August 09, 2009

8:07 p.m.

Later, and Deer

The rest of the day was better. I actually had a laugh telling Rose later about the terrible morning when the plants fell, and she told me about her terrible weekend, dredging stuff out of the almost-former house that Marc REFUSES to throw away because it was his MOTHER�S, even though she was terrible to him and her rolodex means NOTHING, he still can�t throw anything AWAY and has to KEEP IT and find a place for it in THEIR BASEMENT, and this should have been done MONTHS ago, and Rose is about on her last nerve and blaming him secretly for everything right about now. Yesterday they spent the whole afternoon at the stock club members� picnic, which was pleasant but not what she would have chosen to be doing had she not had the social obligation. It meant that today was the crap-hauling day and there was no real rest this weekend. These words were all spoken hurriedly in the driveway as I was coming over to do a quick email check and they were about to leave for the old house.

I fed the chickens a packet of instant oatmeal, which they loved. They come running up now when anyone comes home, hoping there will be a snack. They love strawberry tops, blueberries, watermelon rind, corn cobs, hamburger buns, greens of various kinds, and sometimes, crunchy cat food.

Goiter sort of got his ass kicked the other day by the chickens. He�s this aggressive, feral hunter of small creatures. He went as close as a few feet away from them, all intense and interested, and one buff orpington and one australorp (a golden and a black) came up side by side, necks stretched out, clucking at him. �And whadda you want?� they said. �Nothing� nothing at all,� he replied quickly, and ran off!

I did a little research today and I think what I saw in the driveway last night WAS, in fact, a black coyote. Wow! And tonight I went into the kitchen to wash up and there were three wild turkeys in my yard. How wonderful. I love that there�s this incredible ecosystem right outside my windows, creeping, flying, bounding, tunneling. I still can�t believe I own this home. Every one of these rooms is mine. When this house is done, I will have to show it off somehow. There are annual tours of historic houses in this and neighboring towns; this should be one of them. Maybe in a couple of years it�ll be ready for that. Meanwhile I keep thinking, house concerts in this living room. It�s a perfect space for it, long and woody and open. Really a performer�s dream.

(Later note: just after writing this, I went to the kitchen to wash up and there were two four-point bucks in the yard, grazing. I watched them for about 15 minutes, staying still so they wouldn�t see me at the window.)

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I did a couple of houseworthy things today, anyway. I got the drainage pipe and fittings we need, and I went into the smaller attic and gathered another large bag of trash to take to the work dumpster tomorrow. In the process I found more pictures, some of which I�m sure Son would like to have. After we scan them for our records, of course.

I love that I have a little office corner now. It�s not much, but better than nothing. Internet is going to cost between $300 and $350 to set up, probably, with the super duper power antennae on the roofs, and the routers. But it�ll pay for itself in a year, and I�ll never have to pay for an ISP subscription.

The marmalade chicken was okay. I usually use chicken breasts because there is so much less fat, but really this would have been better with dark meat. It was still a good marinade. I�ll take some for lunch tomorrow. Marc is taking the day off. I have my work outlined for me and the big boss isn�t in for a few more days. It�ll be pleasant and the time will pass quickly.

I like my job.

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I�m mellow on wine, singing �Secret Gardens of the Heart� to the living room, thinking about Anna and crying over her life here with that maniac. It�s very funny, me getting tipsy and singing in my house all maudlin. During dinner I watched a DVD of early Spanky and Our Gang shorts that Dar brought me the other day. I didn�t have time to watch anything for a few weeks there. This is nice.

Well, I think I�ll toddle over to R&M�s to do email and post this. Maybe waste a few minutes on Facebook. Life is good.