First Thunder Storm

Went to the county offices and found that you can’t get a driver license until you register your car, which I can’t do till John gets here, since it’s in his name. What happens to a person without a car?  Saw a lawyer in the hallway on his cell phone, in suit and cowboy boots.

I went home and did boring filing and cleaning and looked forward to Dancing with the Stars.  After Walter’s walk, I played catch with him in the fenced-in patio. I sat down on the step and petted him and had a sudden pang – I miss my rabbits!

Every night, in Coarsegold, the wild rabbits came to munch. I was amazed at how they’d just happily chomp on dead grass. Sometimes I put kitchen scraps out for them. I loved seeing them scurry when we’d drive in, and in the mornings when I took Walter out there were always one or two he’d chase – but never catch.

I sat on the steps and started to cry. I missed the ground squirrels, too, their chirps, and how they’d run with their tails in the air. I remember one day when two were playing in my tire well, just having a great old time, scampering with Jane (cat) and Walter not giving them a second look.

I miss the crows I used to see – and talk to - in the mornings, I miss lizards and how they’d do their “push ups”. I miss the coveys of quail fluttering out of the way of cars. I miss the sound of frogs and crickets at night.  I even miss the howls of coyotes. As I thought of each critter, their sounds and how surrounded by LIFE I was back in CG, the tears just flowed.

Once John gets here and puts some planters in the patio, I’ll have something living to look at again. We don’t’ even have any houseplants, yet.  I hope he’ll find a place to put the humming bird feeder and they’ll find us.

After DWTS was over, flashes in the sky started to appear and soon, thunder. Walter got nervous and sat between the couch and coffee table where I petted his head.  But soon there were big booms and it sounded like hail – it wasn’t, just loud rain – and he started shivering. I got up to turn off the lights and go to bed. He followed me, pacing nervously. When I went in to say goodnight to Jane, he followed and suddenly he started to pee on a towel I’d put on the floor for her!

I yelled and grabbed him, flung the towel in the tub and locked him in the laundry room.  I had a great night’s sleep, not hearing him whining in the hall. But this morning I felt bad about it, so we went to the park for our walk. The air was fresh and it did us both good. I could hardly restrain him when he tried to chase a deer. Now he’s once again refusing to get out of the car. Fine. He can stay there all day, for all I care.