Miscellaneous nice things

It is astonishingly easy to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff that constantly needs doing in a new house! That list is never-ending, dammit. So I’m working just as hard to make sure I take time out for me as well… though I think I need to make sure I’m taking more time for my poor dissertation too. So today’s a cheering-up day, I think. So first: I saw a deer!

Admittedly one of the housemates has seen deer here already — one afternoon he looked in the right direction when both cats suddenly stared intently that way. He’s also had to stop the car to let one cross the road — in broad daylight in the middle of the afternoon! I thought they’d be shyer than that.

I think mine was a doe, and she was grazing in the lot next door — the one that we can peek down into from the second-story windows of our office, which we call the Bridge… mostly because it’s got three desks and something like seven computers in it! I snapped a few shots, then watched her with fascination for a while as she grazed leisurely up and down the hillside. Here’s a cropped shot of just her:

I got lucky — there’s a road where sometimes horses are ridden, and when I heard the telltale clop of hooves I jumped up and yanked open the window, so the kitties could scent the air as well. When I did so the doe shied out of the underbrush, then froze and stared back over her shoulder at me… so I got a real good look at her rump. From her tail patterns I think she’s a Columbian black-tailed deer — the most common subspecies of mule deer in California.

Let’s see, what else… oh! Got a really cute photo of Goldie sitting gleefully in the car, after a lovely run at the park. Unfortunately this shot is, of course, after she sat up a bit. When I first glanced back she was literally sitting on her butt with the toes of both hind paws pointed up in the air — hilariously undignified! I was laughing so hard that she had time to resettle before I got out the camera. :)

I am bummed the automated thumbnail cuts off the top of her head, darnit! She looks happy in the full-sized shot, really! :) Now if only I could get her to bring the ball back when I throw it for her at the dog park, things would be fantastic!

Got one last “feel-good” shot for me. It’s one that one of my housemates took and just recently got to me. This was taken the very day we moved in, when I was staying at the house for several house-repair appointments during the day while the guys had to work. When they finished work and came out to the house they brought me some Baskin-Robbins… and found me, Goldie, and both kitties all quite happily curled up together in the conversation pit! I still like cuddling there with them all while I work on my laptop — very cozy feeling. :)

So! That’s all for tonight. Be well, all.