I warned you...

When I posted about tackling the very long (and getting longer daily -- how is that possible?) retaining wall for my front porch, I also mentioned I would be boring everyone with the partially finished project. The weather has cooperated and tiling has proceeded fairly well. Alas, starting tomorrow, it'll be too cold for at least a week so the project is halted for awhile. On the bright side, the top of the wall is almost complete and the corner is done. The inside is in progress and considering it takes approximately 2 hours to complete one row, it's moving along fairly well. 

Mind you, it also takes a few hours just to cut nice large tiles into tiny pieces. Looking at this box, you'd think that amount would surely be enough to finish up the wall --even the tricky bits. Well, you'd be wrong. I've already gone through a couple of similarly laden boxes, and will need to cut more.

Then there is the seemingly endless expanse of the wall itself. And while curves are definitely sexy, they become troublesome to get just the right pieces to fit. Fortunately, the corner at the top of the stairs is done:

And then the interior wall -- languishing in a state of perpetual incompleteness (is that a word?).

So perhaps a week off from fiddly curves is not a bad thing.

This year has been so unkind -- add another tragedy

Ninja was killed today by what we presume was a coyote. As I came out to do the morning feeding in the critter station, I noticed a large pile of feathers. They were Ninja's. We searched and couldn't find her. 

We are devastated. I know on the scale of this year's suffering, this is in the small potatoes category, but to us, she was family. A wily, stubborn member, but family nonetheless. 

In memoriam: 

Too cold for tiling, but not cold enough to keep me from craziness

As I've mentioned before, the weather has to cooperate for doing mosaics or any tiling outdoors. If it's too cold to even wash the tile to prep for cutting, then it's too cold to actually get creative. So I turn to other activities to move other projects along. On a whim yesterday I decided to tackle the infamous thicket behind the mosaic planter box. It needed a good clearing out (just how much I'm still not sure) to realize my cunning plans for it's future look. Well, as whims go, not a bad idea. 

I happily started on clearing out the plastic and cardboard I put over cactus roots so they would die off and not re-sprout. So long to the large, decaying jade plants that were carelessly tossed in the area after the first clearing out to make way for the planter box. But here's where I should've stopped and been content. More cactus needed to be cut back. As always, the idea is to keep the most distance between me and cactus as possible. In this case, a loooong pole with a saw blade. To get the cuttings into a pile and the large tub for disposal (unlike jade and other soft plants, cactus is not allowed in yard waste bins) a long rake and shovel were used. Clever right? It seems no matter how carefully planned, cactus spines find their way into my skin. There must be something in the laws of physics that defends against such perfidy, but it doesn't work! 

That aside, now the only decisions are whether to cut back more jade or leave as is and work around it for my art installation. BTW: "art" is probably too strong a word for what I hope to do, but it sounds classier than putting stuff in made from rusted barrel hoops and other cast-offs. So yeah, we'll go with art.

So this is the thicket mess before clean-up:

The area cleared enough to make more decisions:

It's gonna be a long slog.

Ninja's questionable choices

Ninja had a wonderful routine. She would run to be fed every morning and afternoon, she'd hang out on her dust bath tire or scratch in the backyard, and then she would go to bed on her roost in the big tree near the back gate. Every night I'd say goodnight and tuck her in. (Note: she still refuses to go into her designer house). Last night that all changed.

I was doing the weekly watering in the backyard and tried to stay away from her as much as possible, knowing she would be heading for bed around 4:15 or so. After all, one does try to respect her space. But, instead of heading toward her tree, she kept hopping the fence to the dreaded back of beyond and then would come back, only to hop the fence to the front yard. It was as if she reverted to her behavior when she first arrived. Puzzling, annoying, and not least, worrying. The front yard is home to cats, coyotes and people who often make poor choices. OK, she'll come back when the watering is done. No problem. 

Problem. She not only didn't reappear, when I went searching for her, I found her in a tree in the thicket. Now, perhaps she just wants to savor the season by having a good view of Christmas lights. Or she wants to enjoy the beautiful decorations and lights from the neighbor across the street. Since we have no outdoor decorations, I understand her appreciation for the display. But...so not safe. Of course there was nothing I could do but go indoors and worry about her, but she's her own chicken and I was certain she would go back to her safe routine once I wasn't in her way with the hose. 

Good theory, but the evidence said otherwise. Tonight, as I was watering the front yard, I see Ninja hop over the fence and start strutting right toward me. Oh no! I tried to shoo her back and she finally went, only to come flying back over and heading into the thicket. Again, tried to cajole her out of her folly, but she wasn't having anything to do with good sense. Nope, she is now roosting in the tree, dreamily looking at all the twinkling lights, and planning the next thing to drive me crazy with. 

Anyone want diva hen? If you can catch her, she's yours!

A bit daunting, but exciting

I'm guessing somewhere in my DNA is a masochistic streak. Eons ago, when we had to re-stucco the house (mostly to get rid of the hideous pink paint), I had an ambitious idea. Well, not so much ambitious as suicidal. I wanted to leave the front retaining wall as is so I could tile it. I also decided to tile the front porch all by myself too. So what happened? Well, as luck would have it, I did get the porch floor done, but my lazy gene kicked in and I only got a teensy-weensy bit done on the wall. And there it has languished for years, and years, and years. Now I could use the excuse that working full-time and recovering from joint surgeries made it difficult to get back to -- except it's not true. So now I'm confronted with a 15 foot wall that is nearly 4 feet high and I have to do both sides. Fortunately, one side is partly stuccoed, but it still means weeks of work to finish the project. And rainy season will come eventually. We hope.

The past week I've been cutting tile and tackling one side of the project and I'm pleased to say that section is compete. And yes, I'll be boring all and sundry with updates from time to time, just because I can.

The front porch mariner's star:

The completed (as of yesterday) small side of the porch entry (house number is blurred).

The interior of the porch wall with years of dirt down the stucco:

The daunting, intimidating, giant WALL:

One bit of good news, the main design is on paper. I just have to figure out how to transfer the idea to the wall. And work around the shrubs. And get to the bottom of the wall without hurting myself. Mmmmm. Maybe I'll just go grab a cup of tea.

Ta da! At last...

It's done! It's finished! Well...not exactly. Yes, the mosaic is done and I'm happy with the outcome. Neighbors have been gracious with their appreciation. It was a wonderful challenge. And here it is...the planter box mosaic:

Now I know what you're wondering. "What is she going to do with the mess around it? Clearly the setting doesn't do justice to the amount of neck strain that went into that project." And you would be right.  It detracts from the art don'tcha know. So - yes, I have plans for that, as soon as my back recovers. It's all very hard labor for a cranky old lady.

Mostly, however, instead of facing cactus and jade plants and having to muck about in the dreaded thicket, I am planning more mosaics while the weather is nice. Unfortunately, tiling requires a certain temperature range that seems harder and harder to come by lately. It's either waaaaay too hot, or too cold. Like Goldilocks and her porridge, it has to be juuuuust right.

Next project...tally ho!

Help feral cats in Los Angeles

Anyone who knows me is aware of my wish that all domestic creatures had good homes with people who love them and care for them. Well, feral cats may not have (or for that matter want) homes with people, but they are better off not breeding more feral kitties. Not only do they face predators and other hardships, but an overpopulation of cats is not good for the safety of birds and other small creatures. I know that first-hand from the feral cats that show up at my critter station and sometimes get lucky by killing a dove. Despite discussions with them outlining the rules: it's an all-you-can-watch area, NOT an all-you-can-eat-buffet, the cats don't seem to subscribe to the notion. So, there is a petition going around to encourage Los Angeles to be more proactive in supporting trap/neuter/return programs to curb the explosion of kitties. Please sign the petition and share, share, share with friends.

Their appeal is as follows:

Nearly 10 years after the L.A. City Council committed to making the city a no-kill community, the struggle continues. Although the 90% threshold was achieved for dogs four years ago, lifesaving efforts for cats have been much more challenging. However, a program currently under consideration would likely push L.A. over the top.

The greatest barrier to saving more cats has been a legal injunction preventing the City from any involvement with trap-neuter-return (TNR) programs. As a result, the number of young kittens entering L.A. shelters is on the rise in recent years, overwhelming available resources.

Last month, the City released the details of its long-awaited Citywide Cat Program, which allocates funding for the surgical sterilization of 20,000 free-roaming cats annually, over and above those funds already allocated for residents’ pets. The process is simple: cats are caught, evaluated by veterinarians, sterilized, vaccinated, and returned to their original location. This promises to be a game-changer without hampering any of the progress already made—overturning the injunction and paving the way for L.A. to become the largest no-kill community in the country.

You can read more and sign the petition here:

https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Faction.bestfriends.org%2Fpetitions%2Fthe-citizens-of-los-angeles-support-their-community-and-cats%3Fshare%3D39076eb0-1544-41fc-964b-ddb0b8fc1283%26source%3Demail-share-button%26utm_campaign%3Dadvocacy%26utm_medium%3Dctrlshft%26utm_source%3Dcs_email&data=04%7C01%7C%7C89fbb0f85d63490f9a9e08d893b156c1%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637421737151364038%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=2MTJh8gV7l6Lig3no3rM1GRBAlctwLrCW66Ka3j33%2Fg%3D&reserved=0

Again, please sign the petition and share, share, share with friends. 

Well...I lied.

The last post on my planter box mosaic declared that there would be no more posts until it was done. Sorry about that, but I lied. I am soooo close to done, and yet it seemed there should be a mention about the fiddly bits that take time to fill in. When you have a curvy design and don't have specialty tiles to fit those curves, then there are bits that need filling in. Now some mosaics will simply use grout to fill in those pesky areas that drive people like me crazy. While that is a viable option for many smaller areas, I prefer to try to fill those spots -- a least a bit. Once the piece is grouted of course, absolutely no one will be going by and pointing out all the areas that could have been better planned. Grout is not only the cement that holds the piece together physically, it is the cement that pulls the design together. 

If you look for the brilliant white areas, you'll know what I mean. The gaps are simply too big. This afternoon was spent cutting pieces to try and fit in those areas, and was by and large successful. There will be more cutting and pasting tomorrow, and if I'm lucky, this puppy should be finished by Tuesday or Wednesday. 

Now, there is one additional worry -- and I try to simply view this as an experiment (though I will be sad if it all falls apart). I'm tiling on cement board and did prep the surface with mesh tape to cover the seams and thinset. But here's the rub: cement board expands and contracts differently than actual cement, and this flexing can cause pieces to fall off. Time and rainy season will tell. Fingers crossed.

And without further ado, the ALMOST but not quite finished mosaic:

If you're having trouble seeing the areas that need filling in, just click on the picture to enlarge it. And yes, no more until the finished product.

Elvis is alive and well and living in my neighborhood

My neighbor has the divine bliss of living with Elvis. No -- not THAT Elvis. This Elvis. 

 

He's a beautiful, lovable, sofa on legs. I am so lucky to be able to play with him from time to time, though since he's a bit like a freight train coming at you, you should either be very strong, or sitting down. He likes nothing better than to cuddle, he'll bring his blankie or other offering to you to admire, and if you scratch his head vigorously and give him a great ear rub, he's yours forever. (A good butt rob doesn't come amiss either). 

Everyone should be so lucky to have such a sweet neighbor.

Mosaics are so much fun

The weather has turned mild and sunny. Perfect for working on the planter box mosaic. Being old and creaky, I can no longer hunker in for a 10 hour session, but putting in an hour before the sun set felt so good. It's coming along. The tricky bit will be integrating the background to the main design. But here it is so far:

 

  I promise not to post on this again until it is finally finished.

Ninja doing her best modeling poses and a cat in need

Yes. Ninja is still very much with us. No. She has decidedly put up her cute little beak at the very idea of the new house even though I've tried tempting her in with food and, the latest trick, putting her water dish just inside the door to get her used to the idea. Apparently, buying her a split-level home with amenities such as a nesting box and roost do nothing for her. The good news is that she is now perceiving me as less of a threat and more as a trusted servant. She'll come within 3 feet when I call for breakfast and afternoon snack. Today, she allowed appropriate social distancing and gave me her best modeling poses:

I suspect if she could do a duck face, she would.

Now on to Tesla - a beautiful cat in need of a permanent home pronto (though fostering would be helpful too!!!). Lifeline for Pets is putting out this urgent plea:

We are reaching out to you to see if you can help network this sweet but shy girl. If you know of anyone, you can refer them to our website to fill out our adoption application, www.lifelineforpets.org/cat-adoption-application-revised.html. Tessy’s  story is also on our website’s Adult Cats page, at www.lifelineforpets.org/teens--adult-cats.html. Just scroll down a bit there & you will see more pix and her cute video.

 

We had Tesla (and her twin sister) from a baby, but it took awhile before they found a home because they were shy. At last, a nice gentleman adopted them. Then, in 2020, the man passed away and the twins ended up at a local kill shelter, even though they should have been returned to us. They were understandably very confused and frightened. Finally, they were released to us. Fast forward to them first being boarded, then taken to the vet for exams, then to our cat den. Finally, they each went to foster homes (they were not bonded).  Tesla relates well to men, probably because her original owner was a man. She loves to be petted by her foster dad, even though her foster mom lives there, too. She would do well as a single cat, no dogs, and a quiet home. Dontcha just want to run your fingers through that fur!

 

Resurrections are real.

I am so lucky to have a wonderful friend who brings me joy in so many ways. Turns out, she also has an amazing husband who knows how to resurrect almost anything that needs fixing. For example, in my last post, I went through the misery of having the tile saw break down and die just as the mosaic for the planter box was underway. Long story short, the tile saw is now working because this man is a machine whisperer. He also took care of the broken laminating machine (never used and yet...). But those items truly pale in comparison to the resurrection of Gertie. 

Gertie, to those in the know, is a 1923 Dodge Brothers Commercial Car. It is a beauty. And the loving work he put into the restoration is phenomenal. Words do not do justice, so here is the proof that loving craftsmanship exists.

Now on the roof, note the perfectly curved pieces.

 

I'm not particularly a car buff, but I would definitely be happy to tool around town in something so classy.

Murphey's Law in action...

Yup. I FINALLY got around to uncovering my tile saw that had been sitting idle for way too long. The mood was right for taking beautiful large-ish tiles and cutting them into tiny pieces and diamond shapes. The planter box I built was finally prepped and ready to mosaic. The weather was perfect for not only standing in front of a wet saw, but also for slapping tile on the surface. It was a grand plan.

The first day, I was able to cut tile for a solid three hours. Things were going great guns UNTIL the pump broke down and simply would not work. OK - a little research and turns out you can use a pond pump (who knew?) just as well. Quick trip to Harbor Freight and home with a pond pump. Hooray -- it worked. And I learned you can put the pump in a bucket of water and not in the tray which gets dirty really fast and can clog the pump. Terrific.

Things went smoothly for roughly 1/2 hour and then -- oh no. Did the fuse blow? No problem. Headed to the fuse box and fiddled with that for 20 minutes and still the saw would not turn on. Multiple attempts to revive it were to no avail. Looks like the motor just blew out.

To the computer to see if there are tile saw repair persons/parts nearby. No. Quick search for a potential new saw. Several sites recommended DeWalt. Fine. Where could I get one in a hurry and look at it to make sure it was what I really wanted or if I should try to  find parts for my old one. Found 20 authorized dealers. Of those listed, over half were out of business and the others could order it for me but there were none set up to look at and measure. Sigh. Then inspiration. I called a tile place in a nearby town on the off chance they would have one. And they did!! Okay- things were moving now. 

When I got to the store, the most delightful and patient man showed me the saw, described the features. let me make measurements, and was interested in what I was using it for. He then asked if I wanted to see the fabrication/design portion of the place (where the public does not go) so I could see some of their equipment in action. I was like a kid in a candy store! There is a thing called a wet jet that cuts shapes you design on the computer, and then the jet does the rest. Those huge magnificent mosaics with specialty cut designs are made by that enormous machine. They also had an assembly line of stone being cut in perfect squares and packed to sell. I confess in that moment, I fell in love with that lovely man for taking the time to show me the inner workings. 

On the way home, armed with measurements and information, I decided to try and salvage some of the day by starting the planter box with the pieces I had cut. Since it gets dark so early and the beautiful weather we were having started to turn chilly, I didn't get very far, but this is the beginning. Of course, until I get a new saw or fix the old one, get it all set up, and wait for the weather to improve, who knows when I'll get to it again. So the project that was going to take a week or two is now projected for a month from now. Again -- sigh.

So it's started:

Quoth the Ravens..."No photos allowed"

As those who visit know, I feed birds and squirrels in what I call my critter station. Among the wonderful birds that are attracted to the station, there is an entire platoon of crows that visit. I love the crows. They are so much fun to watch as they try to stuff multiple peanuts in their beaks or wash them in the bird bath. They are less fun when we have to clean the rain gutters jammed with peanut shells. But I digress.

One morning as I was watching over my flock from the kitchen window, two huge glossy crows glided down. They dwarfed all the birds there, including the banded pigeons. Then it dawned. Not crows -- ravens. Magnificent, elegant ravens. Where's the camera? OK, flick back the curtain and oh -- they flew away. Mmmm. Just to make sure the species ID was correct, as they flew I watched their tail feathers -- sure enough, wedge shaped. The calls they made were correct for ravens. How exciting!

Next morning, they came again. Quick, grab the camera, slowly push aside the curtain for a clearer shot and NOPE. Gone again. I have stalked them for 2 weeks now and they always know when I want a photo. My guess is they are wanted in at least 3 states and don't want their covers blown. Respect.

Wind, Rain and Fire -- sounds like a song...

Yup. I think the universe is trying to tell us something. The Santa Ana winds are starting up and though we've managed, so far, to escape the worst winds, it's enough to play mild havoc with garden, trees, and other things about the place. My greatest worry is, of course, that crazy hen we love yet cannot tame. Well, that's not entirely true. She allows me to get within 3-5 feet of her now, especially if I have her fruit and veggie treats. I've been adding bits of cheese on the advice of a chicken whisperer (you know who you are), and that's made her a bit more forgiving for trespassing on her territory. 

Yesterday, in preparation for what we were assured were devastating winds, I made the bold decision to move her house from the spot we set it up (where she chose to so completely ignore it I figured it was a wash) over to her favorite hangout. We didn't place it there initially because it's by the wall where predators can easily sneak up (we have two feral kitties that have taken to hanging out with naughty intentions in spite of multiple conversations about appropriate behavior). But with devastating winds predicted, it seemed a more protected place. The other plus is that, theoretically at least, we would be better able to lure her inside. Yeah, right. But, we'll keep trying. And trying.

So here's her new home:

And here is her highness scooting right by it:

Now, you may wonder what the toilet tank is doing there. I use those for planters (along with stray toilet bowls for that matter) and will start planting things chickens are supposed to like in there. It goes without saying that if all the chickens in the world like something, Ninja will put up her cute little nose at it, but hope springs eternal...sure, we'll go with that.

Spooky and yet apprapos in these times: Halloween

So we have this neighbor -- well several blocks away and we really don't know her -- but every Halloween she outdoes herself with decorations. One year it was very creepy clowns. This year the theme is loads of skeletons, ghosts and creepy babies right near disemboweled bodies. I think she's channeling the year's pandemic craziness. I had to share some photos, though I'm afraid that without actually trespassing, I couldn't get the full gruesomeness of her efforts. Make sure to click on the photos to enlarge them, especially on the one with the tent. The babies will give you nightmares. 

Really? Who needs more boxes...

Turns out, I'm always finding projects that have nothing at all to do with what I should be focusing on. I'm sure there's a fancy medical term for keeping busy doing all the minor stuff and none of the important stuff, but I'll leave that to you to figure out. 

You may recall at the beginning of the whole chicken-adopting-me series that I referred to an area of my front yard as "The Thicket." Triangle of doom would be more accurate. Cactus, aloe and agave abound. They are all pointy and nasty. That's actually not bad as it prevents people from tromping through my yard as a shortcut to the sidewalk. However, to soften the look, I planted rows of jade to line said sidewalk. For several years that was a great move. The jade grew tall and lush. Then this year came along. Much of the jade just flopped over, creating a hazard for anyone trying to push a stroller or walk a dog. One area was particularly problematic for us trying to get the waste bin out. While hacking away I noticed that a particular cactus I absolutely hate was growing out of control and closer to people than was polite. So it had to go. With jade, there are no tears at their demise as they never really go away. If you throw them willy nilly into the thicket, they magically take root and grow. If you wish to be more precise, just wait one day for them to heal over and then plunk them into the ground or a pot of your choice. This was the aftermath.

So not pretty. As I'm digging out roots and attracting more cactus spines than the law of physics should allow, my mind was going round and round to figure what to do next. And then the notion dawned: build a huge planter box. Sure, that's the most important thing that needs to be done around the house. Forget the entire notebook of important tasks that have been put off for close to a year (or much, much longer). Go ahead and do something that could wait for a very loooooong time and no one would notice. Well....

It's 5' L x 22" D x 22" H. and made completely with reclaimed materials that have been languishing in the backyard forever. At the moment, it's not pretty at all. Since this photo, the area has been cleaned up a bit more, the box is now level, and it sparked another non-priority task which will use up a bit more of the mess in the back and make me feel very smug all at the same time. But back to the box. Two choices: paint or mosaic. I'm heading toward mosaic, but it depends on how lazy I want to be. And as for what gets planted in it -- I'm a little over jade and would prefer something...else. What though is a toss-up. Stay tuned.

I bought a new house yesterday...

After much hemming and hawing, indecision and hand-wringing, I broke down and bought a new house. Well, not exactly new -- it does need a bit of fixing up (as all homes do), but it might be a better fit for a certain member of the family -- if and only if she chooses to use it as a refuge from the rains that are going to come sometime, even in drought-stricken SoCal. That's right, you guessed it, the house is for Ninja. 

Her behavior of late has been a bit concerning. She's not scratching as she has, her appetite is diminished, and she's molting more than seems necessary. I did call a vet -- well several vets -- and the first thing on their list was we have to catch her. If it were that easy, she'd be back home with her original flock! Of course I also went to Dr. Google to find out potential problems for what might be ailing her. One of the first items on the list is she might be egg bound. Who knew that was even a thing? If that is indeed the case, it's a fairly easy fix. But like all fixes, it requires the patient to actually be available for treatment. So far, no luck. I do confess I've not tried rounding up a posse to chase her down, partly because of COVID and partly because I'm so afraid we'll still not catch her and we'll end up freaking her out so much she will move on to far more dangerous territory.

Now back to the house. I cleaned it out and I'm thinking of taking off the door altogether so it might be more tempting for her (giving her a sense of freedom or escape depending on how she feels at the moment). And though I genuinely feel this will be all for naught as she has very definite opinions on anything that appears to be a prison, we have to give it the old college try. After all, she had a choice of so many yards and neighbors, and decided we were it. We cannot break that trust.

 

 

Smoke and heat make for lazy days

Though the major SoCal fires near us are reaching acceptable containment levels -- meaning they are not in imminent danger of burning down more towns and destroying acres of wildlife habitats (not to mention wildlife) -- they are continuing to smolder and burn. Plumes of smoke rise above the hills, smoke awakens us from restless slumber, and the heatwave continues to add to the misery. Projects that should take one day outside are put off in hopes of better air and cooler temps. Always lazy, my go to excuse now is heat and unhealthy air quality which is confirmed by TV meteorologists only to happy to be complicit in my goofing off. 

I should be doing indoor projects at the very least, and I have managed to start the very tedious task of backing up photos and actually labeling them (for a change). This was partially inspired by the very fires that are making it impossible to be motivated to go outdoors. With evacuation warnings in place, suddenly saving things seemed to be important. So yes, putting together a bug out kit made me think of all the things that should go in it. Important documents, check. Clothes for a week, check. Dog items/food, check. Electronics, check. But did I REALLY want to lug around a huge desktop in addition to other devices. Probably not. Hence the backing up. Not to mention the desktop is very old and probably going to die soon anyway. 

Now backing up and labeling photos isn't all bad. Going through the pictures of my month long trip to Japan was a real treat. Reminded me of all the fun I had getting hopelessly lost going down intriguing alleys or the wonder I felt at the magnificent art and architecture. A sample:

 

Then there are the photos of the garden that prove how much work has gone into it after every disaster (wind storm damage/tree removals) or change of heart about the direction of the plan. It's rather fun and encouraging to realize that, though the work will never be done, so much has gone into the look of it so far. 

The devastation of 2011:

The replacements:

 

And if you're wondering, most of my non-garden photos are of cute dogs and (now) a chicken.

When not pretending to being faithfully backing up photos, fortunately my library cards allow me to enjoy digital copies of books and I'm back on the mystery books kick. I prefer English type mysteries with a wry tone, though I'm also partial to almost any mystery where helpful dogs or cats are involved. 

Reading has made me even more conscious of words and how they affect thinking. For instance, authors who are true animal lovers often refer to a dog or cat as "it." People are referred to as "owners" even though "guardian" would be more apropos. And before you go there, I am aware that animals are property under the law. It makes me wonder, though, how much of our language shapes our thinking about how things work in our society and how they should work. 

See what being trapped indoors and reading too much does to one? It hurts your brain!