Poor lonely Blackie Detroit

He says he just wants to be friends, though the notch in one ear and other various battle scars would seem to belie that. But Jazz isn't having any, anyway. Yesterday, Blackie came up on the back steps near a screen door and when Jazz saw him she went berserk, clawing at the screen and screaming. (Just like a woman.) Blackie calmly walked away and I saw him a bit later outside, looking forlorn and confused.

But he has access to the garage and the other cats don't so he has a "shelter from the storm."

Oh! Those toes!

I have a friend who answers to various names - Cin Bob, Sin-Bad, Cyn, or just plain Cindy.

She has a habit of showing up with a great paint job. Here's the latest iteration:

I tend to make a big thing about this, for which I've been accused of being a foot fetishist! Well, I admit nothing but to Cindy . . I dedicate this song. (And, by the way it's better if you pause the video, then click on it to make it bigger.)

Another sad loss

Yesterday afternoon I was sharing with friends tears and laughter and new and old memories of our friend Reed, who passed away last month. This morning I was reading through blogs and learned of the passing of another friend, Julie - - known to the blog world as Granny J. Her daughter, who lives in Alaska and blogs under the name Omegamom broke the sad news here this morning.



I'm not sure how I got to know Granny J but I suspect she found me when I began blogging several years ago. She and I and other local bloggers got together a couple of times for coffee and face-to-face talk. Julie and I shared a background in journalism . . at one time not too far apart as she was working in Chicago and I in Indianapolis.



She was a wonderful woman and I will miss her and her posts and e-mails greatly. These are the only two photos I could find of her.



The first photo is one I took, unfortunately from behind her, at a blogger gathering. The latter one was the one she used on her blog "Walking Prescott". Go in peace, Granny J.

Blacky Detroit

Here's a new photo of our interloper, resting on his favorite spot in the garage.

Go Green with Diversity!

Miller Valley School in Prescott had a big day today as two large murals painted on the school were dedicated. Retiring Superintendent of Schools for the District, Kevin Kapp, told me there were two themes - Go Green, and Diversity. Youngsters from the school had a parade to the dedication site and were praised by several speakers.

There were costumes and large papier mache sun faces to celebrate the big day.

Several students who participated in painting the art works stood by as proud parents took pictures of them.

It certainly brightens up that corner of town.

Bleary

O.K. Pick on me. Bad picture. Well, he was under a truck and I had to zoom in and I couldn't hold the camera steady. So it's fuzzy. I will do better in days ahead.

BUT. This is Blacky Detroit. He started visiting but he was very nervous, at first. I called him "Blacky". Gee, I wonder why. Then one day I encountered our neighbor and asked her if he was her cat. She said he kind of visited but that he was all over the neighborhood. I asked her what she called him. She said "Detroit". So. He has become Blacky Detroit.

He sleeps on a chair in our garage from time to time and he has become very much tamer. He talks to us and he allows himself to be petted. Loves it, actually. And he indicates an interest in coming in to the house. But . . . uh, uh. We have two cats in the house already and Jazz has indicated he WANTS NO PART OF ANOTHER CAT! When they have encountered each other on opposite sides of the screen door, Jazz puts up an incredible scream that chases Blacky Detroit away. Slowly. But he goes.

But, all in all, I feed him in the garage and he seems relatively happy. He comes back from his forays with scratches and scars and I suspect if he was "fixed" and allowed inside he would become a very tame house cat. But he will have to remain . . . just a visitor.

You tart!

Yes, SWMBO does make a great apple tart!