You can take the country girl to the big city but she'll STILL be in the country.

I'm staying in Colorado Springs (pop. 380,307 in a county just under 600K).

On our way from the airport shuttle, three blocks from my sister's house, we were making our way down an alley as Eve pointed out the yard on the right saying how she especially loved the cute little deer sculptures.

I told her I didn't think the sculpture of the reclining buck with a rack too big to fit in the car could be called little.

No, she was talking about the logs with stick antlers.

The buck I was talking about turned his head.

He was up and about when I went back later.

The next night Leo was late coming in. We were relieved when he finally showed up until we got a good whiff: he'd been SKUNKED!

The remedy off the internet (1 pt hydrogen peroxide (unopened), 1/8 cup baking soda, 1/2 tsp dish soap) worked but next time I'll try it without the detergent because CATS REALLY HATE GETTING RINSED! I must admit Leo was really kind to me and kept his claws in as he clung to me. But then I would expect nothing else from one of MamaKitty's children.

I don't believe my eyes.

Ten minutes ago (10 :43 pm) Pieface the dog was shouting "snake snakesnake!" outside my office.

I went to check it out. I heard a tiny vibrating noise where he said there was a danger. Forget the TV/movie rattle snake rattle; they sound like an insect, only a constant buzz.

I brought Pieface in to the house and told Bond to get his shotgun before grabbing my seven bulbs hands free headlight. I looked out the downstairs bedroom window and spotted a coiled rattle snake on the bare ground, about the size and shape of a pile of medium sized dog poo. I did NOT take my eyes (or the light) off it. But before Bond could get off a shot, it slowly unwound to no more than 10 inches long, s l o w l y moved and literally DISAPPEARED!

Was it a conspiracy to get Pieface in to the house to eat the cat's food?