Saturday, March 01, 2008

past, present, future

Since I haven't posted for a long while (again), I figured perhaps I owed it to my loyal readers (can you be readers if there has been nothing fresh to read?) to participate in the newly torturous version of NaBloPoMo - the one which is available monthly and with a theme. March's theme is lists. Much as I love a good list, I'm thinking this first post only loosely applies, for here I am playing a bit of catch up with the little bit of news you've missed since my last efforts...

First a list of things past:

1. On February 16th I rescued my first ever blackcoat, an elephant seal pup still wearing his long blackish baby fur. Blackcoats are in theory automatic pick ups cuz they are still too young to be separated from mom. In fact, Rustin still had some remnants of his umbilicus. Strange that in my six years rescuing he was the first blackcoat I'd ever seen. Anyway, we found him beneath the Estero Bluffs, at the water's edge, barely responsive, and only 53 kg (less than half the size he should've reached with mom). It was late so he got to spend the night, which is great fun cuz elephant seal pups are what we call the "trainer model." I got to let all kinds of new folks do the tubing and restraining while I just supervised. With the sea lions and fur seals I pretty much hog all the action as the inexperienced handler could very well get bit. Much as I love hogging the action, I like how elephant seal season makes me feel like I might not actually be the selfish bitch I know I am.

2. The next day, while preparing to ship Rustin, we got a call on Chubina, a gal twice his size hanging on a popular beach in Cambria. We were a bit perplexed by her healthy body weight, but after discussing it with the professionals, we decided a rule is a rule and a blackcoat is an automatic pick up. Chubina was pretty cooperative but even so it was a feat to fit her 107 kg in the carrier. Thank goodness the fire department was on hand to help us get her off the beach. Sadly, we did not get to play with her at all because it was time to transport and, as the vet tech said, she wasn't going to die of starvation any time soon.

3. Shortly after my transport driver left with Rustin and Chubina, the call came in on Michigan. He was on a crappy beach, the Sandspit, and I didn't want to torture my entire crew with the hike out there just to discover he was a perfectly healthy weaner. So I went out as the scout, foolishly failing to bring a jacket. Imagine my surprise when again I found that long dark baby fur on my little 93 kg darling. So I waited there for at least an hour before my crew showed up (one of them with an extra jacket, bless her heart). Sadly, by the time we got him back to the site the professionals had decided to end all this madness. Plans were made to relocate both Michigan and Chubina. The whole blackcoats as automatic pick ups rule has now been modified to exclude weaners who have yet to molt... Interestingly, this is the second rule I have inadvertently been integral in changing. The other was in Ms. Grindle's calculus class, 1989. She now specifies that students can not use fruit as a vehicle in the annual egg drop competition (this coming immediately after Wendy and I successfully used a watermelon...).

On to things present:

1. I am presently finishing up celebrating my first ever real wedding anniversary, yesterday. Today we must finish decorating our graham cracker castle (something we enjoyed so much with the niecelets we decided to do it on our own) which became a daunting task when we ran out of time and icing. Like most homeowners, we overextended ourselves and had nothing left in the budget for upkeep...

2. I am also ignoring the flat tire on Erik's car. We noticed it the day before yesterday but didn't want to be bothered on our anniversary. Kindly, the neighbor came up to notify us as he knows Erik works at night and commutes on a winding road with poor cell reception.

3. I am also debating whether or not to have a healthy breakfast (oatmeal and tea) or a decadent breakfast (tiramisu from the same bakery that made our wedding cake). Guess which one is winning?

And in the future:

1. My parents will be showing up some time today in their brand new car (the Prius Touring). I convinced them to stay at the Inn in Morro Bay (cuz it offers a winter special unlike their favorite bed and breakfast) which means soon I will be floating in the Inn's yummy heated pool. I put their room in my name so I could check in early.

2. In April I will get to see my sister and my youngest niecelet, Grace. They are coming down for 5 days, to my actual house. They are not just coming to my state and saying they are visiting me. They are actually coming to my town. To visit me. Grace and I are so excited. We were chatting about it on the phone after she found out. She kept saying, "Do you want to go to April? I want to go to April." And now, apparently, she keeps asking her mom "Are we at April yet?" So cute.

3. And at some point in the future I will regret having tiramisu for breakfast. I'm pretty sure.

So that's all for today. See you tomorrow, it seems...

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