Entertainment

A good weekend, spent with a good friend - many laughs, perhaps a tiny bit too much wine, lots of shared memories... and the entertainment was great, too!

In addition to little Speed Racer here, Kura and I also had a close encounter with a black bear. Yep, my "friendly" neighborhood bear showed up just before Kura arrived yesterday afternoon. I was working in my office and was alerted by a sudden loud bang from the deck - rushed into the living room ... only to see the frigging bear ON THE DECK RAILING! Like a freaking ballerina. Yep. 200 or so pounds of black bear, all dainty as you please on the 1-inch wide railing. He got what he came for , which was a seed ball on a shepherds' crook on the deck. Seed ball clenched between his pearly-whites, he carefully lowered himself over the side of the deck rail and dropped to the ground. While I stood at the back door like a lunatic and yelled at him at the top of my lungs. (So glad our neighbor's aren't close enough to have seen me.)

Kura arrived a few minutes later and hadn't been here 10 minutes when I glanced out the window and saw... a pair of black furry ears and a furry head between the slats of the deck railing. Armed with pots and pans, Kura and I went out the back door and scared the wits out of the bear - he took off into the woods faster than you could say "holy crap!" And I haven't seen him since. Note to self - no more seed balls.

After all the bear excitement, we were both pleased to have a little chippie-therapy. I've posted three other chippie shots and three birds starting HERE on Flickr, if you'd care to have a look. This shot is especially for Kura, who (like me) has fallen a bit in love with the chipmunks of Tallyho.

Kura and I had such a good time, and there were NO tears! We know we'll see each other again soon - either in FL or in NYC. And while it was out last weekend at "the Estate" (as we've all fondly called our home), it will be far from our last weekend together. As added fun, we Face-timed with Peggy, who's back in China, last night - it was first thing in the morning for her, and she hadn't had the benefit of all the wine that Kura and I had consumed, but we were all laughing and giggling and it didn't feel like there were several oceans between us. I really do love technology.

Here's to the week ahead - in my case, let's hope it is extremely productive. :)

Cheers...

Debbi