A good day to be a Duck!

Women's basketball to Elite Eight!

Men's basketball to Final Four!

Anyone want to join me in a rousing rendition of "Mighty Oregon"?

Oregon 77, Maryland 63

Ducks women's basketball is on a roll!

First time ever! Elite Eight!

Quack!!! Quack!!!

Oregon 69, Michigan 68

Ducks men's basketball team makes Elite Eight. Two years running!

GO DUCKS!!!

Oh, and I forgot to mention... SWEET SIXTEEN

The University of Oregon Ducks' men's and women's basketball teams have made it to the Sweet Sixteen. This is the first time for the women, but the men are making it look old hat!

GO DUCKS! 

Spring is finally here!

Well, it is about time. I am actually getting tired of the snow. It was fun when there were feet and feet of it, but now that it is just a patch or two of gritty white stuff, it is time for it to be gone.

And has anyone else noticed the sun? It is providing light longer and longer. One day it even provided some heat in the Upper Valley. I know that will happen again and again and again and soon I will be whining that it is too hot!

C’est la vie!

Oh, and...

The loft is ready for occupancy, and it has Max' Good Catkeeping Seal of Approval!

4:17AM, March 10th, 2017

Max is sitting on my chest as I pretend to sleep.

“Wake up, Bozo” he begins to shout. “It is a proven alternative fact that there are thousands of feline refugees who are crossing our borders daily.”

(Note to self: change the password to my computer and shut it down completely when I go to bed at night.)

“These cats are sneaking in. Oh hell, some of them are crossing the borders brazenly, sauntering in like they have the inalienable right to be here. Most of them have not been properly vetted. In fact, many of them have never seen a vet in their lives,” he continues.  

I reach down and push him off me: no easy task, and a big mistake. He is a big boy with claws that obviously need trimming. Thankfully, I own bandages and disinfectant.

I roll onto my side. Suddenly there is this cute little face in mine. “As America’s great spokescat, Kittyanne Catway said, these felines are here for one reason and one reason only, and that is to spread terror. They bring with them mange and worms and other really bad things.”

Max stops and takes a breath. For a moment, a brief and brilliant moment, I have delusional dreams of falling back asleep.

The loud, obnoxious voice continues, “They want CCF (canned cat food). They will do anything to get some. They must be stopped. We must all do our part to stop them. America’s supply of CCF is in danger, grave danger. DO SOMETHING NOW!!!”

With deep remorse, I arrive at the conclusion that my night is over. I need to get up and tend to my wounds.

Oh, and give Max his morning treat of CCF.

The first piece of art is hung in the loft

Thanks, Puds!!!

It should have been an easy day. No stressful deliveries or work to be done, but I did have errands to run: P.O. Box, recycling, stuff to get at the hardware store, prescriptions, etc...

On my rounds, I passed St. Mary's (the cemetery, not church). Had to stop and see Richard.

I don't know if I can describe what if did to me. It has been long enough that I shouldn't be crippled by some random site of his mortality. But I was. I wept like a baby. 

I hadn't been past there since February 18th. I couldn't stop then. The drive was unplowed and there was no way to stop on Tucker Road, so I just slowed down and held it together.

I guess I am too old to get over it.

Missing Richard James Parker. 

BIG TIME!!!

Moving up!

First, don't you just love how I've set up the living room. I tell you, I could have a career in interior design!

 Coffee mugs on shelves!

The new sofa sleeper. I am ready to host!

And the desk area!