Monday, July 28, 2008

My Little Predator

Did you know a lizard could scream? I didn't.

Since Firefly seemed to want to hunt, snapping at anything that moved for some weeks now, I finally got her some crickets the other day.

I also decided to let the other lizards have a chance at them before she gobbled them all. Captain Malcolm Reynolds, as usual, was not interested in the least. When I put The Spook into the bucket, he took a halfhearted swipe at one of the bugs but that was all. So I went and got Firefly.

The mistake I made was not getting The Spook out of the bucket before Firefly got within feet of it. She took a great leap off my hand and snapped at the first thing she saw moving--which happened to be The Spook's back toes.

And the poor little guy screamed.

Not very loud, because whatever vocal cords he has can't be very big--but a scream nonetheless.

I snatched him out of harm's way--and he huddled cowering in my hand, hanging on for dear life. This is the critter that usually leaps in any direction to escape being handled. But there he sat, perfectly still, while Firefly made short work of the crickets in the bucket. After I hand-fed The Spook some gecko-goo, he perked up enough to start doing his usual leaping-lizard routine.

I am very lucky he did not throw his tail when he thought he was in mortal danger. With this species of gecko, the tail drop is a single-use defense mechanism that does not grow back; in fact, most crested geckos in the wild are missing their tails.

Hopefully the poor little Spook has gotten over his traumatic experience by now. And Firefly won't be getting near him again.


Thursday, July 24, 2008

Voldemort Votes Republican.

That's what the bumper sticker says.

I beg to differ.

First... the obvious. Voldemort is not a U.S. citizen; therefore he cannot vote here. Secondly, he's dead. (Which makes him eligible to vote in Chicago, and other traditionally Democrat strongholds.)

But... had Voldemort not assumed room temperature in the last book, and were he eligible to vote in the U.S., I would submit to you that he would not vote Republican.

Come to think of it, he wouldn't bother to vote at all. He'd just kill off all the candidates and declare himself absolute dictator of all, for all eternity.

But seriously... anyone who prefers their power concentrated in one place, be it Washington or one's own hands, is not real likely to vote Republican.

Discuss amongst yourselves. I have work to do.

But before I go... one final thought. Ever notice how Republicans think Democrats are misguided, whereas Democrats think Republicans are evil? A friend of Ith's summed it up best when she said, "How could you be a Republican? You're so nice!"


Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Just For Perspective...

... this satellite view shows where I live in relation to the recent mountain lion sightings. I left in the yardage marker so you can see how relatively close it is:




One of my walking routes took me right past the park--and often into it, if I needed a drink of water.

For you locals... the mall is in the lower right corner, with the freeway running past it.


Monday, July 21, 2008

Oww.

Had a date with the squisher machine this afternoon. I am in pain. I expect there will be bruises.

The ladies in the crowd will understand exactly what I am talking about.

For those who have no idea... be glad. Be very glad.

And for those who consider this too much information?

Bite me. It's my blog and I'll whine if I want to.


Saturday, July 19, 2008

Nope.

Okay, I know I said I love big kitties.

Let me re-phrase that. I love big kitties... when they're behind glass or behind bars. I do not love them up close and personal, thankyouverymuch.

Yesterday's newspaper announced that a mountain lion had been spotted in the gully next to the softball field of one of the city parks. And unlike the last mountain lion I saw, this one was very much alive.

That park is right along one of the routes I've been known to walk.

I don't believe I'll be walking that route again any time soon.

I think I'll go do my walking down at the mall....


Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Awww-Inspiring

I love my lizards--but I also love kitties. Even big kitties.

Here is the true story of a lion cub who lived with a couple of guys in London for a while, but when he got too big, he was taken to Africa and rehabilitated into the wild by George Adamson.

A few years later, the guys went back to Africa to visit their pal one last time.

Amazingly, after not having been seen for 9 months, the lion showed up near the camp the night before the two guys showed up, and waited for them. Apparently lions have some mysterious ways of knowing things.The story includes video of the final reunion between the two guys and their former housemate.

Definitely a three-hanky moment.


Tuesday, July 8, 2008

Profound Wisdom

In a children's book first published 51 years ago, no less.

Anyone over a certain age probably remembers those paperback books we used to order from school for about 35 cents each. Between us my sister and I had quite a collection. (Click here for a trip down memory lane, if you're one of those long-ago readers.)

Something said by a character in "Follow My Leader" has stayed with me ever since I read the book long, long ago, and I have found myself quoting it more and more often these days.

The protagonist is an 11 year old boy who is blinded in a freak accident, and while at guide dog training school, he asks one of the instructors why a protruding sharp corner has not been padded, considering there are a lot of blind people around who could bump into it and get hurt.

The instructor's answer? (I may be paraphrasing; I don't have the book on hand to check the quote for accuracy.)

"You cannot expect the world to pad its corners for you."

Doesn't that just say it all?




 
Template by simplebits.com
Major modifications by CrankyBeach
All original content copyright 2004-2019 CrankyBeach. All other content is given proper credit where known.