Cat Days of Summer

I know the expression is supposed to be ‘Dog Days of Summer’, but well, Zoba’s not a dog. We’ve been lucky to have great weather lately, albeit sometimes a little too hot, but it’s better than snow and -25°. The Honey and I have been keeping quite busy, either with work, work, and more work, or trying to get some time in with those we haven’t seen for a long time.

Teacher training has finally wrapped up for the summer program and I’ve been busy getting things done with my regular student. The Honey has been busy putting in overtime at work; one of the few departments that actually received some funds in the last budget. And we’ve been busy vacuuming too. As you can see, Zoba has been just lying about in the hot weather (What a rough life!). You can also see the fur that she seems to endlessly shed. It usually stops mid-spring, but not this year. With the fur flying around The Honey is vacuuming every few days.

We’ve been doing some gardening and The Honey has done a fabulous job getting everything looking so nice. Our peonies have finally bloomed – not many, but they’ve bloomed! It has taken 3 years and having to be happy with the gardens at Maplelawn and the Experimental Farm. But it just isn’t the same when you’re not in your own backyard seeing your own hard work pay off.

We’ve also been meeting friends for whatever reason because it had been just too long. Some of those will have a post, hopefully not too far off in the distant future.

We’ve also been trying to get in some walks. It’s always difficult when it’s too hot out or there are dark clouds looming overhead, or when you’re just too darn tired. But we’re always happy on our walks; talking about whatever and seeing what nice surprises await us. Friday night we saw a late hatchling along the river. While the goslings seem to have reached their ‘teenage years’ (that awkward moulting stage where they don’t have any feathers but they are still a little awkward in walking and trying to use their wings – it’s not that pretty) we saw one lone youngin with a pair. But he was getting along just fine so we weren’t worried.

(The picture of the big brood is from a few weeks ago – couldn’t resist)