Back Yard Critters

Besides the usual squirrels, birds and wasps we occasionally get other visitors outside our sliders.  Mom and dad have been spending extra time out on the deck, and one fine sunny day recently this little guy stopped by. 

We believe this is an anole lizard, and we've seen them scuttling across the deck rails and scaling the brick exterior many times.  This one didn't seem to have a problem being so close to where mom and dad were sunning, and I'm a little bit confused. 

Now, I've learned that these guys puff out their throats (dewlap, I believe it's called) in a magnificently colored bubble if they feel threatened, to establish territory or, um in an attempt to find a mate.  Let me just say the humans were out there first, and had all their crap spread out (sunblock, blanket, books, solar lights, pillows, etc.) so it should've been pretty clear to him that the territory thing was already settled once he arrived.  Not to mention the fact that they were just lying there somewhat motionless, which rules out the threat thing.  So that leaves mating.  Let me just say that maybe to each other they're attractive what with their barely-covered slightly overweight bods (payback, dad/sorry mom) and lotion-slathered shiny skin, but I'm pretty sure the poor little green guy is barking up the wrong tree if he thinks he's going to find a mate out there.  Just sayin'.

Dad took a gazillion shots of this guy in an attempt to get a decent one with his dewlap fully inflated (the lizard, not dad), and we think these aren't too shabby considering they were snapped with dad's old Samsung cheapy.

Below is a more recent photo, and if you squint real hard you can see the critter down low on a vertical corner rail over on the left.  He and I were locked in a stare-down from opposite sides of the deck, though I got bored after only a few seconds and decided I needed to bathe.

Signs

Mom and dad have been doing their daily walks when dad's on his "home" portion of his new schedule, and they saw these signs in front of a couple of houses nearby.

  All in all they pretty much sum up the current state of things.  What do you think?

And So It Goes

The old girl's like a dog, only she takes it a step further.  Asks to go out.  Wants back in.  Asks to go out.  Wants back in.  

Often, she'll sit at the sliders alternating glances between the outdoors and one of us, her way of asking to be let out.  She especially loves the rainy days, lapping endlessly at the dripping deck furniture.  Even more often she merely wants the best of both worlds, wanting to be let out but wanting the slider to stay open so she can come and go at her leisure. 

In the event we give in to this, she'll spend her time after coming back inside chasing and playing with the random bug that has managed to make its way in.  I suppose we should look at it in a positive light seeing as how it's probably the most exercise she gets in a typical day.

Don't You Appreciate Me Every Day?

Happy Tortoiseshell Cat Appreciation Day to our dear old girl and all those with magnificent coats like hers!

Extra Dad Days

As I've mentioned previously, dad's been home more with his new alternating/part-time work schedule, so I get to do more of this than I ordinarily do. 

Okay, honestly, I do this most days whether he's here or not.  It's just that he gets to do it with me more than usual. 

We hope everyone's staying safe, making the most of their stay-at-home time and not getting under each other's skin.  Too much.

Happy Birthday to Mom +

Yesterday was mom's birthday.  Happy Birthday, mom.  I love you!  Sorry it was such an odd one what with what's going on these days. I think she turned twenty-something or thirty-something.  I'm not really sure, but if I do the math correctly knowing dad's only a year or two shy of 60 and he's mentioned before how there are about 12 years' difference between them, well, I better just drop it.  
Anyway, here are some shots of Snugglepuss (yeah, me- dad and his stupid names) with him and mom, doing what we love.  

Though all three of us are in these they kind of highlight how I like to be snuggly with mom especially.  Y'all try to make the best of this weekend. 

Right in Our Own Back Yard

Mom and dad are trying to make the most of these scary times, and that includes getting out for walks as much as they can while maintaining their personal safety.  Of course, practicing their social distancing skills is first and foremost while exercising, but that comes easily since neither is really much of a people person anyway.  They know enough to avoid touching things and getting too close to people, and waving "hello" to others is good, but they're still getting used to this.  When they headed out the other day they encountered an elderly gentleman in a nearby parking lot who was having difficulty figuring out where the gas cap door release was in his rental SUV.  They did their best to help him and got it figured out, but they found it a little awkward to stick to these new rules while doing so, even with a simple encounter like this. They couldn't help thinking things like "should we not have touched his keys?" and "should we not have leaned into the vehicle?" and "should we keep hand sanitizer on us?"  Scary, sad and crazy, isn't it?  They even questioned a previously-scheduled appointment to donate blood right down the road.  They walked to the location, but couldn't decide- even with adequate spacing between waiting area chairs- whether this kind of thing was a good idea (as important and much needed as it is).

Anyway, they've been wandering the streets of nearby neighborhoods right around here, and occasionally walking the perimeter of a small city park nearby.  They saw a sign for what they thought was a small park for kids near a school and when they approached the walkway that lead into it they discovered this. 

Now, I know we've posted photos in the past of these awesome carnivorous plants, but who doesn't love photos like these?

The Venus Flytraps were scattered in clusters here and there throughout the park, and a partially submerged stone walkway curved throughout, providing the most awesome up-close view.
There were signs that some humans don't know enough to stay on the path, but that's no surprise considering how ignorant some people are these days.

  At least they didn't see signs that any of these gloriously fascinating plants had been damaged.

Things are weird, times are uncertain, the news is too often sad and the word vomit coming from certain leadership is confounding, but hopefully we'll get through this in time.  Until then stay as safe as y'all can, hone your social distancing skills and be mindful of what it takes each and every one of us to navigate this new reality.

Me

Dad recently finished reading Elton John's "Me", and he says he loved it. 

For decades he thought he knew all there was to know about the flamboyant entertainer whose voice & talent he's been a fan of since junior high, but he says he realized there's so much more he didn't know.  Though he and mom didn't much care for "Rocket Man" he zipped through "Me" and thoroughly enjoyed every page.  I thought I'd take a cue from the book's cover to make my own book cover, should I ever get around to penning my own autobiography, which will be at least as engrossing as Elton John's I assure you.