Salamander
Fire Walking

I got some bad news on Tuesday when I got into the office. A friend had called and left a message that there had been a fire at the veterinary hospital I use for my pets. In the past months there had been a lot of construction at the hospital for a new wing and additional parking (both of which were badly needed). A spark from one of the construction worker's welders started a fire in the insulation. It moved quickly, and hospital staff barely had enough time to grab an animal and get out of the building. Many of the staff tried to go back in to get more animals, but the construction crew wouldn't let them. This was the right thing to do, since the roof collapsed at the back of the hospital shortly after the last staff member got out. Most of the animals were saved, but seven clients' animals died as a result of the fire, and six of the seven wonderful cats owned by the clinic also perished.

Five of the clinic's cats that died were either blood donors or retired blood donors for the clinic. They may have had jobs, but they were well pampered in compensation, and there was usually one or two around to greet clients at the front desk. The sixth cat of the clinic's that died was a stray kitten one of the techs had brought in and was trying to find a home for.

I have several friends and classmates who were working at the hospital, and I know they're going to be hurt by this financially as well as emotionally. I just wish there were something I could do for them other than sympathize. I did send a contribution to a local no-kill shelter in memory of the hospital's cats, but that really doesn't help anyone except the no-kill shelter. I hate feeling helpless.

I've been trying to get hold of the ex for six weeks now. We use the same broker, and it appears that once again our addresses have been messed up in the broker's records, as I've started receiving mail addressed to him. This has happened at least three other times, and I don't seem to be getting anywhere with the idiot who takes care of the clerical stuff, so I figured I'd dump it on his lap this time. Ex finally got around to leaving me a message on my phone at work Monday, but indicated I wouldn't be able to get hold of him until Thursday night. At this point I'll just let him get hold of me - after he's ignored six emails of mine I feel justified in ignoring one rather useless phone message from him.

Onto happier matters. I've got some new medications, including one for the intense pruritis I've been suffering from recently. (Side note: You gotta love medical terms. Who else would take the single syllable word "itch" and turn it into the three syllable tongue-twister "pruritis"?) A side effect of this medication is that it makes you drowsy. I am instructed to take it at night, before bed, for that reason. And did I ever sleep last night. After a couple weeks of the evil insomnia bug, oblivion qualified for Nirvana. I aspire to no higher plane of consciousness right now. After I catch up on all that lost sleep, I may set my goals a bit higher, but there's no rush!

The Socialist is in the midst of another Grand Cooking Experiment. This time it's a foray into pea/bean soups. He made a split pea soup with yellow peas that really was quite good last week. Last night he turned his attention to black bean soup. He put four chili peppers into it, so I approach this one with a bit more trepidation. This morning the kitchen was only a minor catastrophe though, so I'm not going to complain.

We're overdue for some more pictures of the cats in here. I'll have to see what I can do about that.