Spectacular meteor!

The family went to Cafe Capistrano for an excellent dinner tonight. As we were getting into our car, Hallie shouted “Daddy, look up!” As I did, I saw a spectacular meteor go streaking horizontally across the eastern sky before it dissolved. It was a round ball so bright the crescent moon didn’t even wash it out. I can’t recall any meteor that ever lasted long enough for someone to point it out to someone else, but there it was.

I was unsure what I had just seen until I remembered reading mention of the annual Geminid meteor shower in the paper yesterday. Supposedly the shower peaked at noon today, but the mega meteor we saw came at 7:06 PM.

If this is what we can expect from this year’s shower it should be worth watching indeed!

Home again

I’m back from my jaunt up north to Annapolisburg. It was drizzly and cool the whole visit. Quite a shock to pull up to my driveway to 75 degree weather after starting off so chilly.

The company party was fun. I enjoyed talking to my coworkers and their S.O.’s. Everyone always has something interesting to say. I always learn something from any one I talk to.

One of the meetings I attended was a mandatory sexual harassment session. I had to ask if it was proper for my female officemate to always be jumping into my lap while I worked. Of course that particular officemate is no longer with me, alas.

Annapolis again

I hit the road this morning for Annapolis. Company meetings are today and the company’s holiday party is tonight. Tomorrow I have more meetings before returning home in time for the kids’ bedtimes.

Goodbye, Smitty: 1 Jan 1993 – 12 Dec 2007

Smitty

[Warning: Long, sappy, cat-focused blog post ahead.]

We all bid goodbye to our family cat, Smitty, today. It was a sad occasion, one that I won’t get over for a while. She was a part of my life for fifteen wonderful years: a significant portion of my life. I took it for granted that she was always there, that she would always be there. Its so hard to say goodbye.
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Funeral

We just had a little funeral at sundown tonight, putting Smitty in a grave behind our fence. The kids drew pictures to put in the grave. I left a paper cup of milk. The kids were weepy but incredibly understanding, too.

Got to finish up more work now.

Time

Time
Pink Floyd

Ticking away the moments that make up a dull day
You fritter and waste the hours in an off hand way
Kicking around on a piece of ground in your home town
Waiting for someone or something to show you the way
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She’s gone

I asked the vet to put Smitty down this morning after getting the results of her blood tests. Her kidneys were failing and she apparently was in pain, judging by the fight she gave the vet crew.

She took her last breath at 10:52 this morning. The vet doc had to give her a sedative first as Smitty was fighting and cussing all the way. I got a chance to say goodbye, though. If it weren’t for my business trip today and tomorrow, I might have let her spend her last days at home. But I wanted to be there.

More tonight.

Smitty’s prognosis not good

I got back from the vet this morning without Smitty with me, who is staying to get some blood tests done. Her weight is down to 8 pounds, 4 ounces: a far cry from her fighting weight of 11 pounds. Even without the results of the bloodwork I know such a drop is not good.
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