Suburban coyote
As I was cleaning up cat barf this morning, I happened to look out the back window, only to see a coyote snoozing by the spa. I can’t believe my furry little puker missed that one, as he sat staring out the front window, desperately seeking squirrel activity.
I took a picture through the window and watched him awhile. I figured he would just move along at some point, but Dale said sometimes they can’t get out. I gingerly propped the gate open and came back in the house.
Then the coyote moved to a shady spot by the pool. I opened the sliding glass door and snapped a shot of him trotting away. He jumped to the top of the fence and looked like he decided next door was a better option. I was like, dude, they don’t cook … the food is better over here, but he wasn’t buying it. I put on a mask and went over to alert our neighbors, because they have a dog and a cat that both go outside.
Coyotes do live around here. You can hear them at night. Still, I hope he’s OK. He might have heard the pool is open for the season – registering yesterday at 81 degrees! Of course, I’m being sexist here. It could be a she, but I’m thinking it’s a boy coyote that would run away from home and camp out in someone’s yard.
Swimming
I’ve started swimming in our backyard pool. It’s not a huge pool, so swimming laps is not ideal, lots of head-bashing, but it’s the only option I have right now, coyotes and all. I need to decide if I’m going to keep my membership in the health club. I would definitely not use the weights or the locker room. I’ve been doing free weights at home.
I would like to use the pool at the health club and have a plan for how to do it safely if or when it reopens, but if I swim twice a week, that’s about $10 a swim. Not sure it’s worth it. Although, my back did feel better after just one swim. Decisions!
Cookie Madness
I’ve decided to allow myself one peanut butter cookie a day until I no longer want one … which might never happen, so perhaps I will be eating one every single day for the rest of my life. I can’t believe one cookie could be all that bad for me. And they are so easy to make.
The recipe yields about a dozen and a half – depending on what size scoop you use, and the only ingredients are peanut butter, brown sugar and an egg. A smattering of sea salt. I prefer them without chocolate chips. What can I say? They bring me joy.
Books & TV
Today is a library curbside pick-up for Dead Land, the new Sara Paretsky novel featuring V.I. Warshawski. This is book 20. I think I’ve read them all.
I’m done with the current season of Bosch, and I finished the Longmire series. Both were excellent, although I did not like how Longmire wrapped up. I won’t spoil it for you, but it just didn’t feel right to me. I do think he’s a cutie and hope to see him in something else soon.
While I’ve yet to pick a new crime series, I have a long list of options. None are calling to me. I’m currently watching Vida on STARZ. It’s about two Mexican sisters who return home to Los Angeles after their mother passes away.
The mother ran a bar, and it turns out she was a closet lesbian – at least closeted to her daughters. The daughters start to run the bar and become immersed in the local scene. Warning – strong sexual content and not necessarily your routine stuff.
The last argument
Although we are still being cautious, we went to Home Depot for two things needed for a small improvement project. While it was not a good experience for us, it did result it what we are calling, “The Last Argument.” I wanted to order online and have it delivered to the car. Dale wanted to go in and buy weed killer. I conceded.
We put on our masks. There was a line, and they were counting people as they entered. Still, there were a lot of people entering, and most of them were not wearing masks. Dale got annoyed and didn’t want to buy weed killer after all. We got the two things we went for and got out of there as fast as we could.
Later, Dale said he was angry that I insisted we go to Home Depot to buy things for an optional improvement project. I said, if you will recall, I wanted to have it delivered to the car. The only reason we went inside is because you wanted to.
He was like, oops, I forgot. Sigh. We’re just humans doing the best we can. Kiss and make up. We agreed – talk everything through in advance, make sure we understand each other’s expectations and don’t fight about anything ever. It sucks.
Stress behavior
People are stressed, and stress behavior can be ugly. I played golf, and one of the women in my group was a complete bitch. She didn’t mess with me, but she was so rude to one of the other players. I don’t know where that came from, other than she’s just pissed about life in general.
I almost didn’t play but had a golf dream telling me to relax and let my swing flow smoothly. I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard something about a smooth swing, but I finally figured out why it doesn’t stick.
Sometimes you do herky-jerky things, and you get away with it. Smash a drive or whatever. You begin to think that’s the secret, so you start trying it on purpose. Nothing good comes of this. Smooth is always the answer. I said to myself, just go, be at peace with the universe, stay calm and be smooth. Do not introduce extra movements to the momentum of the swing.
It worked! I played well … much better than I’ve been playing, even with my exposure to the bitter bitch. I hope she chills out. I feel stress and constantly have to work at managing these challenges in a positive way, but I’m mostly successful and certainly happier.
It’s hot, and if there are no coyotes in backyard, I will be taking a dip today.
Stay chilled.
Yeap, been there & done that same argument.
Hopefully, it will be your last!
Yep, drove my car to charge it and explored the area. People are behaving like idiots. I’ll keep my bubble. My rec center (not free) has a heated therapy pool and like you I’m trying to ddecide if I hall return. I’ve found so many aerobic options at home and in the neighborhood and have stretchy bands and weights and all of that. Our Cyotes were gone a couple years because of mange but they are back as are some foxes. We have a small dog but we watch her-and such an aggravating influx of rabbits that i am ready for the damned circle of life.
The bubble is good.
Oh, I almost forgot. Try the show Reckoning. and Bordertown if you can handle subtitles in any way.
I think Bordertown might be next up! Thanks for the recommendation.
That was a chill coyote and rather small. Our neighborhood has been relatively coyote free since the wildfires here almost 2 years ago but the rabbit population explosion will lure them back. Recently we did have a huge raccoon just outside our back windows and the crows were going nuts. Probably pregnant by its size and shape but it finally climbed a tree and the crows calmed down.
I’m struggling with the behavior of the minority of people in grocery stores here. I came home from a quick as I could make it stock up trip and told my husband that based on observations at the store this morning we are in fact doomed by the least knowledgeable and/or disciplined as well as the too cocky and/or ignorant ones among us.
So yes to cookies, no arguments with loved ones, books a-plenty and chilling as much as possible.
I don’t want to run into a coyote in the backyard on a routine basis, but it makes me happy he found a nice place for a nap.
It is hard to accept some of this behavior. I totally agree with your assessment of being doomed. Part of me wants to withdraw completely and never talk to another person. But a cool thing happened in the grocery store today. We were at the seafood counter, wearing our masks and staying six feet back from the first people in line. The music playing over the loud speaker was Electric Avenue, and I was kind of grooving to it. The couple in front of us, our age and also wearing masks, noticed me and the wife starting dancing. Six feet apart, of course. She said, “Not a lot of fun right now.” We danced a bit and went our separate ways.
The one thing I really like about Home Depot is that if you look the product up online, it’ll indicate what aisle and bay area it is in so you can find the product quickly when you get to the store. I usually look online for the product before I leave for the store so I know exactly where to look for it. I wish all stores did that.
Have you ever tried watching Vera? It’s on BritBox and you get a free trial week if you register from your Amazon Prime account. Otherwise the libraries usually have the DVDs. You might like the series.
I had my Home Depot list with the aisle and bin numbers with me! Great minds think alike.
I tried reading a Vera and didn’t like it much, but I’ve heard the show is different. I may give it a go. Thanks for the recommendation.
Oh yes, those COVID arguments, which is what my spouse and I refer to them as. The stress builds over time, and suddenly we’re relieving our respective stresses on each other. I will say, our long hours spent outside doing something active help tremendously. No idea where we’d each be with each other at this point without them. 😆
Re: coyotes. We have an open backyard to the canyon behind, and one night I woke up to the sounds of lapping. It took a moment before I realized it was a coyote lapping up water from our raised fountain. Which stood right outside the open window next to my bed. That was exciting, not!
Orange County has finally moved to requiring masks, and while we aren’t anywhere close to 100% compliant, most retailers, including grocery stores, have instituted policies that require all customers entering their stores to wear one. I’ve been present during a few subsequent hissy fits, and always stand up verbally for the retailer. Bottom line is you don’t have the right to infringe on my heakth, so wear the damn mask!
It’s like all of the sudden you’re making potentially life-threatening decisions every day and you don’t always agree. We are getting better at it, and you’re right, going outside helps.
As for the coyote, I really thought he wanted to get in the pool! I guess they can swim.
Our favorite grocery store requires masks, and I hope they keep it up for a long time. Dale noticed people whipping them off as soon as they get out of the store. I just don’t understand what the deal is with people who are so upset about masks. And now Trump said a reporter was being “politically correct” for wearing one. I suspect we’re going to hear that sound bite over and over.
I LOVED the opening of your blog: “As I was cleaning up cat barf…..”
Any writing that starts like that, I know I will love!
Thank you so much — I always appreciate when someone likes a turn of phrase.
It’s almost 3 months in a bubble for me and I feel stressed ,missing my various social activities, and especially time with my women friends.Much as I love my husband, and he is my BEST friend,I love the womens’ perspective and miss our political chats, our art projects, and my book club.
I felt maybe I could safely venture to our Trader Joe for our favorite foods and a bunch of flowers for myself.. my spirit was sagging badly last week, so I drove over to check it out and during their senior hour from 8to 9 AM, they had only about 8 people in the entire store, they monitored how many came in and out, washed the carts at the door and handed them to us, and EVERY SINGLE person in the store,customers and clerks, wore masks and mostly I had a whole aisle to myself.I got in and out more quickly than usual, but it lifted my Spirits immensely. Check out was also safe as it could be, with plexiglass, and being asked to remain 6 feet back from check out counter.I was impressed with their efforts at safety.Maybe I’ll go in once a month.I actually still don’t feel it is safe to go out..Arizona had the worst numbers EVER, yesterday yet everything is opened, and many many people are complaining about masks and filling up bars and restaurants. (I will not be going into a bar or restaurant or a large public gathering in any forseeable future..) I am hearing that my Trader Joe experience is not usual ,that logically most people are not wearing masks.. so I am so grateful!)
I fell off my bike yesterday,too, hit a gravel pit.. and went flying.. and scared the bejesus out of myself and my husband. A neighbor had to help scoop me up and put me and my bike in her car while Ken rode his bike home behind us. A rough day. Am nursing my wounds today and I think I will stick with my exercise videos, long walks and hikes, and my treadmill for a while.
I am weary of this,that’s for sure. Love reading my faves blogs..thanks for sharing!
Wow, you are lucky with the bicycle accident — could have been way worse. I no longer ride for that very reason.
You’ve convinced me to try Trader Joe’s.
I’m so sorry you’re feeling stressed and hope you get to meet with your friends soon. It sounds like you are doing all you can do in the meantime. Weary is a good word for this.
I will miss my bike but that wreck really spooked me, and I was not wearing a helmet.. very stupid of me. I just need to lay off and do other stuff. The places we rode our bike are still walk-able.
I did not mean to write such a looong post but I wanted to truly commend Trader Joe for how seriously they are protecting the community. I felt safe.
I love your contributions to this blog! Seriously, though … helmet.
Wow, when I first looked at your picture, I assumed it was a cat!! The wildest thing we’ve had around here is a possum. And I only saw it once. Otherwise, we fight with the rabbits who seem to prefer my lovely flowers to the abundant grass in the yard. We also have a cardinal nest in our clematis. First time I’ve ever seen one. We have robins everywhere, but it seems cardinals usually pick less obvious places. Didn’t realize our clematis was one of those. I have to admit, though, we’ve let it get a little out of hand and all of our clematis is growing like a weed. Tim thinks it’s going to pull down the trellis!! We’re still staying home except Tim had to go back to work this week. I’m enjoying my alone time but I do kind of miss having him around. Stay safe!!
I know everyone hates having their gardens messed with, me included, but I still like seeing wildlife. We do miss our partners, but that alone time is a great thing. Enjoy!