Stuffed

Knowing that Kathy would be very "hurt" if I didn't show up for her anniversary dinner, I made myself go.  Luckily, Anne came down from Sugarloaf, so we sat and talked together, while Kathy and Jim whispered sweet nothings to each other, and the kids and their partners talked across the table.  And, it was lucky, too, that Colterra always has specials that aren't listed on the regular menu.  I think that out of the 8 in our party, only Annie and I had the same meal - pork tenderloin.  Anne had grilled salmon, Sarah had the duck comfy, Mike had the halibut, and I don't remember what Michael, Jim and Kathy ordered.  Then we ordered 4 different desserts and shared them around the table - not to mention the roasted almonds, gnocchi and buffalo carpaccio that were the appetizers...  I ended up completely stuffed.  We were the last patrons in the restaurant, and once we got back to Boulder, I read a couple of chapters and then zonked out.  And I slept in this morning until after 7 a.m. -  I still feel more than half-asleep.

Rosie and Remy were very excited to see me this morning - and we had a very good walk, even though I did reprimand Rosie for pulling so much.  We met several new dogs, and the reds were well behaved.  I had forgotten that today was the first day of school in our District for the kindergartners, first graders, sixth graders and ninth graders.  The Rs and I walked by Centennial Middle School, and it looked like a huge ant-hill had been poked savagely with a stick.  There were new students and parents running around like mad - even double parking on the street.  It was amazing to watch.  ...  Shady and Cloudy are doing well.  We had a thunder and lightning storm about 3 yesterday afternoon, and they both came to me and voiced their complaints about the rain.  ...  My kits are fine - everyone is laying on the patio in the shade at the moment, and I can see all of them through the door and window.  Nedi is engrossed with catching large brown grasshoppers this week - I've had to remove several leg pieces from my keyboard since Saturday.  Not much else is going on - I have another follow-up appointment with Dr. Pohlman about the fistula tomorrow afternoon.  It's not completely healed, but it's getting there.

There is a wildfire in the Great Dismal Swamp Wildlife Refuge that was caused by lightning a couple of weeks ago.  The fire has burned over 6,150 acres and is still only 10% contained, it is now burning in both Virginia and North Carolina.  Due to the continuing smoke and ash, they've been having air warnings posted as far away as Baltimore, D.C., and the entire Eastern Shore - Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.  I really love Chincoteague and Assateague, but at the moment, I'm happy I'm not there.  And the US Government is looking for input from users of the Assateague National Seashore and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge regarding four proposals concerning the future of the barrier island. - the main question is what do they do about global warming, and the rising of the Atlantic from it; how will this affect such a low, sandy, barrier island?  There are meetings open to the public in Ocean City, Berlin, and Wallops Island for your comments.