Quiet Day

A quiet day with little on the horizon. I’m sick and tired of looking through the papers to find something interesting to comment on. So much of what’s there doesn’t deserve comment; so much of what’s there is so awful my stomach rebels at even thinking about it, let alone commenting on it.

So, a quiet day here in the Valley of the Sun. This morning we watched two coyotes stroll through our backyard, both looking huge and healthy, probably from having feasted on grand and great grandchildren whom tippling grand and great grandparents had inadvertently left alone to play out in the backyard. At least, that’s the theory of some rather stupid old people who live here in Sun City West. One letter to the editor moaned over the loss of her little dog, a tiny Chihuahua, I believe. She feared that the nasty coyotes who roam our city would not only chomp down tiny dogs and cats, but also unattended children, maybe even strolling adults. She thought that all coyotes should be rounded up and killed, or euthanized, as she might have preferred. Our local coyotes have a plentiful supply of food and don’t need to prey on tiny children or infirm old people. They really don’t care to be around us humans, adult or child or infirm old people. That says a lot for their intelligence. There are a good many adults and children I’d rather not be around, although I might consider putting them out as bait for any passing wildlife. Oh, now I sound too much like a cantankerous curmudgeon. I’m certainly not cantankerous nor a curmudgeon. Old, yes, but not those other things.

The day is still, no movement in our arbor vitae, only an occasional butterfly flitting in and out, one tiny white one, and one our large, yellow pseudo-monarch. The clouds are gathering in the north and east, huge mounds of whipped cream on the horizon. Our cats are all sleeping, gathering strength to test our patience when they awaken. My wife and I are busy cocktailing to gather strength for the nightly news and the too many shows we feel obligated to watch. And then the cats will awaken and begin to distribute the many cat toys around the house for us to step on in the dark.

Life goes on in Sun City West. Better that it go on than the alternative. I hope you have as nice a day.