Waning Fruit of the Moon

Today the keeper ran all over the city--starting downtown with a lower Mass than usual at the cathedral, and then to a very polite and politically correct farmer's market in a beautiful peaceful location. She said other than the flower venders it was all Caucasians and people commented on her bumper stickers. Quite unlike any other farmers market she had been to. When she got home she made us come inside so she could spend the last 1/2 of the day at Seattle U at the beginning of a weeklong very intense Hispanic Youth Institute. She says she is the oldest person there, and probably the most introverted. Everyone else came in packs of 10 and 22 from all over the country. She came alone and said she just wanted to hide in her car and read the newspaper instead of doing " ice-breakers."

However, on the way home she stopped the car at the top of the hill, breathless over the bulging lopsided moon which allowed the clouds to undulate around and over it in a dance of the seven veils. When she got home, she stood on the patio table and shot pictures of it through the apple tree. Moon fruit. Enchanting.

<

Bright Grey Saturday

It was a grey day, and felt like fall. We didn't mind staying inside and came in when asked. But it was very nice to look around the yard and see bright yellows and hot pinks.

Cacophony

The keeper came home from the office early, and she was fuming and a little rattled. She let us out right away and we tried to figure out what was up. She finally told us that she had fled from the building and was going to try to work at home. She said that as she was working peacefully at her computer, suddenly she was blasted out of her seat by the most deafening sirens going off in the room next to her office. She said that she swore a bit and found some men in the hallway, who were surprised she hadn't been told of the emergency alarm work which would be in effect for a good half hour. The siren went off every thirty seconds, she said. In a smoldering rage she packed up her computer and notes, and fled the building. Dear reader, although we don't go to an office, we would expect better communication from those in charge. She does have very acute hearing and is really sensitive to sound. She is better now, after working at her desk here, shopping, working out, and watering the back yard.

On a more optimistic note, the new yellow Adirondack chair arrived and we put it in the new shade garden. She also found a nice new faucet for the bathroom sink, and found a real sunflower growing in the garden next to the driveway. We have never been able to grow a sunflower before, after many attempts. She also read us a very fine letter by a priest responding intelligently and honestly to the Year of the Priest. So all in all, we believe it was a good day. On a national note, however, we are thoroughly embarrassed by the bad manners and meanness of some of the people at those health care hearings. Such a breach of civility is way worse and more cacophonous than any #%&@# alarm system.

La Luna Bella

Although we have to stay inside tonight, this is a marvelous sight to behold. We will all howl a little in the presence of la luna bella.

Dessert with the President

My organic catnip patch is growing very nicely, and I have claimed this as my morning and evening lounge. I nibble at the flowers and seeds. This is so good, it should be illegal. Yesterday the new handyman came and fixed our deck. Nice guy. Good work. Big saw. WE stayed out of his way.

The keeper was out and about today, as she says, "earning our premium human grade cat food." Tonight she had dinner with three dear friends and the president dropped in for dessert and conversation about Sonya Sotomayor, Sarah Palin, Hillary, and of course, The Batchelorette! She brought us the photo as proof!

Cooler Cats

Today we are feeling better because it was cooler outside. And we got to spend the day outside. This is such a fun summer. We saw a racoon on the back porch last night. I howled at it. It was only a young one. A little bigger than me. But it skulked away.

The keeper was very domestic today. She froze a whole flat of blackberries and waxed and vacuumed the floors, and then got outside and scraped ten years of dust and grime off the deck table and chairs. She is ordering new slipcovers for the living room sofa. We are overwhelmed with her industry these days. We lie around and watch her run around. We were hoping that the handyman would come today but he must have forgotten. He is allergic to us. The keeper talked to her friend NPM and they want to celebrate their 112th birthday in Hawaii next summer. Aloha. They are such good friends although they never see each other. NPM used to hang out at our house when I was a kitten and we all watched Northern Exposure together.

We are also hopeful that health care reform will come about soon, especially for those who have nothing now. We know we can do this.

Peace for the Pilgrims

We understand that several groups we know have begun journeys for peace and justice today. Our friends Bix and Teresa should be in Japan by now and on their way to Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Immigration Pilgrims should have left their church in Bellingham on their journey to Tacoma Detention Center to raise awareness for the need for immigration reform. The keeper says she will join the Bellingham pilgrims along the way, but Alice and I will join all of you in spirit. We don't like crowd of people and cars and noise. We will do our little thing for peace in the yard.

The keeper went back to work today and we were inside again. Then again, it was cooler inside. We are grateful that the heat wave has ebbed, and we can walk on the gravel again. We don't think we would have liked living in Southern California. But before the keeper went back to work she started painting things. Because it was so hot, she had to wait until evening shade to paint the wooden chairs that have looked so miserable. Now she is ready to tackle even more, like railings and trellises.