Ten-Finger Exercises

alone

Before I start working on a story for the week, I should at least stop here and say hello. I also want to tell you that I know my haikus are lame, not the classic nature lines, etc, but that if I had to try to do it 'right' I wouldn't be doing it. Frightful attitude, isn't it?

Bill is gone to a conference from Thursday to tomorrow evening. We've had some break-ins in this part of the county, which is not well patrolled by State Patrol or sheriffs. The most recent one involved an elderly lady being tied to a chair with duct tape and severely beaten with a rolling pin. There have been a few vigilantes out, driving around keeping an eye out, probably armed, sort of an outreach of the neighborhood watch perhaps. Anyway, there was a big community meeting last evening about safety, and Bill responded to the on-line invitation saying we'd be there. I didn't particularly want to go by myself, and was glad I stayed home. About half way thru the meeting time, Lola began to bark furiously by the front door. I was in the back of the house, with only the kitchen light on in front, one that gets left on a lot. When I went to the window to see what she was barking at, there was a big SUV parked behind my car (which was in the carport) and a sedan parked nearby. Both were occupied, running, unfamiliar to me. After I turned on the porch light, they both left. I couldn't see to get a license plate, so didn't call the police, but I did worry a bit. I looked up a utube video on how to fire a Beretta, having not done so for several years. (Can't say that would have been much help if I didn't already know how. It was a much newer gun than I have and even has a light that comes on to show when the safety is off!) Anyway, I slept fine and haven't seen anything suspicious all day.

(As I speak, Lola has gone out the back door barking, but then that's not unusual. Standing by the front door barking means something. When there really is something outside in back, like when a pine cone hits the roof and makes a much louder noise than you'd expect, she won't go outside to check it out. Not much protection from her.)

I did decide to stay home all day though, and had a nice time painting. The subject was Mt. Ranier, and even though I've darkened the trees a zillion times and keep making them just an eensy taller, I'm not sure if I'm done with it. We were supposed to put a field of wild flowers in the foreground, and mine look like magical candies from UmpaLoopa land. I'll cover them up with a matte!