Seeing mockingbirds hassle creatures much larger than they are. A few years ago I saw one dive-bombing and screaming at a red-tailed hawk perched on a streetlight pole -- the hawk seemed to have the long-suffering attitude of a weary parent with an over-excited child. Last week as I was driving home, I saw a similar performance as a mockingbird chased a raven across the highway, the raven flapping slowly and regally by as though he really couldn't figure what the fuss was all about.

I also love it when a 50-1 longshot comes through on the inside to win the Kentucky Derby by nearly 7 lengths.

I love rosemary crackers.

I love getting a good massage (but not having sore shoulders two days later).

Today I satisfied my inner cultural anthropologist while looking through an estate sale we stopped by. I deduced as we went through the house that the woman who had lived there was probably a widow or always lived alone, because there was very little male stuff there (an old toolshed in the back was mostly empty but for paint cans, although the kitchen very badly needed painting); she had traveled quite a bit, but tended to collect touristy, cheap things (rather like myself). She was a large woman, judging by the size 22W gown in the closet, but it was a flashy, pretty red velvet with a sequined jacket, so she liked to dress nicely. She was Christian (Christmas decorations), but not religious (no crosses or bibles); on the other hand, she did have a wide variety of spiritual books, though, including "The Prophet" and "The Glory of Grace," in addition to Garrison Keillor's "Lake Wobegon Days" (which I bought). She probably had to ride one of those motorized scooters because of the dual tracks on the hall carpeting, but there were no ramps to the front or back so it may not have been a condition where she COULDN'T walk at all. In one room, there was a massive, dark, discolored stain on the carpet, and I pondered it for a long time, trying to figure out what it could be, before some morbid part of me wondered if that was the room she died in. If she lived alone, she could have been there for a while...

I sometimes wonder if I didn't become a writer because I had so many interests I couldn't settle on just one, so as a writer, I can do ALL of it... I did love cultural anthropology, though. The whats and hows of people living always seemed very fascinating to me, quite apart from kings and temples.

I finished transcribing my interview and I think I like it. I even rather liked the sound of my own voice, which normally makes me insane. Will post link once it's up, for anyone who's interested.

( More picspam )

I also love orange chicken, and we're having that for dinner. :-)

Something that made me feel very happy today: There was a traffic backup on 32nd Street from Thomas almost all the way to Osbourne (about a half-mile), so I cut into the residential area to the left rather than wait for fifteen light changes, and while winding my way through the many dead-ends and cul-de-sacs that fill the area there just north of Earl, I passed one of the houses where they keep free-range chickens. A stately black hen marched her teeming horde of pullets across the street, which was just the cutest thing I've ever seen.

I had massage therapy yesterday and she did a number on my shoulder. Felt VERY good yesterday, then worked out this morning, and remembered to ice it today for a change. It's doing well, I think. I still get pain, but it's not nearly as horrid as it was, and I can lift and grip things better than I had been doing.

My state tax refund came, and now I have money again. Whew! (I'll have even more when the Feds cough up.)

I think I'm going to have a screen door put on with some of this extra money (knock wood). I've wanted once since the expansion was finished, because I want to have the door open in the spring and autumn, and spring is HERE. I know some of you don't want to hear it, but it's been in the mid-to-low 70's this week, and it's going to jump to the 80's here soon; this is the time of year when Phoenix weather is pretty damned close to being perfect, with cool mornings and warm days with lots of sunshine and nice breezes. The orange blossoms are out and the air is filled with their marvelous perfume in the mornings (and for all the things I may or may not be allergic to, I don't seem to be allergic to orange blossoms).

I had a long and, I assure you, deeply contemplative and important thought I wanted to post this morning, but of course I've forgotten it completely.

We are going to treat ourselves to hot wings tonight. Yum!

I look like a poodle.

They're showing PuppyCam on the Today Show this morning. Danged Shiba Inu puppies are so DANGED cute, it's no wonder nutmeg3 adopted one.

Shuttle launch = awesome. Even from this distance, it was amazing. You could hear the pops and roar of the engine, even. And it was an absolutely beautiful launch, too.

I'm supposed to spend the day 1) waiting to get on the ship, 2) learning to be safe on the ship, and 3) eating on board the ship.

My period started. I have cramps. Hopefully it will pass swiftly. Advil, ahoy.

Words: 20,218

One problem with two suitcases: Everything I need is always in the other one. And somehow in all the packing and unpacking, I've ended up with NO t-shirts at all, only camisoles and dresses. Which isn't too bad, since it's warm outside, but it's COLD here in the hotel, of course.

Another cool Florida wildlife sighting: Vultures. Not sure what species; I don't have a bird book with me, but there are LOTS of them, everywhere (not just hanging around the multitude of roadkill); there were even three hanging out on one street sign together. And pelicans! Very nifty, pelicans, although I keep going to a "Finding Nemo" place when I see them... When we were in the aquarium area of Sea World there were kids at one tropical tank looking for Nemo and I pointed out the blue tang and said, "There's Dory, see?" They were pleased with that.

I have not seen an alligator.

I should probably pack up my stuff and get ready to go, although it's nice to have Mom sitting still for a change (she's reading). Maybe I can get a few more words down before we set out.

Words I have managed: 18,786

Mother kept up with: 0

Okay, Floridians, laugh at me, but the coolest thing I EVER SAW was a tree filled with roosting egrets. It was like a blanket of snow!

Sea World is awesome. We were only there two hours but managed to see the Sea Lion & Otter show (cute!!!), the Pet Show (OMG, ded of cuteness), and Shamu's Christmas Show (twilight, so it was lights and music, too).

The Hilton here has free wireless, WIN.

THERE IS A SHUTTLE LAUNCH TONIGHT!!!! OMG!!!!eleventy! I had never never ever in my wildest imagination thought there would be a launch the ONE NIGHT I'm in Orlando! We have to find a place from here where we can watch it go up.

Sad note: Totally unable to get down to Disney to meet up with nutmeg3. We tried, though; I just didn't want to subject Mom to the traffic at night. She's insanely energetic, but doesn't like driving at night, and sometimes driving with her at night is heart-rending for me, since she's the freakin' Little Old Lady from Pasadena and apparently assumes she is the only driver on the road, or that everyone else will stop for her.

We're gonna go down to the hot tub tonight. Hmmm, hot tub.

Tomorrow the ship leaves port, and I may or may not check in while on board. I hope to be able to get some writing done (crossed fingers); it depends on if Mom will light in one spot long enough for me to write (she's agitating to get moving now).

ETA: AND OMG, the humidity! I had my hair perfectly straight when I left Phoenix. sillymagpie, if you think your hair is poofy back home, you ain't seen NOTHIN'! I am thoroughly frizzed!

I'm catching up on several days' worth of NY Times articles (and still bemoaning the fact I can't read Dowd, Rich, Herbert, or the rest), and found a couple I really enjoyed, particularly this one, where it shows that the marvelous little critter of the deserts has slowly and sneakily become the country's most widespread and successful predator. Probably any Chicagoans who see one assume it's a stray dog.

Also read up on plays I can't go see, and found this review, which leaves me wondering why the director did not cast Nathan Lane as Felix and Matthew Broderick as Oscar. It seems to me an obvious casting choice; Lane is an extremely obvious Felix, no wonder he has to stretch to play Oscar. It's not like Oscar is an extension of Max Bialystock (his character in The Producers); and while it's been many years since I've actually seen Broderick IN anything since he's been largely on Broadway, I think he'd make a much more credible Oscar and he would a Felix. I am glad they're bringing The Producers to the big screen so I'll get to see them in it (finally); I just wish they'd start producing Broadway shows for DVD the way they used to for video. I'd never have seen some of my favorite shows of the last twenty years if they hadn't (mostly Sondheim musicals, although there's one or two straight plays and the various Gilbert & Sullivan productions that made it to home video). In fact, I'm often surprised Disney hasn't done just that--it seems to me putting Beauty & The Beast and The Lion King on DVD is a given. I've missed every touring company that's come through Phoenix because of a) bad publicity initially (I never hear a show is coming until it's already here), and b) horrendously expensive ticket prices. The Les Miserables in Concert DVD release was not the play, just the actors standing at a mike singing their roles. Nice, but I can get the same effect listening to the CD.

I stil have a few more days' of articles to read. I won't get on the "look at the monkey!" tax cuts for the rich and the rest of the BS happening in the country... (too stressful!) But now it's time for work.

We do not get Veteran's Day off. Phoo.