What a mess! Those of us who live where it snows dread early snows because of the impact on trees still in full foliage. Of course, tree branches break off and take out power lines, or come down on houses, vehicles and worse.
Daily Archives: Thu - 11 September 2014
Post 522: busy day, with snow
It’s still summer, right? The calendar says so. Fall’s still a few days away and the trees haven’t begun to turn. The weather report for my town, however, suggests something else:
What?! Snow already? I heard on the news Rapid City got snow. That’s where one of my sisters lives. It’s only 156 miles (251.1km) north of here. Though it is in the Black Hills, it’s actually at a lower elevation (3202 ft. or 976 meters above sea level) than where I live (3967 ft. or 1209 meters above sea level). Rapid is farther north ( 44°04′.34″) than where I live, which is perched a little north of the 42° of north latitude. Yet, they often get the snow first, and we wipe our brows down here, smug to have avoided that first brush with inevitable cold weather. Not this time, though. They got it first, but we can look forward to getting it within a few hours. Ugh!
Aside from rain, snow, and the 13th anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on American soil, today is one for ordinary tasks that won’t wait much longer: The boys have a grooming appointment this morning and they are regular hairballs in need of a trim.
I try not to telegraph my plans to the boys by showering and putting on going out clothes and shoes, but they pick up on things with amazing acuity. They are smart little fellows! Yes, my cats know something is different this morning, and the likelihood that it involves them is high. Even now, they are hiding in plain sight, muscles tensed and prepared to make the Great Escape when I come looking for them to put them in the carrier.
Andy can’t be fooled twice! And he holds grudges!
Andy may be the hardest one to catch since there are two things involving him this morning: his daily medicine dose and capture to go to the groomer. I need to catch him once for both because he will be 10 times harder catch a second time!
Dougy is a little easier to catch than Andy, but he’s a whiner when put in the carrier. “He’s put me in the carrier, Andy! Run and hide!” Yeah, a whiner and a squealer. It makes sense to try to catch him second for that reason.
I’m trying not to think about this little task for the moment. I swear the cats pick up on my thoughts through telepathy!