Blondie

If you've ever seen my apartment, you'll know it's right by a man made pond. A pond swarming with avian life. It has geese, ducks, and last summer there was even a heron making regular appearances. (I made sure to keep the SRM locked inside when the heron was around.)

I love watching them. Hours of senseless entertainment. And there's one duck that always stands out. I don't know how else to describe her than blonde. Her feathers are all cream to light brown. And last week the SRM and I noticed that she's been hanging around the garages at the far end of my side of the apartment complex. We saw her there every morning last week, and it seems odd because it is so far from the pond and she's always there alone.

Then we walked by yesterday morning. She wasn't there. But...as we walked past one of the small planters, we saw the object of her fascination. She's nested there. And there are eggs.

This morning instead of quacking at us and waddling off as she usually does, she stayed on her next. I'm taking that as a sigh that her duckings will be making an appearance soon.

I can't wait to see them. Hopefully at least one will get its coloring from its mother. :^)

Best investment I ever made...

I talk to my Parents every Sunday night. Obvious subject of conversation yesterday was the weather. Yesterday was my first serious snow since I've moved to Oregon. And the temperature has been appropriatly cold to go along with it.

Luckily, my apartment is small, so heating it isn't a horrendous burden (I say now, before I start getting my real winter electric bills). But, of course, they asked how I manage to keep warm at night.

"Simple," I tell them. "I invested in mammals."

You try being cold when you have a sumatran rat monkey curled up under the covers with you, not to mention two medium haired kittens curled up under your chin. I'm glad I invested when I did.

The Creature...

This is Kudzu...

About the name - kudzu is a vine that was imported to the US to stop land erosion.  Most people know it as an annoying weed that gets into everything, smothers all it comes into contact with, needs constant attention and supervision and is infuriating as hell.  If you've met my creature, you'll understand the name. 

When I adopted him the animal shelter assured me he's a chihuahua mix, but I think he looks like a giant sewer rat.  That's all a matter of opinion, though.

Does he look mostly look like he's come to warn Mr. Harry Potter?

Or, does he look like an unholy union of plague rats and tree monkeys?  (Watch out, his bite will make you a zombie.)

I've also known people who say that he looks like Mr. Burns (excellent...). 

When he's excited, he makes a noise that sounds like a tonton from Star Wars, but he usually sounds like an average grunty beast.

Anyway, he's my four legged child and I love him dearly.  Although I do tell him the only reason I love him is because that was one of the conditions I agreed to when I adopted him.  And it's pretty worth it since I get to come home every night to a cuddly beast that adores me unconditionally.