Banichi

I very rarely like a grey, overcast day... but I welcomed the cloudy skies this morning! We reached our highest temperature of the year (so far) yesterday, when we hit 96 - the sun was blazing and the humidity was only 13%. And Banichi disappeared yesterday, and I didn't find him until 6:30 in the evening. He stuck to me like glue all the rest of the evening and all night in bed. - Poor thing! - And it was my fault... I opened the patio door yesterday morning as usual, and went out and called for the kits before leaving to walk the Rs. Lovey appeared promptly, and Banichi usually does the same. I called a second time, got no response, and decided that he was napping in one of his hidey-holes inside. So I closed the door, gave Lovey a treat and left. When I returned home at noon, I called for Banichi both inside and out, and got no response. The apatrment guys had mowed the lawn Thursday, and they came by around 1 p.m. using the leaf blower to clear everyone's patio. (Banichi does not like loud noises.) I left the patio door open all afternoon, and called for Banichi inside. I finally dug into his three most private hidey-holes and found he wasn't there, and being worried, I went out in the backyard to look for him. I checked and called and peeked into patios to the north of mine first - and every time I called, Lovey (who was escorting me, and leaping onto my back every time I bent over) meowed her own answer. Then I worked my way down the south end... about 12 apartments down, when I called for Banichi, I got a reply in stereo - both kits. Banichi sounded panicked, so I walked towards the building and called again, holding Lovey so she wouldn't cry. Banichi had backed himself into a hollow brick in the base of the wall by the south equipment room. I convinced him to come out, and picked him up and and carried him home. He kept a good grip on my arms the whole way, while Lovey trotted along behind. As soon as our patio came into view, Banichi launched himself and ran through the door back to the "safe" inside as fast as he could. He drank lots of water and cuddled all night. He is staying close to the door this morning.

I am now booked for pet- and house-sitting through December 31 of this year. At the moment, November is clear/open, but I'm booked for September, October, and December. I might not "work" in November - spend the whole month at home with the kits, doing genealogy research. That would be grand! ... Our local Humane Society is filled to the brim with cats, dogs, kittens and puppies needing good homes,; your local shelter probably is also. ... Ex-CU professor Ward Churchill has asked the judge in his case to change his ind and re-instate him as a tenured sfaculty member at CU. ... And I've been reading too much history - it was just announced that at the Roman fort in Vandlandia, along Hadrian's Wall, a large 4-foot-square pillar has been un-earthed. I took one glance at the photo, and said , "Mithra!" He is known by many names, but I identified the carving of man and bull with absolutely no problem. Am I really living in the 21st century? ... Here's hoping you have a wonderful weekend!