Rain, rain, go away, I have laundry to hang out!

The grackles are back. Those black or brown or irridescent birds about the size of a large bluejay but a hell-of-a-lot more aggressive have returned and are carrying out their annual emptying-of-the-birdfeeder shennanigans. Yesterday there were three of them pigging out at the feeder which comfortably holds two much smaller birds. They are the thugs of the avian world, crow wannabes but just not in the same league. I have seen them attack the nests of smaller birds and be driven back by those same territorial guardians. They are slobs. It�s not enough for them to just eat all the sunflower seeds I put out, they throw most of them on the ground where the pickings are easier, but in the process the smaller birds also peck among the grass, to the delight of the plethora of neighbourhood cats. And I haven�t got the slightest idea how to deal with these feathered Vikings. A pellet gun comes to mind, but not to hand.

I did, in fact, get bathed and dressed yesterday and pulled myself away from the magic box. Unfortunately it rained off and on all day, making it difficult to plan an outing, or even a walk. Little Princess and I drove into downtown Sh�brooke to check out the sales, but we found nothing that appealed to either of us. What is it with fashion? We also ended up getting rained on, which cut our leisurely stroll down Wellington Street short. I was so sleepy (as I usually am at that time of afternoon) that all I wanted to do when we got home was nap. Unfortunately, as soon as I lay down, I got interruptions. It never fails.

Hubby has now resumed writing his symphony, which was on hold for a while pending funding, and that means that I have to get back to the other computer inputting notes. I really felt burned out after the viola concerto and didn�t want to look at Finale for a while if I didn�t have to. Guess what! I have to. I also have to start practising again before my voice falls back into the squawking crow category it does every summer. We�re planning a recital for January or February, and it would be nice to learn some new music for soprano and guitar. We�ve kind of exhausted the repertoire of the 20th-century British composers and the 18th-century Italians. Any ideas out there?

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