Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Thursday Thoughts With Coffee! #7
Good morning on this rather chilly Thursday! Time for some hot coffee and a chat! The temperature was a cool -6F (-21C), but in the last 3 hours it has warmed up to -4F (-20C). It is supposed to warm up another couple of degrees yet. But, warmer air is coming back for tomorrow through Sunday, then drop out of sight until into the beginning of March.
I am still hoping for an early spring. Muffin did her Groundhog Day weather forecast and she said there would be 6 more weeks of winter. That means that spring will arrive by around mid March. That is great! That would be a super early spring.
Muffin does try hard with her spring forecasting.
However, she said the same thing last year and the year before and the year before, and…well, she was wrong each time. But she does try. And our Canadian groundhogs did not do any better, they were wrong too. Except for certain parts of Canada that always get an early spring anyway. So really, those groundhogs cannot lose.
We do not have much snow this winter and that usually means an earlier spring. More snow means it takes longer to melt, just makes sense. However, we could still get a lot of snow. March is actually our snowiest month of the year, normally. Last winter it was February. Those warm days we had melted a lot of our snow already. That is nice. There are no big snowstorms in the forecast for the near future. That is nice too.
This little Black-capped Chickadee is happy with his prize.
Those frost booms and bangs were noisy again last night as the temperature dropped. And going out to feed the birds this morning that deck boomed several times as I walked across it. One was so loud and strong that the whole deck shook. And yet those feeders did not move. They only swing when nothing is happening.
It is kind of weird, actually, standing there and suddenly the bird feeder starts swinging, then slows to a stop, then starts swinging, then slows to a stop. It keeps doing that several times before it finally stops. I am beginning to think it might have to do with air temperature and air pressure being at a certain level for this to happen. Since it does not happen all the time.
Common Redpoll, male, at the feeder.
I cannot prove my theory, but I like it anyway. Oh well, I think it must be time for more coffee, this cold weather is getting to me. Or something. Have a wonderful day everyone and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2023 Steve McLeod.
The Investigators, Inc. The Secret Estate Case. Chapter 9. Visitors.
I noticed the look on Sky’s face when she got that phone call, that got me worried a bit. She hung up finally. “You need to get up and get dressed Steve,” she said, “Mr. B is calling for a big meeting about this case, which will be in our conference room. Mr. M will be there and so will a mystery visitor. Seems this case is more major than we realize.” “I hope there is some clothes here for me,” I said.
“Of course,” she replied, “you spend so much time in the hospital that I always keep clothes here for you now.” “Thanks, I think,” I said. We actually had some time since Rock had to go pick up our mystery visitor at the airport with our helicopter. The Investigators now has its own helicopter, plus one medical helicopter supplied by Baldwin. Sky bought the one for us and Baldwin gave it to her for cost.
Sky, Kristina, Angel, Crystal, Rock and John were also invited to our meeting, plus the cats will be there too. Baldwin and Mandar arrived together and Mandar had 2 men with him, Ralph (whom we know), and Butch. Our mystery visitor was not really a mystery once he arrived, and he brought some men with him too, Sergio, Leonardo, Roy and Frank.
“I wanted to fill you all in on what I have learned,” said our visitor, “this is no ordinary case you are involved with. My sources tell me that Toledo and the Doc are working together, or at least, they were until recently. They had planned to kill M and take over everything he had, but you got in the way and spoiled things for them.” “Well, I am glad we could do that for them,” I said, “we really did not mind.” “But they did, and Toledo wants you now,” he continued, “but I know you are used to having enemies.”
“Yes, and Toledo is one I will catch eventually, unless someone gets to him first,” I said, “he is responsible for the deaths of a few of our team members, including Kat. He is just a little hard to find, but I will do it.” “I would like him too,” said our visitor, “but first is the Doc. He is getting support from this certain country, as you know, and they have sent an elite team of soldiers to guard that estate.
They will be stationed all around the estate hiding in the forest area, plus some in the house itself. Do not underestimate those men, they are well trained and ruthless.” “Hmm, that will mean a slight change in our plans for going back there,” I said. “Yes, it will change a lot,” said Mandar, “I do not want you people getting killed over that estate, it is just not worth it. Perhaps I should call in the police to handle it.”
“If just regular police go in there, they will be gunned down rather quickly,” said our visitor, “and it will be hard to convince them who is really in there.” “Hmm, you have a point,” said Mandar. “We will still go in, but not out in the open,” I said, “we have a couple of excellent snipers on our team now, Astrid and Sigurbjorn, they will be a great help with this.”
“Yes, and two of my men are also snipers, with army training, Sergio and Leonardo,” said our visitor, “all four of my men are volunteers to go along with you. They would be good to have along on this one. And those 2 wolf dogs the Doc has are now kept in the basement of the new wing on the house, since they do not know the difference between friends and enemies, and he does not want them killing his friends.”
“That is good to know,” I said, “we will bring our own sleeping gas to put those two into dreamland quickly. We want to use both basements to get in that house at night. I just hope those wolves do not make a noise to announce we are coming in, before we can put them under.” “Wolves will normally remain quiet until the prey is within striking distance,” said Kristina. “Good point,” I said.
Meow,meow.=Me not want to meet wolf dog again, nope, not me, too scary. “You will not have to worry about them Muffin,” said Sky, “we will take care of them before bringing you cats inside.” Meow.=That good, not like big wolf dogs either, nope. “And here I thought you would lead the way MC,” said Sky smiling. His ears went straight up and he cuddled close to Kristina.
“She was just joking MC,” said Kristina, “I would not let that happen.” Meow.=Whew, that close one. “We know the Doc is working on something out there, but we do not know what it is,” said our visitor, “but whatever it is, will not be good for anyone, so we all want to stop him if possible.”
To Be Continued.
©2023 Steve McLeod.
