Gotchas, minks, butterflies and books of life

The PM and I had another big milestone recently; August 22nd was our 15th Gotcha Day!  After the grand festivities of my jubilation, we celebrated this day somewhat more quietly.  We had haddock, which I must admit was very tasty.

I have not been outside again since the last time I caught a bunny.  I read the PM's feelings very well and I know she worries about what she has been told can happen when I take on rabbits.  But, the Royal Patience wears thin at times and I do wish I could get out for a brief time.

The PM took the past week off from work.  She usually takes a couple days off this time of year to celebrate our holidays:  Rosh HaShanah and Yom Kippur.  Rosh HaShanah is the birthday of the world!  What a fun thing to celebrate!  Some people will actually have  a birthday cake and sing 'Happy Birthday'. 

The PM has not taken off time just to relax in about a year and a half.  She really needed it.  She has had a rough year what with dentists, car troubles and other misadventures.  As she was able to relax, she found herself sleeping much better and much of her pain going away.  I had been trying to tell her that some of that pain was tension, but she didn't see her way to doing much about it before now.  And, of course, when she sleeps better, I sleep better.

Of course, she was at synagogue on Wednesday night and Thursday.  She enjoyed seeing everyone again and catching up with them.

On the first Saturday of her vacation, she swam, napped and rested.  Wednesday, she got a haircut and went swimming.  Today she rested and then came to the coffee shop where she used to hang out all the time.  The rest of the time, she and Ringo were out having adventures! 

One thing they wanted to do to celebrate Gotcha Day was to bring me a mink stole.  They actually went to Mink Creek looking for one.  But there were no minks there, alive or prepared.  They felt very gypped.  Of course, my royal training helped me to be gracious in my own disappointment as I think a mink stole would have been very flattering and warm in our winter times.

They almost brought me a damselfly lavaliere.  The PM and Ringo thought they found one, but when the PM went to collect it, it was gone.   The poor thing was bent in the middle a bit and resting on the ground instead of flying.  We hope it was not in a lot of pain.

The big birds, like the cranes and hawks, have been hiding.  The PM remembers them doing this about the same time last year, and knows that she will see more when migration starts.  However, she is seeing a lot more of the smaller birds like goldfinches and woodpeckers.  Did you know that woodpeckers are thriving as they enjoy eating those nasty little emerald ash borers?  At least one good thing comes out of the bug's presence!

They also say that some of the butterflies have been huge this year!  The PM is finally getting adept enough with her camera to get a picture of some of them now and then.  There is a tiny blue one she loves and a big swallowtail she got some nice pictures of.  She finds it bittersweet to see how tattered their wings can get, yet they keep flying. 

The PM just tried to upload some pics, but it is not working.  She will try to add some more later.

And our wish for all creatures this year is that they are sealed in the book of life for a good and sweet year.