August 3

August 3
Originally uploaded by dumbeast

Big hatch over the river this morning. I love the collective motion of the swarming bugs in the air. I wonder how much biomass that represented. I wonder what sense(s) the bugs use to coordinate the swarming motion. I wonder why there weren't a bunch of bug-eating birds feasting on them. That seemed like an oversight in the Mother Nature's Big Interconnected Web of Life department.

Underneath this action, Mary was feeding a pair of ducks at the shore. She didn't play favorites. Each duck got as much hamburger bun as the other. I shouted encouragement.

• "Look out, you guys! She's thinking a l'Orange!"
  
• "She wants to show you her gingerbread house!"
  
• "She's gonna take you home, sew you together and try to make you into a cat!"
  

All ducks look a little bit (exactly) like Pearl.

Catnip Blanket

Catnip Blanket
Originally uploaded by dumbeast

Judy thought it would be good for Ray to have something new that doesn't smell like Pearl. He REALLY likes it. Thanks, Judy.

Still Missing Pearl

But aside from some blockage, Ray's doing ok. Thanks Mary, Cathy, Silka & Cheshire for stepping up and sorting that.

Rest In Peace

Pearl the Cat

Pearl's Water Dish

Pearl's Water Dish 2
Originally uploaded by dumbeast

Pearl's water dish out on the deck reflects sunlight onto the ceiling.

Ray and Pearl

Ray and Pearl, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Kinda sharing the lamp

853 SXY

853 SXY, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Four-wheeled liability that we rented over the weekend to take Pearl to Bay Area Veterinary Specialists

for sonogram & unhappy diagnosis, and then back to Cheshire

for a shot of Prednisone, which seems to have improved her appetite.

Sick Kitty

Sick Kitty, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Mary wrote:
We've had some sad news about Pearl this weekend. She had lost quite a
bit of weight very suddenly and wasn't eating or drinking on Thursday and
we took her to her vet on Friday who determined she had gone from 14+
pounds to 9 pounds(!) and blood tests showed a liver problem. We took her
to a specialist in San Leandro on Saturday and found out she has advanced
liver cancer. Anyway, she had a good weekend and is still with us and is
eating and drinking again but we've decided not to treat her except with
steroids and fluids (the only other option being chemotherapy which would
just buy her a little time and would not cure her) and we'll take it a day
at a time, as long as she is still enjoying being with us and making Ray
miserable.

Pearl & Ray

Pearl & Ray, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

Pearl at the New Scratchin' Post

Pearl at the New Scratchin' Post, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

I fell in love with you
The first time I looked into
...Them there eyes!

lyrics and music by Maceo Pinkard & William Tracey & Doris Tauber

As sung by Billie Holiday

Mickey Urine Ball

Mickey Urine Ball, originally uploaded by dumbeast.

By Ray and/or Pearl