Lucky Number 13

Today was a very pleasant, all too early and tempting, but don't get your hopes up spring-like day. The sun was shining, and it got warm enough to begin melting a little of the snow. It was a dripping kind of day!

I started the day off visiting with my friend Patti from my old life. She still works at the place I used to work. We met up and had a coffee and something sweet at the Paneras. I then took her to my home, so she could see where I'm living now. After that, shopping and lunch. It was her birthday on Friday, and I have not seen her for awhile. It was good to catch up with her. She's a great friend . . . . one of the few in my life who has made an effort to keep in touch, and make me feel wanted.

After my visit I had enough time to gear up and get out with the bird. We went to the woods out behind where I work. The snow has drifted in some of those areas and is quite deep! Sometimes I felt like I was in quicksand, slogging out of drifts. Initially we flushed a squirrel, and Nina made a couple dives on it. It's funny, but when the squirrel makes a safe break for it, they chatter at you. It's almost like a taunt. Phil has mentioned this before too, and its true. Squirrels have a serious attitude! She quickly gave up on the squirrel, as I surprisingly flushed a bunny. She made a stoop on it, but missed, and I could not convince her to re-engage with the squirrel afterwards. We then spent the next half hour to fourty-five minutes mostly walking around, looking for something to chase. Almost to the end of the wooded area, I moved down into the valley behind it, and apparently flushed a bunny that was out catching some rays. I saw the bird make a dive for it, and the bunny cry. It's a good thing she does not need help with bunnies, for with the deep snow, it took me a couple minutes to get over to her. I dispatched the bunny, this is number 13, and decided to go ahead and let her feed up on the warm insides. That done, I began the long slog back to my car. No pictures, for what was left was not fit for pictures.

Spring break is in two weeks. This semester has been going by pretty quickly. Previously I had wanted to fly to New Mexico and meet up with my friend Sharon, and fly Nina on jackrabbits. However, the airlines would not let me transport the bird as luggage, but instead only as cargo. The charge for cargo was almost as high as if I purchased her a seat all her own. Somehow, I don't think I could get her to accept a seat belt, so I cancelled my plans. News this last week has changed those plans. My Uncle Calvin has experienced some health issues, and I thought it might be a good idea to make a visit. Also, my employer surprised me, and gave me the weekend after my vacation week off as well. That's nine days! This makes the trip do-able! I've contacted my sister, and she is willing to go with me to make the trip.

So, I hope to make the best of my opportunity, and fly Nina on jackrabbits. I hope she will chase them. I hope she will catch one. It would be like the "icing on the cake" of this final season with her.