the cat and the birds

The birds are back! For months, they've ignored my feeder; I scoured it out twice, bought premium black sunflower seed - no birds. I called a bird store; they had no idea what could have driven them away. But now, suddenly, they're back. Of course, because now I'd rather they weren't there for the next month; I am cat-sitting for Anna, and her cat Nan, though old and sick, is a ferocious hunter. So, not going outside, which does not please her. To show how displeased she was, she puked twice last night - not on the hardwood floor, no, she specifically chose both living room rugs.

I love cats and have missed having one - can't have one because of said feeder. But it's nice to have a furry beast sleeping nearby.

Anna and family have rented a van for their trip to Nova Scotia, leaving early tomorrow, driving first to Quebec City. A whole month without seeing my boys. Luckily, I'll be kept busy cleaning up puke.

Tons of noise - the plumber is in the basement. I asked him to come check for tree roots in my pipes, and of course it turned out to be complicated, because - my house. He had to cut the drywall open. A bit later, a piano technician is coming to install a device that will mute my piano, so I'll not be so shy about practicing. Then John comes to repair the cut drywall, Nicole comes to help me clean the apartment downstairs for the new tenant coming tomorrow, Ruth comes so we can go for a walk, and then dinner with Cathy, who has flown back from Newfoundland, and Monique, and Cath to spend the night. At 8.30, I have a Zoom ticket from Music Toronto for a string quartet.

A busy day. Luckily the weather is heavenly; the terrible July heat is gone, and it's a perfect breezy summer day.

In the meantime, I'm trying to get word about my book out there and waiting to hear from various colleagues. And I'm reading a novel called Aubrey McKee by Alex Pugsley, who's the cousin of my high school friend Ron. It's about growing up in Halifax, and so many of the names he mentions take me back there - Mahon's Stationary! Quinpool Road! The Public Gardens. Too bad - I was supposed to be going back to my Maritime roots this summer, but nyet. Next year maybe.

I am watching the birds and trying not to think about the horror that happened in Lebanon.