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Sulfur daze and sore gams


(Sing this to the tune of Purple Haze)

Crater haze, all in my yard,
Lately fumes, we're suckin' hard,
Either vog, or rain galore,
'Scuse me, while I choke some more....

(Insert raging ukulele interlude here)

I've decide to change Pippie's name to Alvin.  I think.  He is always in trouble, with a propensity for climbing up my legs, whether or not I'm wearing long pants.  So Alvin seems to suit him better, even though he's not a chipmunk.  Al-vin!

Work sucks.  Yesterday we were actually very busy, but we are so short staffed that it was just two of us scrambling all afternoon without a moment to breath.  My co-worker tells me that on Tuesday we had three small tour groups descend upon the place within a half hour's time and again, with only two people working, it was impossible.  So other carloads of people who were unlucky enough to come at the same time simply left.  She said six people walked out.  We once prided ourselves on our presentations - shows really - and gave people full explanations of how the wine was made.  Now, we are so short staffed we don't have time, so it's quick and dirty.  The owner will not allow us to hire.  He is rumored to have said, "If they walk out, they walk out."  It's one thing to work your tail off  and feel good about the day.  It's quite another to do it knowing that customers are being short changed and you will get nothing in reward for your efforts other than the privilege of coming back tomorrow to exhaust yourself again.  I suspect the winery will survive this recession and will go on to do some fun, interesting things.  But I also suspect it will take longer than I have the patience to wait and longer than my tired feet and legs can hold out.  So, I'm actively combing the want ads for a part time desk job.  The veins in my legs are telling me it's time. 

I thought it was only Mr. Sox who had escalated his spraying since the babies arrived.  Then yesterday, my angelic Abby, who has until now seemed mostly unperturbed by their presence, backed up against a tarp (outside, luckily) and let out a stream that would alleviate any drought in the southwest.  Who knew cats could pee horizontally?  It's really quite something, the way it defies gravity.  I immediately did my best to clean off the tarp.  It's time for drastic action, but I don't know what that should be.  I've heard that a product called Feliway works by emitting calming, pleasurable pheromones that make cats feel peaceful and content and want to take up macrame.  I'll report back on that.

Gotta go to work.  Another day, another dollar.  Literally.

A hui hou.  Aloha! 





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