Tiny Tuesday : : Two Finches

The one at the top is a goldfinch, the tinier of the two. The one at the bottom is a house finch sitting on the point of an agave as it waits its turn to take a drink.

We went to see Dr Chang today. For unknown reasons John wasn't scheduled for an x-ray today and they were fixing the x-ray machine. The doc couldn't really do anything without an x-ray, so we waited for them to fix the machine.

Two fire engines  sirens and horns going full blast passed us as we were 
driving there. The first one gave me a stomach ache. The second one made me feel like crying. I checked my phone while we were waiting for them to fix the x-ray machine and it said it was a grass fire. Everybody is already on high alert for fires and it is only May.The Santa Rosa fire department has declared May17th the official beginning of fire season. I'm not really sure what this means other than it is a deadline for getting any grass over 4 inches tall mowed.  Usually fire season doesn't start until August or September and is always sort of vaguely based on weather conditions.. I can't remember an 'official ' start, although I think it is still based on hot dry windy conditions. Some say that it is now fire season the year around here. 

The fracture is still not fully knitted...could take several months...so John can't throw away the brace, but he needs to start walking without the crutches in order to strengthen all the muscles of his leg. John believes that the work he does in the garden is what keeps him fit, and as Dr. Chang says, "Well, you live on a hill and you can't move (house, I assume he meant), so you'll just have to be careful." Chang is a man of few words and we rely on common sense and Kathy the physical therapist to interpret what he has said. I took a picture of the x-ray, but I can see now that it is the tibia and he fractured his fibula on the other side of his leg. The other views are along one side and too small and blurry to see. I'm putting it in extras anyway, just for the record.

Spike is getting more used to being left on his own. When I tell him he has to stay home this time, he sits on his mat and waits for his treat instead of making a break for the door and trying to jump into the back of the car before it is open! His joy upon our return in infectious. Reminds me of a bumper sticker I saw today with the words Who Rescued Who?
inside a paw print....