Cold, Singing, and Punishment

It didn't get above 13 degrees yesterday - and it's 10 outside, at the moment.  I just called Nedi back inside and closed the patio door because I was getting cold; Lovey had been inside for quite a while.  At least the sun is shining, and there's no more snow in the forecast until Wednesday.  I had to laugh at the today's weather page for Boulder - it's 10 degrees outside, and the weather page reads: "High: 34, Low: 29."  I realize that the 29 is tonight's forecasted low, but it just strikes me funny....   Just like the signs in the Mental Health Center for the Schizophrenic Group meetings that begin by saying: "You are not alone..." - It just makes me laugh.
  I made brownies while taking care of Oly, Annie and Bentley yesterday; and at the same time, the musical, Oklahoma!, was playing.  I generally just lip-synched with all the songs, until the rousing, full chorus finale of the song "Oklahoma!", when I let loose and sang along, as loud and as best I could...  I have to admit it set all the dogs off.  First they barked and then they howled, and I let all of them outside (still singing), and the dogs all split up and ran up and down the fence lines, barking.  I guess I shouldn't do that to the dogs again.  Ooops.  I know that Lovey and Nedi think it's peculiar when I sing along with things, so maybe my tune carrying skills aren't what they used to be....  Oh, well; I enjoy singing, and I try not to disturb neighbors.
  Last year, during the sika deer hunt on the north end of Assateague Island (in Maryland), a man in his 20s, along with his father, came back to the station, and showed their tagged deer.  (This was hunting with a rifle, not bow-hunting.)  They asked the ranger an odd question - had anyone ever shot a pony, and, if so, what was the penalty?  The next day, a 28-year-old bay mare was found dead, having been shot through the lungs and heart.  The ranger remembered the men and their question; the men were questioned and released after denying any knowledge of the event.  This past Friday, the two were sentenced for killing a protected wild animal, for lying to the rangers, for lying in their original depositions to the court, and for trying to cover up a felony.  They are now both banned from hunting on any government-owned land; they each have to serve 1,600 hours of community service; the son who shot the mare must pay a $3,000 fine, and his father, who helped in the cover-up, must pay $2,000.  Both men agree the ban from hunting on government lands make sense.  But both of them object to the hours of public service, and both strongly object to the fines.  They say they will appeal.  I hope they lose their appeal, and have the added court costs added to their original fines.
  I just finished reading the latest Judge Deborah Knott book by Margaret Maron, Three-Day Town, and thoroughly enjoyed it.  I started on Diana Gabaldon's The Scottish Prisoner last night....