Endings

Well, the glorious two-week hiatus from work is about over. I could not have asked for better weather. I love this time of year. It was pretty busy, catching-up on my chores, watching the White Sox kick the crap out of the Red Sox, helping the kids find a new house and helping to murder my favorite cat.

I spoke to the PM for the new project early this week and he wants me to come in for the kick-off meeting next Tuesday (Monday is Columbus Day holiday. The day we commemorate the Italian invasion of India). Columbus, that erstwhile explorer, reminds me of a lot of managers. He had the right idea - If the world is round, then sailing West would take you to the Far East. The crackers in the bedlinen turned out to be the continent of North America which he did not foresee. So we are stuck with the term "Indian" when the correct term should be "Casino Millionaire." But I digress.

Going back to work should put me back on a less chaotic schedule. I have gained 5 pounds since returning to the free life - mainly owing to the inordinate consumption of Sierra Nevada's and Dewers. And snack food. The house has been full with children and grandchildren for the past month. They are staying here temporarily while they looked for their own home. (Their offer on a place closer to the town where they are working was just accepted, so they will be here until the passing of papers next month.) We are appalled at their diet. Most of the stuff they like to eat is prepared foods, donuts, fast food products, lots of soda and take-out. The pantry is full of tempting chips and snacks. These things we had eliminated from our eating lives.

Our disapproval of their food choices are met with obstinate dismissal. They are a bad influence on my weight loss program. We are very happy that they are with us, as opposed to being in California and when they get settled in the new place it should be less chaotic. We will probably miss the constant noise that is generated by young boys when they are not napping.

We are trying to figure-out the best way to tell the grandkids about the cat, which went to the vet yesterday on the one-way trip which we have been dreading. The cat was diagnosed with renal failure four years ago. We have kept him alive and relatively happy all this time by a weekly infusion of saline solution injected with a big scary needle. But, inevitably, his system began to shut-down. He lost weight, stopped grooming; he looked miserable. We decided yesterday that he was suffering too much. I stayed in the room while the Dr. gave him a lethal overdose of happy juice. Ten seconds later he was in kitty heaven chasing a fat mouse. I admit that I felt the same way Elvis described in the song Old Shep ("I had killed the best [cat] the a boy ever knew... ")

The new Roberts supreme court is currently reviewing the right to die case in Oregon. Conservatives are uncharacteristically going in favor of Federal Authority here as opposed to States Rights. John Ashcroft did not approve of the law in Oregon and his successors are challenging the ruling which blocked Ashcroft's directive regarding prescribing drugs. This will be a nice test to see whether Roberts is a conservative flunky or a man worthy of his robes.

As a man who has admitted to assisting in the peticide of a beloved cat to end it's suffering, I think you know how I stand on this issue. In fact, I would gladly have authorized the forcible taking of John Ashcroft's kidneys if it would have kept my cat healthy.)

The grandkids haven't noticed yet that one of the cats is not among us. (It is not unusual for the cats to hide from the little boys for days on end). But one of these days one of them is going to ask. And, I suppose we will have to tell them the upsetting news: The Red Sox are losers!