplyDeleteThe constant rain is making things green - but mostly it's just weeds and wild grass. So far I haven't seen any blossoms or flowers. The temperatures fluctuate wildly this time of year - - warm one day and freezing the next.
DeleteDue to the rain, I might not be able to go to town until Wednesday. I'm curious to see if the shelves will be empty (I hope not!!!).
Jon, as usual I am impressed by your photos. After the long years of drought we had this past decade, I'd nearly forgotten the color green. It's really a nice color! Cheers me up. Store aisles are another matter. Went to Rite Aid --a bigbox drugstore-- to pick up a prescription and hope for toilet paper. Back wall...shelves empty except for 2 battered boxes of off-brand facial tissue. There was one other customer back there --a lady with beautiful eyes, wearing a hijab. She laughed. I said,"Take your pick." She did. I got the smaller box with no aloe. We smiled with our eyes and I headed off to the wine aisle. Life is getting weird, Jon, but still good.
ReplyDeleteI'm really looking forward to seeing spring blossoms, but so far there isn't a hint of one. The temperatures fluctuate so much here, that when the blossoms do appear there's always a chance that a late frost will destroy them.
DeleteI'm apprehensive about going shopping in town this week - hopefully the shelves won't be empty. The last thing I want to do is fight a hillbilly for a roll of toilet paper.
We haven't had the severe weather as you, Jon, just a few inches of wet snow overnight which was nearly melting away by mid morning, but still they plowed the apt lot here. Thankfully, we pay for indoor parking in an underground garage that was formerly the water canal supplying power when this was a textile mill. Hope the rains subside and that it's not too muddy when you have to venture out for supplies, but that mouse doesn't count, no matter how helpful Bosco was trying to be. If you lived closer, we would have invited you over for chicken pot pie as we had leftovers last night. Today is meatloaf dinner if you can make it :-). Stay safe and be careful in the woods too!
ReplyDeleteHopefully your recent snow will be the last one of the season - - but the weather is always so unpredictable. When I lived in the Missouri Ozarks, we had snow once in April (but that was rare). You're fortunate to have indoor parking. My garage is loaded with so many things that I have to keep the car outside.
DeleteThe rain is supposed to stop by Wednesday. I plan to go to town on the first dry day.
I'll eat chicken pot pie or meatloaf - -they both sound good to me!
Trees are always impressive! Our cat used to leave us half a mouse, always the back end... I found one in my wellington boot, with my foot... Wishing you luck surviving weather and most of all Walmart. I hope your armour is sufficient xx
ReplyDeleteWow - a half a mouse is even worse than a whole one....thankfully I've never found one in my boot....yet!
DeleteJon, hope you're doing ok. My test came out negative, which is good, but as a retired medico I can tell you that as of the day I had the horrible nasal swab done I probably didn't have it. Now, who knows. Take care
ReplyDeleteMike
Mike, I'm relieved that your test came out negative...but I've heard horrible things about that nasal swab! Please take care.
Delete