This 'n' that

Still alive. Thought for a moment I wasn't last Thursday. But, false alarm - I'd merely overdone the preparations for a weekend camping trip and passed out. Some OJ and cancellation of the trip brought me around. A weekend of rest restored me to my customary curmudgeonly ways.

Saw Celtic Woman in concert that Thursday evening. As expected, the singing was wonderful. The choreography ... not so much. Why singers think they can act or dance is beyond my ken. Still it was a great way to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We even ran into a couple my wife hadn't seen in 25 years! So, hello to Dr. Melvin and Barbara in Ponchatoula.

Willow ze Wunderhund , our Bull Mastiff cross, went under the knife today to have a jawbreaker-sized growth removed and biopsied. Initial news not good. Definitive opinions must await histology studies and that will be a couple of weeks, most likely. She came through the general anesthesia without difficulty and is looking forward to getting back to chasing Iggy and the rest of the canine residents around the yard very soon.

Lexy cat, our Maine Coon Cat has decided to do a neighborhood walk-about. Assuming she survives and returns unscathed it'll definitely be bath time for her - fleas are bad this year. Assuming she returns before we leave...

We're slowly getting it together to begin our annual pilgrimage north to Maine. Haven't decided on a route, yet. May take in some of the Smokies and other sights just east of the Mississippi. May head to the coast and head up the flatlands - we are fond of the ocean. To be continued.

Have had a miserable chest & head cold this week. The regular springtime ritual coupled with severe allergies has made Wil a dimwitted boy of late. Not that anyone noticed any significant difference, mind you.

Word from Maine friends reports the possibility of reaching 80 degrees this weekend! Only last week they were having flurries. Hoo boy - there's a recipe for some monstrous colds.

That's all the personal news fit for publication. Assuming I don't DFO¹ in the next couple of days, it's off to NOLA, the aquarium and Bourbon Street for some coffee with chickory and Beignets.

¹DFO= an acronym for "Done Fell Out" which is pretty much what I did, too.

04/24 UPDATE: Willow survived the general anesthesia and is resting quietly in her crate for the next 10 days. Not looking real good for the long-term prognosis but won't know anything for another week or two. Necessity of return visit to the Vet in 10 days means departure is delayed until after the first week in May.