Originally posted Wednesday, September 05, 2007
The talking alarm clock just told me the time: "Twelve Oh-Clock, a.m. – annoying beep."
Thanks Ms. clock. (It has a woman's voice, just like my Power Mac – creepy, really.)
This was the kids' first day back at school, and already it is shaping into quite the year. Today was Peter's first day at Kindergarten (I did not shed a tear - too much going on), and tomorrow is Emily's first day back through the Gates of Hell. "Tears for Fears" is not just the name of a band. That's all I'm gonna say on that subject.
And don't give me grief for over using italics. Other than the fact it is my limit of coding knowledge (I could probably pull off Bolding. It is my overuse of commas and my misuse of colons and semi-colons you should give me grief about, but don't. I don't care at the moment.
I told my son's violin teacher that I was a "comma whore" after he had read my script and said that I had a problem with my commas.
"Well, not a whore necessarily," he said. "But you've certainly misplaced your affections."
Love this guy.
However, this is not what I was to write about. I had two minor (Always, always minor) thoughts in mind.
A) I am friggin' tired, sad, lonely, stressed, (though I am compelled to remind myself to consider the Elizabethan period when I use the word "stressed.")
And B) Raccoons are murdering our neighborhood cats.
What you say?
Yes, it's true. Today, Nicky's caseworker came by to discuss family support issues and she mentioned (since she lives in my neighborhood), that two raccoons cornered her dear cat and killed it, brutally, and not for food. On her street, four cats have been killed within two weeks.
I was shocked. Cute little cuddly Raccoons? Little hand-washing, black-masked, nocturnal bandits? Fat and striped animals of the night that are attracted to sparkly objects? They corner and kill domesticated CATS, too?
As our friend/caseworker described how she found her cat, it gave me a shudder. It was like the opening chapter of a Stephen King novel. Awful. Somewhat innocent, yet foreboding. those of us living the story did not heed the warning signs, the trouble yet to come…
In the meantime, Molly stays inside. Raccoons live underneath the barn behind our property. In the wintertime, I see their footprints encircling our yard, leading underneath the bushes along our house. They are so cute, or were, until now. I think I'll buy a pellet gun – shoot the little bastards.
This is how it starts. Friends and neighbors one day, retribution the next, though it wasn't even my cat that was killed.
I must use this somewhere.
Speaking of using stuff around that happens, Emily and I were accosted by an earring-selling street vendor on our way to her birthday lunch. He spoke with a delightful Indian accent and was adorably aggressive. He was going to make a sale, and he succeeded because he made me laugh. Yes, I am that easy.
But here is the funny part that I want to use somewhere: I noticed he had a credit card machine, so I started to pull out my debit card to pay for the earrings that I didn't really want to purchase--
"Oh no," he said. "I don't take plastic."
"What's that then?" I asked, pointing to the machine.
"I have that so I look professional and all. Cash only, cash only," he said smiling.
***
I just got up to fill my glass with soda and got a strong whiff of the smoke outside. The fires, wherever they are burning, are not subsiding it seems. The sky outside would be an ashen gray if were not thankfully black because of the hour. The smell is old now. The odor would be comforting and wholesome, if I was camping, but now it is tiresome and irritating. I hope for a freak snowfall. Now.
Uh-oh. Ms. Talking Clock has just informed my that it is now "One O'clock a.m." I get up at five and have been up since that same hour.
I thank you for our little chat. One sided as it was, and for that I apologize. Next time you jump in, all right?
1:11 AM - 6 Comments - 4 Kudos
