If we were having coffee, you would readily see by her muddy paws and “Who? Me?” expression regarding the holes dug on the garden path that Blanca has grown tired of the rain and her subsequent captivity. She takes seriously her roles of Bird Bath Supervisor, Scourge of the Hydrangea, Excavator of Stones for the ongoing construction of Blanca Henge, and Guard against the Gray Interloper.

It’s been raining in my part of South Carolina for two days and is expected to continue today. Yesterday was light and intermittent but Thursday, when I got my hair done and it looked all sleek perfection until I walked out the salon door, it was a gully washer.

Sooo (not) innocent!

Muddy paws

It’s been an uneventful week all in all, full of errands and my photography class and photographic experiments, more of which are succeeding lately, but the constant cloud cover is somewhat thwarting my ability to complete my assignments on Photographing the Moon, and Birds.

If we were having coffee, we would probably touch on the recent crash of an Egypt Air jet, and share sympathy for the families of the lost. It seems error messages automatically sent at least opens up the possibility of simple mechanical failure rather than terrorism, and I’d admit to feeling guilty about hoping that proves so. What a world, yes? When we hope for mechanical failure and a tragic accident rather than humans deciding to blow up other, innocent humans in order to make a political point.

On a lighter note over our coffee, I’d wonder if you watched the entirety of the newest Battlestar Galactica TV series, which Paul and I just finished? Despite loving the girl-power aspect of the female Starbuck so well played by Katee Sackoff, we were a bit disappointed by the ending, which seemed to take at least twenty-five years in coming and left many implausibilities in it’s wake. It’s entirely possible we might be applying too much logic to a fantasy sci-fi series. We’ve moved on to Vikings, and have a greater understanding of all the memes we see about them and especially Ragnar Lothbrok. So far we are entertained, even if it feels a bit weird cheering on impossibly brave men who took to longboats and sailed West, during a time it was thought Beyond This Point Thar be Dragons, whilst knowing they will pillage and plunder their way through the countries they find. Like Claire Randall Fraser we are burdened by knowledge of History, and one that does somewhat affect us, since our Irish ancestors came from the parts of Ireland settled by the Vikings. Uncle Ragnar, you brave yet murderous old devil, you!

It’s the end of the school year, and my friends in Education have been constantly in my thoughts this week. If you know some teachers or other school staff, we could share their most amusing posts from this last week. They’re all a little punch-drunk I think, and I well remember the craziness of the last two weeks. If we were having coffee, I’d ask you to remember them in your prayers, whatever your faith tradition, as I remember them in mine.

For now, I’ll have to finish my coffee as Ivan the Terrible is circling my feet and clawing up the side of the chair, meowing plaintively like a poor starving thing, all of which means it’s time for his Second Breakfast, or at least Kitty Treats. There seems a curious pattern forming: no matter where in the house she is, as soon as Ivan has gotten me up and headed to the treat bag, Blanca mysteriously appears seeming to ask, “Got some for me, too?” I’m sensing a team effort on this front, despite the nightly Battle for the Sofa and Ivan’s vicious left-hook welcoming any of Blanca’s overtures of friendship. Again I think the two of them could teach our politicians quite a lot.

I hope the sun shines on your coming week!