Mountains and Islands

Now, if you are the type of person who could just abandon three faces like this, please log off of my blog. How can you not love them? These three are such a joy.  They cheer me up when I'm feelin' low, you know? We will enjoy our Thanksgiving dinner a day early for two reasons.  One is because I will be working tomorrow.  The second is so that Crawford can enjoy turkey for a few days.  She's struggling.  Not in pain, but beginning to show signs of additional complications.  She's almost completely incontinent, and while she can't really hold stuff in anymore, she has trouble pushing it out, too.  She has had two seizures this week and is beginning to stumble just occasionally with her front legs.  Her back legs are long gone.  I can tell she's frustrated.  She's telling me she's ready.  Actually, she's been telling me for some time, but I have selfishly wanted to keep her here with me.  She's my girl.  So we've arbitrarily chosen Saturday fo

High drama at the winery.  I ran into a coworker today who told me the other tasting room employee placed on temporary layoff (besides me) was given the permanent heave ho over the weekend.  She wasn't taking the layoff well and despite numerous attempts to convince her it was temporary and in no way a reflection on her performance, she freaked.  Initially, she seemed to understand the circumstances .  As time went on, her discontent erupted into loud and inappropriate comments  - sometimes in front of customers - taking her frustration out on a fellow employee, a manager, the world.  Wow.  She's young and I suspect she's never been through tough times before.  Personally, my layoff was not the least bit unsettling since I volunteered.  Others need the work.  I don't.  I've got writing and other stuff to do and will not starve or miss a mortgage payment if I don't work for a couple of months.  Lucky me. I had lunch Saturday with two good friends from California

Harley Davidson Todd-Niederpruem (front), his brother Pip (Squeak-middle) and sister Winnie (back) all love their canine big sister Hopps.  Hoppsy loves them too. They look a little like her.  I think she thinks they're puppies.  She's a good mommy. Ah, but they grow up so fast. (Sniff) Missed my ukulele lesson tonight because I had to pick Ron up at the airport, coming from an abandoned root canal in Honolulu.  Turned out he didn't need one.  That's the good news. The bad is that he sprained his toe a few days ago, so had to hobble around, negotiating airports, hotel, etc.  Hopps has this bad habit of getting up as you try to step over her. That's how he injured it.  Last night and today I think he just drank beer and hung out in his room or the pool.  Of course, I'm the nimrod who scheduled his flight and could have had him back soon enough for me to make the lesson, but I forgot about it when confirming.  I'll just have to practice extra to catch up.  It

I was driving home from an abbreviated shift at work last night when I turned on the radio and heard Bob Dylan singing Everybody Must Get Stoned .  I was reminded of a placard I once saw at a Dairy Queen in Colorado that read, Everybody Must Get Coned .  So it occurred to me, there navigating through the misty darkness, that with a slight modification, this could be a great slogan for a number if different businesses.  Here's my list. Telecommunications company: Everybody must get phoned . Cutlery shop and knife sharpening services: Everybody must get honed . Credit Union: Everybody must get loaned . Brothel: Everybody must get moaned. Winery: Everybody must get Rhoned . Fitness Center: Everybody must get toned . Local planning commission: Everybody must get zoned . Bio-research company: Everybody must get cloned. Doggy daycare: Everybody must get boned. Manufacturer of modern, unmanned spy planes: Everybody must get droned . Reader of corny mottoes and slogans listed on a chees

Don't name them.  Don't name them.  Don't name them..... Well, I'd bet that Harley, Winnie and Pip have nearly double in size since they arrived here at what is most likely their new home.  The big cats still aren't thrilled about them being here, but their becoming more patient with every encounter.  Of course, the tikes are still kept in their playpen when not being supervised by me.  They get braver by the day.  By the minute, really.  In fact, they are fearless.  I admire that in them.  They just go for the glory.  I would love to keep them all indoors, but my house is just too small for that.  With the exception of other cats occasionally wandering through the yard, it's pretty safe outside here.  The dogs help keep that foreigners to a minimum too, since they know the difference between their kitties and an alien visitor and bark enough the scare the pants off of any intruders.  My big cats never go to the road (except Mr. Sox) so no cars.  There are no pr