Frog and Goat

Yesterday as I pulled out of the neighborhood, I thought I saw the skunk laying in the middle of the road. The skunk that was stinkin’ up the area. But that was no skunk. It was one of the ferals. Whiner went on to the great hereafter. I’ll spare you the details, but his tail was unique enough that both the better-half and I are sure it was him. Further proof is that he hasn’t been here for any feedings.

Whiner was in Lucy’s litter and while he never quite wanted to be someone’s pet he was a nice cat. Last Friday he got part of the fancy food festivities that happen every week just because I knew he’d like it. I talked to him on Wednesday afternoon and gave him a quick pet. He was whining because I was taking my sweet time getting the ferals their evening meal. I had to work late on Wednesday so I was about an hour and half late getting home. He had a complaint. It always cracked me up about how vocal he was about feeding time.

So long little dude.

It is possibly 1000 degrees outside with 99% humidity. There’s a breeze so that’s nice. But, I just waltzed around the kitchen mostly naked–dress shoes, bra, panties and jewelry. You are welcome for that visual. It’s because we went to a memorial service today for the better-half’s great aunt. We stood outside for about an hour and then went to a church’s fellowship hall for lunch. The church is tiny and they do not have a heavy-duty air conditioning system. So we sweated some more.

Even with all that sweating, it was a really nice mid-day/early afternoon. I only met his great aunt once, maybe twice. She lived in Massachusetts, but I’ve heard stories about her for years. Like her sister, Grandma Pizza, the better-half’s great aunt was a character. She sounds like a totally different kind of character than Pizza, I’d call them sunshine and lightning. Pizza being lightning–fierce at times, but really cool to experience. I hope that comes out the right way, no doubt about it, Pizza was awesome. Anyway, so was her sister and it seems she had a warm heart, talents galore and a good sense of humor. She died earlier this year. She was 100 and the last of her siblings to go.

She and her sister are now next to each other. I heard someone ask the great aunt’s daughter if she saw the buzzards catching the breeze over the cemetery. It was decided that it was the two sisters checking out who came to the service. It’s probably true.

On Saturday we got up early and went out for breakfast. You know I love that. We had an hour to kill before we were due at the hairdresser’s so we went to Maymont to walk around. It was a little chilly on Saturday, but massively sunny, so taking a walk was a perfect way to spend an hour. To all the people who say global warming is a myth…dude, it was in the high 40s Saturday morning when I woke up. Check your calendar–that’s not supposed to happen in Virginia in late May.

I really needed a moment of zen earlier today and so looked at that picture on my phone and then went out to our rooftop garden deck. There is something oddly beautiful about that deck even though our building is perched on the edge of a major highway. The sun was out and the plants looked great. It was almost as good as walking through the bamboo forest on Saturday.

Work is exhausting. A co-worker and I got back to our floor today and I told him, “Welcome to the 2nd floor. In case you forgot what it looks like.” We’d been gone for 4 hours. We didn’t actually leave the building today…just meetings everywhere else but at our desks. He ate while standing in a training room — threw away the sandwich wrapper as people walked in the room. I wolfed mine down before I walked into the room. Lunch is not something we do. It sucks. My co-worker keeps saying under his breath to make it to June. He will be away in a tropical locale for 5 days at the end of the month. Lucky dog.

I’m going to do some work with the organization I volunteered with last summer. I’m glad to be getting back in touch with them. Who knew that sometimes a very specific skill you have is one people are looking for and are willing to reach out after a long stretch of time. If you’d asked me about that skill several years ago, I would have told you the task was one I didn’t like doing. Funny what some assessment and evaluation classes will do to change your mind (and apparently you can learn how to do something when you are an old dog). Anyway, I’m procrastinating my preparation time right now. I figure I should have something to say about the project at the kick-off tomorrow. But, honestly, I’d rather be cutting grass.

No joke.