Good morning everyone!  It is definitely cooler now and has a feel of fall, or autumn if you prefer.  And birds continue to leave, I have no gulls left now.  Sigh.  Other birds are congregating, or flocking, getting ready for their southward journey.  Terrible thought.  Summers are so short.  However, fall is a beautiful time of year, even though cool.  The worst part of fall is the fact that winter is not far behind.  Sigh.  On the plus side, 3 of my chipmunks have returned.  Undoubtedly because LB, the nasty little squirrel, is not around as much these days.  Rusty, Skamper and Chester are back and enjoying gathering peanuts once again.  And I am enjoying having them crawl all over me again.

Sitting on my shoulder.  Digging in my pockets.  I like to enjoy them as much as possible since they will soon be gone for the winter.  I would enjoy seeing their little homes which must be bursting with peanuts by now.  Likely they had to make extra storage rooms.  They will be fat and happy this winter.  Speaking of fat.  There was a raccoon around again last night, a different one than the two the other night, this one was big.  Muffin just stared at him intently with her tail trying to get as big as that raccoon tail.  She wasn’t able to get it there however.  Some critters I like.  Some I do not.  Such as the black and white critter the other evening.  He was certainly a chubby little critter.  Poor Whitey was enjoying his evening snack of sunflower seeds.  Until he spotted that skunk.  He certainly left in a hurry.  I’m sure he could easily outrun the skunk but I’m also sure the skunk would love to have Whitey over for dinner.  As the main course.  Whatever, Whitey was not going to find out what would happen.  Muffin was at her favorite spot at the door watching all of this and I was really hoping the skunk would not decide to come up on the deck.  And get startled by one cat hissing at him.  Sigh.  That would not be fun.  Another critter I am not fond of is mice.  Especially when they find their way into my apartment.  Like one did yesterday morning.  Early.  Muffin was in bed sleeping with me.  Suddenly she pounced.  I knew that pounce.  Sure enough she had her mouse.  And thankfully she left in nicely on the floor so she could show me when I got up.  I naturally praised her for doing such a good job protecting us from the intruder.  And while she wasn’t looking I picked it up and put it out on the feeder for the crow.  Which he enjoyed. Now it was up to me to find out how this little critter got inside.  Since it was in the bedroom I figured it came inside in the bedroom.  Sure enough.  A spot I plugged 2 years ago when there was a bunch of these critters coming in.  As well as other things.  Seems I didn’t quite close off that one hole good enough.  So I did it again.  Better.  I hope.  I do not like mice.  Especially in my apartment.  Muffin disagrees with me on that.  Fine.  But if a mouse can get in so can those monster spiders.  And that’s even worse.  Speaking of spiders.  I have been killing a lot of those things in here lately.  From 2 to 7 a day.  WAY too much.  I do not like those critters.  Read something recently about live trapping spiders and letting them go outside.  Right.  I have a different method.  It’s called STOMP, WHOMP, CRUSH, and SQUISH!  If that bothers anyone, tough beans and banana brains.  That’s what I do.  These critters grow up to be three and a half inches across.  WAY too big.  If you like the live trapping idea, feel free to come over and take as many as you want back to YOUR place.  Sigh.  I have itchy feet.  No, not that kind of itchy.  The kind of itchy that makes me want to make something.  I have odd feet.  I also get the feeling of water drops on my feet.  But there is no water drops.  Just the feeling.  I have odd feet.  Very odd.  Though I am curious about the water drops thing.  Unfortunately I can’t ask my doctor since I don’t have one.  Sigh.  One day.  Hopefully it’s nothing important.  Oh well.  Yes, I know what I forgot but I did not forget.  Next time.  Sigh.  Feel free to hit the like button below.  The one that says like.  With a star.  Enjoy your week and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.

Good morning one and all and everyone else too on this beautiful though very smoky day in August!  Nice and short this time.

My brain isn’t working too well.  Which is kind of normal these days.  Half the time I can’t think.  The other half I’m not thinking.  Add them together and that doesn’t leave me with too many days to think.  I think.  Sigh.  The step outside my door is currently a 13 inch drop.  For those of you who prefer the archaic method of measurement it’s still 13 inches.  You figure it out.  I can’t think.  Remember?  For me that is a big drop.  That’s because the step that used to be there no longer is there because it was so rotten it broke there so I had to remove it from there before I broke my neck there or maybe my back there and I didn’t feel like doing that there so a new one had to be built there which it was but now had to be painted but not there or I would not be able to get out of here and go anywhere so it had to be moved over there to be painted before it could be moved back here so it will be there when I step out the door which right now is rather a dangerous thing to do until it is moved back there so I can step out there more easily.  Managed to whack my back no less than 4 times going out the door today because that step wasn’t there.  I won’t start that again.  Too hard to think.  Especially today.  Hard to believe that summer is nearly over.  The main bunch of tourists have gone.  The town is quite quiet now.  Amazing.  Hectic last week.  Not much this week.  Short summer around here.  Even the birds are leaving.  Two different species are on the way, both about 2 weeks earlier than normal.  Sir George and mate have gone.  Actually all the gulls except for Henry.  And I don’t imagine he will stay here much longer.  I’m talking about the gulls that come to my bird feeder.  There are still gulls around town and will be for a long time yet.  I hope.  On the plus side Rusty and Chester, 2 of my chipmunks, have returned.  They are not quite as brave as before.  But hopefully that will change.  They returned because LB, the new top squirrel, has not been around as much lately.  Which is fine.  Yes, I know.  The continuing story will be back on Monday.  Maybe.  If I remember to think about it.  But since my thinking isn’t working too well….  But hopefully.  Anyway, enjoy your weekend and God bless!

Steve and Muffin.