96 AND COUNTING

I have two different pronunciations of a familiar (and familial) term.

It's the word "aunt".

For some reason when I'm not talking about one of my family members, I pronounce it "Ahnt".

But curiously, for those in my family the word is pronounced "Ant".

My mother's sister, for instance, was always known as Anty Ann.

Her name was actually Anna but modernity shortened it to Ann.

This is a long way around introducing you to my Aunt Lil, short for Lillian.

She lives in Billings, Montana, with her daughter, my musical cousin Bonnie.

And recently she received a couple of honors, being declared Birthday Queen at the Southside Senior Center and then Queen at the 4th Avenue Senior Community Center.

Gentle Readers, my Aunt Lil is a nonagenarian, which I'm sure you all know is a person in their 90's.

Ladies and Gentlemen, this is what 96 looks like!

Pretty damned good, if you ask me.

BIRDIE, BIRDIE

And now, Gentle Readers, for those of you who are getting sick of my cat pictures . . . a return to the bird bath!

This puffed up creature with a hint of red on his chest and brow is one of the many House Finches that reside in this part of Arizona.

They are the most frequent visitors we have, along with the damnable doves.

But of recent days, we have had repeat visits from this guy.

"I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. Demille."

The Ladder-Backed Woodpecker NOT showing off his flashy coat but as Judy said from the other room, "His bright red topknot makes him easy to spot."

(And I really must wash this window.)

SLEEPY FACE

There may be some of you Gentle Readers who say from time to time, "Why are there so frequently pictures of Blackwell on this blog?"

And you would be correct, I suppose.

So on this Terrific Tuesday, I give you his companion.

Her name is Muggles, which has nothing to do with creatures from those Harry Potter novels.

I came up with that name randomly after seeing the distinctive M on her forehead.

I have since learned that all tabbies have that characteristic.

Whereas Blackwell has intuited that he is my cat (or more correctly that I am his human), Muggles clings to my wife, spending many hours on her bed sleeping the day away.

She has a strange habit when she goes for a drink of water of reaching out and moving the heavy dish, making a creaking noise on the tile floor.

She is also very nervous and will flee to the bedroom if either of us approaches her while she is eating or drinking.

Blackwell stalks her on some of her trips and then chases her.

SWMBO scolds him but I tell her that he just wants to play.

Whichever it is, Muggles is soon back on the bed and snoozing off.

So ends today's entry in the Catalyst's Cat Diaries.

SOMEWHAT BETTER PIC OF THE PECKER

Ah, Gentle Readers, what am I going to do with you?

I meant, of course, the woodpecker at the bird bath.

I finally was able to upload a couple of photos from my camera that are better than the ones from my "smart" phone.

So here, in all his glory, is the Ladder-backed Woodpecker, stopping off for a wee sip on his way around the neighborhood.

The glare from the rising sun spoils the photo a bit but at least this is better than the previous picture.

With his head in that posture I can only surmise that he is very proud of his flashy coat.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH

I joined in yesterday when millions of people across the United States marched to express their agony over the murder of innocent schoolchildren, their disfavor with automatic weapons (some with any guns), the National Rifle Association, and the twisting of the meaning of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

In Prescott, a relatively small town located in a very conservative county in a fairly conservative state, the local newspaper said 15 hundred protesters lined the Courthouse Square.

I shot many photos but, in some crazed computer foul-up, the one above and the one below are the only two that survived.

As I entered the grounds I stopped to take a photo and a man who had come to join the march said to me, "I thought this was a children's march but it looks more like an AARP convention."

Indeed he was right.

Most of the marchers were probably mothers and fathers and grandparents of kids who risk their lives every day just to get an education.

There were a small handful of counter-protesters shouting rude insults.

The FIRST amendment gives them the right of free speech but as one of the marchers commented, and I paraphrase, the less said about them the better.

THE FRIDAY FUNNIES

Here we are again.

Gentle Readers, I hope you've got . . .

In spite of the depressing news coming out of Washington one has to take a moment to laugh.

So let's all turn off the t.v., discard the newspaper, stop the lunatic voices coming from your all-talk radio station and pay attention to Your Leader, the Sweet Catalyst.

Here goes.

O.K.  are you feeling better now?

A little better.

Well, I tried.

C'mon now, let's all try a little harder to enjoy the first week of Spring (yeah, I know), eat hearty, drink well (and safely), appreciate your friends, have a great weekend and always (Ah say ALWAYS) remember to keep laughing.

Here kitty-kitty . . .

THROWBACK THURSDAY

Ah, memories . . .