creatures

 We were driving along after Mass down an old tree-lined street and noticed a woodchuck strolling on the sidewalk! That was unexpected; perhaps he is a connoisseur of architecture - there are nice old homes there.

It's October, and I'm happy to say it was October-y today, with balmy air and the constant background music from the insects. It's a good start.

My brother reports that early this morning he found a "new" cat toy on the floor and gently kicked it to the kitchen. Later in full sunlight, he saw what it was: A little tomato, still intact. It is the Orphan's work to bring items from the Far Corners of the Earth into the living spaces and she does a good job of it. 

Since we got rid of our hawthorn trees years ago (my brother being tired of the needles stabbing him while mowing), the mockingbirds have less reason to come to our property. So I've been happy lately to see one enjoying the bird bath, several times. And that seemed to give his cousin (a cat bird) the idea. So, it's a busy spot with the brook dry, and Diane's cats also come to stand up and drink from it. We're trying to keep it fresh and clean for them.

Sweetie seems pretty cheerful these days; I feel badly about the thing growing in her throat. Dolly's blood sugar is improving. It started out at 412 and after a week of keeping her off dry food it went down to 384. Two weeks later, and after trying many types of higher protein and lower carb wet food, it's down to 343. Dr. Joe wants it below 300, so we go back in two weeks again. Meanwhile, she is so much more alert! This is amazing to us. Behavior we were attributing to old age may well have been due to this. Poor Dolly! She doesn't seem to miss the crunchies, as long as she can eat when she wants (which is often! too often)