Toy Box

"Cloudy, with possibility of rain."  It was definitely overcast all day yesterday, but fairly warm outside, more so than in the house.  The deck plants were on the verge of collapse, saying they could not live one more day without water, and so Bessie Anne and I spent the better part of an hour out there.  It's a pleasant way to spend time.  Of course I awoke to the sound of dripping from the eaves this morning.  Now the plants will probably lose their lives by drowning.

Ralph and Celeste have many toys of their own, including Ralph's penchant for pull strips and bottle caps and the length of cord he drags all over the house.  Luna's toys are better.  My cats have a previously hidden talent for thievery.  Luna likes to take her naps under the covers.  I walk by and see a cat-size lump on the bed.  Evidently Ralph and Celeste also have made note of this and take the opportunity to do a little five-finger shopping in her room.  Bringing their booty out to the living room, they bat toys, roll around on the floor, and squabble over who gets to play with what.  It's a little embarrassing when Linda is home.  When she's not, I pick up the toys and throw them back to Luna (with apologies) and don't rat out my wayward kids.

Crows are back in town, back in droves.  The smaller blackbirds travel with their bigger brethren and power lines are full, post to post.  There is cawing from sunup to sundown.  Of course each species has a different call, but yesterday it came to me that each bird flies with a different sound of wings.  Vultures' huge wings go whump, whump, while the crows whir by.  Ring-tail doves make a clatter that can make you jump out of your skin if not prepared when they take off.  And then there are the hummers.

The plan was to make chicken potpie last night.  It turned out to be "chicken pot" as I got interested in "Madam Secretary" episodes and didn't make the crust to turn it into "pie."  As Linda said, we probably didn't need the extra calories.