Don't Tell Caroline .....

Shhhh. Watch this. I'm going to make Caroline cry. I don't care how happily in love she is, this will tweak her cheek!! Ready? OK, here goes .....

Last night I went out to take the dogs for their last run. It was around 11:00, I think, and a light rain was falling. It rained most of yesterday, but always pretty light (I think I got just about a half-inch all day long). In fact, at that late hour it was actually more of a mist than rain, just heavy enough to be actually falling, not hanging in the air as mist does. I didn't feel it, actually.

As I stood on the step waiting for the pups, I watched the moisture falling through the beams from the porch light. It was really pretty, just twinkles in the glow. And then I noticed ..... OH MY GOODNESS!!!

Mixed in with those tiny droplets were .... s.n.o.w.f.l.a.k.e.s!!!! Teeny-tiny, as were the droplets, but they were snowflakes!!! I could tell the difference because they were drifting and floating.

I couldn't believe it! It wasn't cold enough! I stepped back inside the house to confirm that on the thermometer, and surely enough, it was 53° out there!! But another look at the wet stuff passing through the light assured me that it was snow as contrasted with rain by the movement as it descended. Freaking funny!!!

So, Caroline ......... Nanner, nanner, nanner!! I got snow before you!!! What? It doesn't count unless it sticks to the ground? Who the heck made up that dumb rule?? Quit trying to cheat!! Accept that I got snow!

Whew! That was fun!



Here is the remnant of the clouds from last night, just hanging low over the valley and nestled at the foot of the mountains.





























I'm going to get rain again all day today. Tonight it will start clearing, and we will have a nice weekend, it seems. I'll welcome that. I've felt housebound for the last three days. I did get out and go to the potluck Wednesday night, but somehow going out at night doesn't seem to cut it. I ran into town for a few necessary errands early Wednesday, getting home just as it began raining, so I couldn't go out to the yard work that I want, er, correct that to read must get done. I guess I want to do it to get it done and out of my hair!! Anyway, it will be nice to see sunshine again for a few days. Actually, I suspect the rainy season is about over, and we'll have mostly sunshine now.

Sam continues to be creative in his chewing. No, he didn't destroy anything, but last night I heard a strange sound from the next room, and when I went to investigate, he was chewing on a silicon oven finger protector, like an oven mitt, but fits over just fingers and thumb. I have no idea how he got it, as I hang it on the oven door handle. Perhaps I knocked it off, but I doubt it. I suspect he jumped up and knocked it loose. Anyway, the strange noise was because he had drooled on the silicon and as he gnawed on it, two sides were rubbing together in a strange squeak. You know how two pieces of rubber sound when wet and rubbed together? Think of rubber gloves. Yeah, like that, but deeper and louder! He hadn't had time to do damage, fortunately. I continue to be amazed at how creative and versatile he is in his maddeningly consistent bad habit. A muzzle, maybe? No, I wouldn't do that. But ......

A few days ago Sam and Max managed to chew up part of a dog toy. It was an old one, so I wasn't surprised. I was disappointed that it was destroyed, because Jazi has been really enjoying that particular toy. So when I was in town on Wednesday, I saw a toy at Walgreens that was sort of similar, and it was really sturdy. I brought it home, gave it to The Girl, and she played with it for a short while. Since then she hasn't touched it, but The Boys all three love it! Isn't that the way it goes? You bring home a toy especially for one pet and another one just goes nuts over it! I guess I need to take them to PetSmart or PetCo and let each of them pick out a toy. I can't imagine the frenetic task of keeping three quiet in the basket while one picks .... and doing it four times!!

Ali is worrying me. He doesn't seem to be doing well. His legs are weaker. He is back to sleeping an awful lot. He isn't eating very well, just barely picking at his food. And he is shaking a lot. I'm thinking the shaking might be from pain. I'm giving him Tylenol about three times a day, and it seems to help him. But he just isn't doing well. He has never been a cuddly dog. Only on his own terms and timetable, and only for very short times. I'm trying to give him lots of pets, and I cuddle a few second when he will let me. I don't know. I just don't know.



Alright that's about it on the family news. Here is another look into the banned book debacle. Doesn't work for me, but you be your own judge.

People, I can't say how much more concerned I grow with each of these revelations: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080912/ap_on_el_pr/palin_librarian

And over all, I refer you back to the Huffington Post website for the most comprehensive compilation of material I've found. Read, read, read, listen, talk, ask, and V.O.T.E in November.