“They said it was only a ground shark; but I was not wholly reassured. It is as bad to be eaten by a ground shark as by any other.”
This is a sort of solitary confinement. I sit behind closed windows and doors. The house is just too comfortable to leave. Today will be in the low 80’s. It will get humid tonight as rain is predicted for tomorrow, but I have become a skeptic. We are in the dry season, no longer in summer.
Where in the world is Fern? That was last night’s game. I was upstairs in the AC when I heard a commotion downstairs. When I went to investigate, neither cat was around. I went looking. I found Fern under one of the guest room beds, her safe place. She wouldn’t come out. I put her treats down and then later checked to see if she had eaten her tidbits. Nope, Maddie was eating them. Fern had moved to the other side of the bed. I left her there.
Last night I checked under the bed, no Fern. I called her and shook the treat bag. She didn’t come. I went to bed but during the night woke up and called Fern again. I turned on the bedroom light to go hunting. Fern was on the bed beside me. I had missed her. She got treats and ate all of them. When I woke up, though, Fern was gone. She has since surfaced and is sleeping on the couch.
I got to cross off one of my trip essentials. I saw the doctor and got anti-malarial pills and pills for my back should it cause problems, or maybe I should say when. My list is getting smaller.
The Great Whites have found a summer home here on Cape Cod. They enjoy the sun and surf. They eat al fresco and usually order seal. The other day, though, a party of six dined on a whale carcass, a minke whale carcass. Three beaches were closed as the sharks were close to shore. Be vigilant was the advice to swimmers. I saw Jaws, vigilance sometimes isn’t enough.
Explore posts in the same categories: Musings
August 9, 2016 at 12:54 pm
Guess you and The Times are on the same page today
“Pity the poor, misunderstood shark. Vilified in films as vengeful killers, persecuted at sea for their valuable fins, 100 million of them are killed every year. Now, a new study has laid some of the blame for our largely irrational fears on the ominous soundtracks that invariably accompany footage. Where marine scientists see Great Whites, we see Jaws.
The findings of the study into the effects of background music can be summarised in one word: bad. People who watched film clips of sharks with unsettling music were more disturbed than those who heard uplifting music, or no music at all. This is not simply a confirmation of the obvious. In the fight to preserve a declining species, perception can be key, as according to conservationists, fear of sharks continues to hinder their efforts.”
Dur-dur, dur-dur, dur-dur, dur-dur …The perfect dating movie 41 years ago.
August 9, 2016 at 12:59 pm
My Dear Hedley,
I played the theme from Jaws the other day. It still gives me pause even after all these years so I can understand how it skews your perception, your fear factor.
I know the odds of being bitten by a shark are 1 in over 3 million, while the odds of getting struck by lightning are far less. I doubt I’ll be the victim of either one.
August 9, 2016 at 1:37 pm
Kat
I am somewhat adverse to sharks and Crocodiles – which reminds me again – keep the hell away from that stupid sacred Croc pool.
August 9, 2016 at 3:02 pm
MDH,
I promise to go nowhere near the sacred Crocs!
August 9, 2016 at 12:58 pm
Hi Kat,
Find Me seems to be a favorite game for animals to inflict on their humans. Piki Dog is usually under foot but he’s so small that he can hide under foot with ease. Other times, when he is missing, he’s either under the bathtub or on the wrong side of whatever door I just used. Rocky is usually on his step or out on the front porch but sometimes he’s nowhere. His fur blends in with the rug and just about everything else in the house so he often surprises me by being cryptically there all along.
Yesterday was bill paying and washing dishes. Today is a no errand day. Tomorrow is veterinarian for Piki Dog. Thursday and Friday are busy, too.
It’s still nice up here today. Windows are open and fans are running but the house is comfortable. Rain would be really nice.
Enjoy the day.
August 9, 2016 at 1:04 pm
Hi Caryn,
I have to go out as I need to have a blood test and drop off my prescription so they can order it.
Gracie is too big to hide though when she was a puppy, I couldn’t see her in the dark of the backyard. I would listen for sounds of her walking on the leaves so I could locate her. Now the yard has lights. Maddie doesn’t hide, only Fern. I read that cats need to be alone when they are sick so I figure that’s why Fern has taken to hiding.
I have to do bills tonight.
My week is pretty empty though I do have a play on Friday.
The air is on in the house. I was feeling hot. It is nice and cool now. Later I think I can turn t off as it will be around 69˚ tonight.
Having a great and easy day!
August 9, 2016 at 1:58 pm
Really windy here today and tomorrow arctic winds will hit us and it will be rather cold. It won’t stay that way for long though but it is the first day of what will come, autumn.
I’ve given up trying to figure out where my cats might be 🙂 The dogs aren’t happy if they too jump up in my bed but I guess that’s the only time I know if they´re indoors at all 🙂
No big whites here even if people believe we now have them here. It is an April first joke that they printed in the news papers nine years ago and every now and again that article pops up even in the real news papers 🙂 Fact checking isn’t that big in the real papers either I’m afraid 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
August 9, 2016 at 3:06 pm
Christer,
I want some of that cold weather. It will get progressively hotter toward the end of the week. I’m glad I don’t live in Boston as it hit 90˚ a few days in a row.
My cats stay inside. Most people here have indoor cats. Vets say that cats have only a 50-50 chance to make it home whenever they go out. We used to let our cats out when I was young, but one was hit by a car and two were poisoned.
The Great Whites are now returning every summer drawn by the seals. This year they tagged 6 new ones. That way they can follow where they go and when they return here.
Have a fine evening!
August 9, 2016 at 2:53 pm
Today I walked along the river with friends. Not a single shark showed up. Rabbits don’t count as wild dangerous animals? Btw, we still have rain to share.
August 9, 2016 at 3:09 pm
Birgit,
You have obviously never run into the Killer Rabbit
https://youtu.be/Nvs5pqf-DMA
August 9, 2016 at 3:33 pm
Next month again when I’ll see the Monty Python musical at our local theater 🙂 I hope our local rabbits don’t watch and learn.
August 9, 2016 at 3:48 pm
Maybe your local rabbits were the inspiration!
August 9, 2016 at 4:02 pm
Help!
August 9, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Birgit,
I say run but you know how fast rabbits are. Maybe just play dead!