same tree - new mushroom

September 22, 2001

Adopt these cats at Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society

Today's Starting Pitcher:
Derek Lowe

Today's Reading:
A Summer Ride Through Western Tibet by Jane E. Duncan

This Year's Reading:
2001 Book List

Photos:

Heidi

Maybelline

Miesha

The fog let up and the rain held off so we could get in a walk this morning. It was just me and Priscilla this time. She was all excited because, you guessed it, there is a new giant mushroom to organize our walks around. And furthermore it's growing on the same tree where the original organizing mushroom was. We set off at about as quick a pace as I could handle with the humidity. What happened to fall? Summer seems to have reappeared.

The new mushroom is indeed impressive. Had I known there was a new mushroom, I would have brought the camera. Maybe next time. Anyway, as we took a closer look at the one Priscilla had spotted we noticed it was actually three layers. Then I walked around the tree looking at the woodpecker holes and noticed there is an even bigger three layer mushroom on the other side. Priscilla is already making plans to monitor these mushrooms as they grow.

From walking with the mushroom cult (formerly the walking buddies :-)) I headed straight for Starbucks in search of coffee buddies. I was rewarded with Queen Isabella and Dick. As part of my "redistribution of income" program I bought Dick his coffee. I figure as a supposedly high paid high tech sellout the least I could do is buy coffee for a retired minister who now works as a substitute teacher. QI already had his so I couldn't treat him too. On the other hand, he's tenured faculty so can afford his own coffee anyway.

We got into a discussion of Sunni vs. Shiite Islam trying to sort out which is which and feeling ignorant. Then QI said "You know there are probably people sitting in a coffee shop in Iran somewhere asking 'The Catholics and the Congregationalists, which ones believe in plain windows and which in the colored glass windows?'" To which Dick added "And where do the Unitarians fit in?" That image just cracked me up. I hope there really is such a coffeehouse with such a discussion going on somewhere in the Arab world.

Hussein snuck in while I had my back to the door and evidently didn't see us. We didn't see him until he was leaving and in a hurry to get back to work at the tailor shop. Hence no chance to ask him about theological differences among Muslims.

The guys didn't hang around long and I was off to the cat shelter to see if Sandy is in any better mood since being returned (he's not), pet Yoda, and take pictures of newcomers. Today's newcomers are Heidi, Maybelline, and Miesha.

Heidi either likes or hates dogs, is either good with kids or prefers a quiet home with adults, and is either a real lap cat or gives affection on her own terms. I pointed this out to Anne who said she'd find out the truth and fill out a new card for Heidi. Some of the contradictory things even had multiple check marks next to them. My personal experience was that Heidi let me pet her only if I waited for her to approach me.

Maybelline wouldn't come out of her litter box for her portrait but would let me pet her and even seemed to liked it.

Miesha had no information on her card at all but seemed OK with me. Not that that means anything. Some of the meanest cats of all time have liked me. Therefore I have no way to judge Miesha's friendliness or lack thereof. She's cute though.

Then tears welled up in my eyes totally involuntarily when I saw a picture of Miss Newburyport on the bulletin board with the words "Rest in Peace, Miss Newburyport 9-14-01". In smaller letters at the bottom it said kidney failure. She only had 4 months in her new home with Dr. Amelia from downstairs! I guess I thought she'd be one of those cats who live forever like Jaguar. I feel like we should put up a plaque or something to remember her by. She was one of the cats who made the place what it is.