Steve`s Country
For a smile as wide as a country sunrise
Coffee And Chatting. #22
Good morning on this chilly, sunny Tuesday! Yesterday the day began with a temperature of 21F (-6C), but as the day continued under sunny skies, the temp rose to a high of 30F (-1C). That heavy frost certainly knocked the leaves off the trees in a hurry. The walnut tree out back here still had its leaves, and still green too, until yesterday.
That frost knocked every leaf off the tree before noon. The same happened with many other trees. Then, this morning the temperature had fallen to 19F (-7C). The ground is quite frozen now, though I am sure that freezing does not go very deep yet. And things will be getting better this week, right through until Sunday. Then the temperature drops suddenly again.
We have had a lot of this up and down temperatures this autumn. But winter will soon arrive, too soon. Oh well. It comes when it comes. The sky is such a beautiful deep blue this morning. The bare tree branches seem to float against that blue as the light wind causes them to sway back and forth just a little. The birds are busy getting their breakfast, ever since it was daylight actually.
The smaller birds were here very early, when it was just barely getting light, looking for those seeds to get them started for their day. Some of the bird species are already sitting on their feet, trying to keep them nice and warm. I do not blame them, it is cold out there. I sat outside for a while yesterday taking pictures. It was cold, and I was dressed warmly.
But just sitting still it is hard to stay warm for very long. My hands especially got cold quickly. But I did get a few photos, a couple I am showing today. This is blue Tuesday, so the photos are all blue jays. Blue Tuesday is not official, I just decided to call it that due to the temperature. It just kind of fits. Cold and blue go together. However, I like blue as a color, it is my favorite color actually.
But most of you knew that already. I will be right back, the birds need more food. Well, now they are happy once again. It is not warming up very fast out there. A little later I will try for some more pictures. There are not exactly a lot of different species around, mostly just 5 of them, so I am taking pictures of the same species each day.
But there are still different pics to get, different poses by the birds, things like that. So there is always something different. Well, thank you for stopping by today. I hope you all have a most wonderful Tuesday and God bless!
Steve and Muffin.
©2022 Steve McLeod.
The Investigators, Inc. The Warning Mystery. Chapter 17. The Test.
The police had already been informed about me and my team, so they did not bother us at all, except for the usual questions and statements. Kacie was on the floor, dead, Sigurbjorn made sure she would not be a problem in the future. Kacie’s girls were all arrested and her charity headquarters here in London, plus in New York and Paris, were also being raided at the same time. Her organization is finished.
As for me, I ended up in the hospital for a few days in London, then was sent back to our clinic until I was ready to go home again. It really was not such a bad wound, but it did do some damage though, just how bad we are not sure yet. That will come in time, I guess. Although I was looked after very well at the London hospital, it sure felt better being back in our own clinic again.
Two days later I had a special visitor, Cindy. Jenny brought her over to see me. “Thank you very much for all your help, Mr…” she began to say. “Hold it,” I said to her, “in this outfit it is not Mr., it is Steve, for everyone.” I smiled when I said it. “Thank you, Steve,” she said, smiling also, “and I could hardly believe it when Jenny told me you said I could join your team, I was just so excited! I mean, you really do not know me, yet you are giving me such a chance.”
Then I started talking about her, from the time she was born until she started school. “And I know everything about you until right now,” I told her, “I check out our team very thoroughly. But to be part of our team you must pass the big test.” “Yes, I know,” she said nervously, “I have never been very good with tests, but I sure will give it my best. I so want to stay with all of you.”
The cats were on the bed with me at the time. “Okay, come here and pick up Muffin and cuddle her,” I said. She did so gladly. “Oh, I just love cats,” she said excitedly, “and Muffin is so soft!” “Okay, now the other 2 cats,” I said. She did so, hugging them both tightly and rubbing their chins. “Okay cats, let me know what you think,” I said to them. Cindy had a slight frown on her face, not knowing what to expect.
Meow,meow.= Me say she very nice, I trust her total, she be good added nation for us. “Um, that is addition,” I said to Muffin. Meow,meow.= That what I just say, guess hearing not good yet. “Hmm, okay MC, you are next, what do you think?” I asked him. I could see that Cindy was getting a bit confused by this. Meow.= Me agree with Muffin, human Cindy very nice, me say we let her join team. “And you Storm?” I asked. Meowr.= Me agree too, me can tell human Cindy very nice and yes to joining us.
“Well, the test is over, and now your test results,” I said to Cindy, “I will let Muffin tell you that.” Cindy smiled thinking this was a joke of some kind. Meow,meow.= Human Cindy, we all like you very much, and we trust you too, we say yes to you joining our team. And no, they not venting twisters, me talk for me. “Venting twister?” she asked me. “She means ventriloquist, but she has a hard time saying that word,” I answered her.
“Okay, it must be Jenny doing it then, right?” she asked. Meow,meow.= Me say me talk, not human Jenny. Cindy looked at Muffin. “It is true,” said Jenny, “you are hearing Muffin talk. She is a special cat, but only people she trusts can understand her.” Cindy looked totally amazed at this. “Take her out in the hall and talk with her,” said Jenny.
That is what she did and came back a little while later all excited about this amazing cat. “And she says the other 2 can also talk, but they are just shy,” she said, looking at MC and Storm. Meowr.= That true, me shy. “And you?” Cindy asked MC. Meow.= Yep, me shy too kinda sorta. We all laughed. Cindy still needed to go through our training program and the tests with that, but I think she will make it through just fine.
Cindy also told us that Kacie was helping Toledo and Lavina at the start with their warning plan, but when she saw that did not work out so good, she decided on the more direct approach. The next day Chung came in to see me. “You need a rest Steve,” he said, “your body needs a rest, no more work for a while.” He then detailed things a bit more.
Well, this might be a good time to concentrate on other things. Jenny and Sigurbjorn came in just then and Chung left. Another case finished. But more will come, I am sure of that.
The End. But a new case will come very soon.
©2022 Steve McLeod.
