Chinook

Wind, wind, go away! Come again some other day! It's in the upper 60s already this morning, the sun is shining brightly, and I'm very happy to be on the east side of my apartment building, as the Chinook winds are blowing... Chinook is the Arapaho word meaning "snow eater." The wind is blowing from the west off the Front Range, with winds steady at 35 to 40 mph, with gusts into the 80s. I cancelled walking any dogs today, after walking around the corner to the bakery and feeling as if my facial skin had been scoured off by the dust, grit, sand, and debris in the wind. (Think what that would do to the dogs' eyes! - At least I have glasses as some protection!) The weather folks say the winds will die down around 9 tonight... Lovey fussed to go out this morning, but once she reached the edge of the patio, she retreated back inside. She is currently laying in a sunny patch on the floor, looking through the still partially open door, watching debris and leaves being blown about in the backyard.
I checked out the fox den yesterday, and was surprised to see that, other than about ten feathers, there was nothing to indicate the family was there. Well, actually, you can see trails in the grass and some flattened areas where the kits wrestle each other, but the shoe and gloves have completely disappeared. Laura called me yesterday and confirmed the trip to Russia is on, so we discussed Steve and Indy and their care, and her arrangements that she's made in case she and her husband die overseas. (I really did not want to hear that, but they are very careful people who love their dogs like children.) I did have to laugh when she told me that I was not to clean the house in any way, and that the gardeners would be coming on schedule, etc. I told her that I was going to have to do the dishes, etc., unless she had an unlimited amount of pots, pans, plates, utensils, etc. That made her laugh.... and agree that I had a point. She had really been looking forward to this trip.... I feel for her so much, since they are undertaking the trip as a "good bye" to her father, who has inoperable cancer, and her mother, who has extremely debilitating osteoporosis - and she thinks she will be along as a constant nurse (she is an RN). Ah, well, enough dwelling on problems.... Have a good week!