So, we’ve made it more or less to the halfway point of another five-day work week. This one started out with an exhilarating trip to the dentist, which (all things considered) wasn’t too terrible. I got an attaboy for my diligence and oral hygiene, and an appointment for my next cleaning in February (which sounds very cold to me). When I got home on Monday evening, there were only two dogs there to say hello, which is very unusual. Turns out the third one was camped out underneath a tree waiting for some varmint or other to come down and play. At first I thought it was a cat, but much to my surprise, it turned out to be a woodchuck.

Now, I’m a pretty worldly guy, but I’ve never seen a woodchuck in a tree before, and frankly had no idea that they could even climb trees. But apparently they can, and this poor fella looked pretty terrified. So I herded up the dogs and sequestered them over on the other side of the yard. I went back to check on him a few hours later, and damned if he wasn’t still there, hugging a branch. I was beginning to try and figure out how I’d go about moving him if it came down to it, but fortunately he was gone the next morning.

I’m guessing he’ll stay outside the fence from now on, but I’m a bit paranoid that there’s gonna be a groundhog paratrooper leaping from a tree when I least expect it, and biting my face off.

Otherwise, there isn’t much excitement around here. Summer seems to be fading fast, and the weather has turned slightly chilly. At least at night, which is good for sleeping but not so good for keeping the pool water warm. At this rate, between the cost of water, electricity, chemicals, and propane, I figure it will have cost me roughly $64.15 for every time I’ve gone in the pool this summer. What a deal!

And of course I’m trying to resign myself to the possibility that the idiot American people will somehow manage to appoint Donald Trump the next president. Not that the other Republicans are any better.

Please save us Bernie Sanders!

Oh well, two and a half more days and then another 3-day weekend. I only hope I can make it.