Bark Dust and Big Man Boots in Everyday Ramblings

There is Carlo on the left and Diego on the right in an unguarded moment yesterday. They don’t normally sleep together during the day so this was unusual. Still it was good for my heart to see them curled up together.

We have had a change in the weather and it is much cooler and overcast. I do admit that it is nice to have a break from the intense direct sunlight we’ve had with the high dry temperatures the last few weeks.

I walked down to the clinic this morning to have my blood draw for the vitamin D test and then came home and took the supplement I picked up over the weekend. I was happy to see that Consumer Reports had rated both Calcium and Vitamin D supplements.

It is very cool that I live a 16-minute walk from my health clinic and a 22-minute walk to the dental school. Of course it isn’t an accident, I chose to live here but still it is no big deal to go and considering how many appointments there have been this year…

I am still tired even though I am taking care of myself. So I went ahead and scheduled Friday off and so I will have this luxurious 4 day weekend and then this is funny, when I told my students I was taking the first week in October off from teaching last night they clapped! I know they care about my wellbeing and clearly they thought I might need a break.

And I do. We need a break even if we love what we do. Note to self!

My friend/student J is home from the hospital and is recovering.

The new Louise Penny book is out today. I got the audiobook.

One of my younger regular students, in her 50’s is having a tooth extracted today in preparation for an implant and to say she is anxious is an understatement. I tried to convince her to buy an ice pack she can throw in the freezer instead of using ice wrapped in a wash cloth so that she could apply it consistently on and off until she goes to bed tonight.

While we were standing by her car talking after class I noticed that the bark dust landscaping in the parking lot with a beautiful old tree anchoring it was smoking. Someone had thrown a burning cigarette into the middle of it.

We tried stamping it out but the spot that was burning was too big for my sandals and her shoes and I poured the rest of the water from my bottle that I carry everywhere on it. Then we went and got the strong tattooed sexton that was working at the church and luckily he was wearing big man boots and between the three of us we got the fire out.

I am not a big fan of bark dust, as I don’t like the way it smells and now with no rain for weeks… He was going to check periodically for a few hours to make sure we really had gotten it all.

This is an area when there are a lot of drug users and former drug users and it is across the street from a needle exchange program. Bark dust, not such a smart landscaping choice…

So far then… only a mildly eventful week. :)

p.s. Carlo would like to gently point out that he is the Italian part of the dynamic feline duo and Diego is the Mexican. He understands the temptation to call him Carlos but he says just look at his impressive long statuesque Roman nose. He does acknowledge that you can’t see it when it is stuck in his brother’s ear however.

Last updated August 31, 2016