Critters, critters everywhere!

I spent the first part of last night sharing the slumber bed in the TV room with Smiley and Silver, but when it became apparent that they were both intent upon getting as close to me as they could, I switched over to the guest bed and let the dogs sleep in their beds. I've already had Silver and Smiley out for a 90-minute walk and run this morning; I've been over to Brandi's and fed her and given her medications to her, as well as taking a walk; and I'm currently at Ooch's. As I left Brandi's for Ooch's house, Brandi started to bark in my direction, so I said, softly, "Brandi, hon, there's no need to bark." Then I stepped outside the hedge and was face-to-face with an 8-point buck. No wonder she was barking! As I'm typing this, there is a 6-point buck outside the den window, grazing in the front yard, while a blue jay is sounding the alarm from a Ponderosa pine. Ooch wants me to let him outside.

The kits are resigned to the fact that I won't be home with them for a few nights... Banichi brought me his shoe string yesterday morning, and Lovey condescended to play ball with me. The Pearl Street Mall was packed yesterday due to the art show - in some cases it was difficult to even get a glimpse of an exhibit because of the milling crowd. Anne and I met at The Cheesecake Factory and had a marvelous lunch. Jim joined us a little late, but he decided he'd best shower (after running 14 miles) prior to sitting down with us in the restaurant. So we had an enjoyable, delicious meal, and the male waiter was enchanted by Anne's Yorkshire accent; his parents are Brits from Sunderland. Then Anne and I visited Kathy at Sunflower; I bought blueberries, raspberries, apples and peaches for my stay with Silver and Smiley, while Anne bought some Scottish oats for her morning oatmeal. Then I went home, loved the kits again, and headed off for Smiley and Silver. I walked them and fed them, then visited Brandi and Ooch, read for 30 minutes to Rosie and Remy (after walking them for 90 minutes), then put Ooch and Brandi up for the night, and returned to the S house. Boy, was I pooped!

It's currently 59 degrees outside, and we're expecting a high of 86. The sunrise was gorgeous - several layers of thin clouds were painted in a wide variety of pastel hues as the sun nodded above the horizon. ... Barbaro's brother was scratched from his first Stakes race, the Virginia Derby yesterday, due to a leg injury. Battle of Hastings won on the nod over Straight Stretch, in the mile-and-a-quarter turf race at Colonial Downs.

And the world has lost a man who is/was/and ever will be an icon... Walter Cronkite. This quiet, passionate newsman was the best of his generation... if "Uncle Walter" said something, you knew it was true... or he would state that it was his "own considered opinion" - and that rang true also. I grew up watching the CBS Evening News - and even my cats liked to watch Walter Cronkite: one evening my Mother paused between the sewing table and the TV, and PoohCat bit her behind because she was blocking his view of Walter. I salute the best newsman ever... Walter Cronkite; may he rest in peace.