Friday, Deo Gracias.

It's just not a good thing when the alarm clock doesn't go off. I woke up at 7:30 this morning and set a new land speed record getting to work. I wasn't too late, but it was embarrassing.

We had our first frost last night. It wasn't too bad at our place, but the Viking still wanted to move the two koi from the pond to indoor quarters yesterday afternoon. Olaf came willingly. Astrid, contrariwise, did not, and we left her in the pond while we went to Sis' house to work on the composter and pick up a bordatella/parainfluenza vaccine for Orion. The composter is almost finished, but the vet catalogue shipped Lyme Disease vaccines instead of kennel cough, so no shot for the dog.

When we got home, we discovered that Olaf had jumped out of the tank and was gasping on the floor. Fortunately we got to him in time (and before the cats did), and he seems not much the worse for wear, although his dorsal fin is a bit ripped. I'll have to keep an eye on that to make sure it doesn't get infected. I did add salt to the tank to encourage his slime coat to regenerate.

Meanwhile the Viking caught Astrid napping and got her inside safely. I didn't get a chance to check on them this morning, but on my way home today I am going to get some netting to cover the top of the tank. That way, I hope, we can keep the fish in and the cats out without interfering with the filter and the plants.

The goldfish, meanwhile, are being left to fend for themselves. They survived fine last winter, and probably the koi would be fine, too, but the goldfish cost, at most, $2/each (fantails). The koi on the other hand, were $25/each and the Viking doesn't want to risk them.

The big shipment of bulbs from High Country Gardens arrived yesterday, so I will be spending the weekend finding places for them. Sis gave the bulb auger back to me, which will make the planting go faster, and I will have the pleasure of fondling each small bulb without having to worry about aggravating my already aggravated medial nerves.

Today is the 170th anniversary of the founding of the School Sisters of Notre Dame, a group of women to whom I owe more than I can say.

verso - recto