Beautiful Saturday Morning

It's a beautiful morning out - the sun is shining, and we're expecting a high of 44 degrees, with a possible snow shower this evening. I spent last night with Tessa and Lilly - Lilly slept on top of me, like my kits do, and Tessa slept next to the bed. Tessa awakened me this morning at 6:30 by beating a tattoo on the wall with her tail - otherwise, it was a very quiet afternoon, evening, and night. And Tessa has been trained to jingle the bell strap next to the door when she needs to go out - it's a wonderful aid, since I've had my nose in a book most of the time I've been there. As soon as Lovey saw the alarm clock go in my overnight bag yesterday, she was pretty much physically attached to me until I left. She talked and cried and did everything in her power and vocabulary to have me stay at home. It was an impressive show. I fed the kits and put out extra treats before I left, but I still felt bad about leaving them. - But this is my job and business, and it's how I have extra money to feed them goodies and get them special treats. I don't plan on being gone for long blocks of time during the winter - so the kits, hopefully, won't feel too abandoned. Currently, I've returned home and Lovey is basking in the sun on the edge of the patio, while Nedi is sitting just inside the door and is looking out. Today CU has a home football game, so there is extra activity in the Harvest House parking lot, as well as the apartment's north end lot.
I was extremely saddened to hear of the fire in the Petting Zoo area at the Karlsruhe Zoo in southwestern Germany. At least 26 petting zoo animals died, including Shetland ponies, goats, sheep, and one llama. The petting zoo area was next to the elephant and hippo exhibits, and , at least, those animals were saved. The police suspect arson was the cause. Neither smoke inhalation nor flames are good ways to perish. I send a prayer for all of them in their desperate attempts to escape a raging inferno. - And, finally, the owner of Life at Ten, the betting favorite in the Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic who finished last, states that her mare should have been scratched, and not run at all in the race. John Veitch, previously a well-known trainer, is now the head of the Kentucky Racing Stewards; he states that either the trainer or the jockey should have expressed their concerns about the mare to the vet stationed on the track, who would then have notified the stewards. ESPN commentators, who covered the race, sent the jockey's and the trainer's comments directly to the stewards office, as soon as they were expressed on camera. The Kentucky Racing Board is still reviewing what happened, and where the "breakdown in communications" occurred.