That seemed like two whole days

[altivo]

All packed into one Wednesday. Had to host and lead a meeting of the consortium's cataloging committee this afternoon, and there had been one event in the meeting room Tuesday night and another this morning, so I went in early, stopping at the grocery store on the way to get some bottled water, cans of soda, and doughnuts. I also had home made cookies that Gary did for me. I had planned on making some myself, but he was looking for an excuse to not do his homework last night and insisted on making them for me. Those were a hit and now I have to distribute copies of his recipe.

I found the tables and chairs in the room were in the proper configuration more or less, but there was green glitter scattered all over them. I spent about 20 minutes trying to get it off a dozen chairs and three tables so that everyone wouldn't have "glitter butt" upon leaving. Got the projector and computer going only to find that the cataloging module we use was missing from the machine, so I had to install that. Once installed it refused to run, giving a "null pointer" error in Java. Finally figured out that the machine had previously had the same software on, and a configuration file was still hanging around on it. That file pointed to a now non-existent server, one that disappeared about five years ago when we took over our own catalog software and broke with the larger system to which we all belong. (Actually the server still exists physically. It's one of the two DEC Alpha machines I now own, but the old address and remote service that were on it are long gone. Got everything fixed and the refreshments put out just in time for the group to arrive. Meeting was reasonably successful. Then I still had to work the evening shift as usual. I'm flattened.

Lots of patchy fog driving home, and dead opossums on the road for some reason. I guess they're awakening from their long winter's nap and staggering into oncoming traffic. Getting out of the car at home I distinctly smelled a fox somewhere near the house. Have to start watching for that one.

Tomorrow morning the vet comes to make one of her semiannual visits to the three horses. I have to be at work, but Gary will be here to help her if she needs help with anything. Then I might have some time to paint in the afternoon, but I'm not holding my breath. I also need to prepare to give lessons in cotton spinning on Saturday.

I think it's past my bedtime.

Comments

[avon-deer.livejournal.com]

I'd have been evil and left a bit of glitter on the chairs. ;)

[altivo]

Nah. There are some administrators for whom I might have been tempted to do that, pompous asses that they are. But the catalogers are my peers and friends. Our meetings are quite enjoyable for the most part.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Any cookies left? *looks rather hopeful*

Say do you think it could be that fox kit that you untangled all grown up?

[altivo]

Actually, yes. But the cookies have chocolate and peanuts in them. Are you sure that's OK for kitties? *offers doughnuts and the extra cans of soda instead*

Oh, yeah, it could be the fox kit we rescued, no way to tell. My guess is probably not, though.

[schnee]

"Glitter butt"... that sounds rather intriguing, actually, although inflicting it upon unsuspecting folks wouldn't have been nice, yes. :)

[altivo]

There are certainly some folks around on whom I'd enjoy inflicting it. But this group are my friends and peers and I wouldn't do it to them. ;p

[moonhare]

...he was looking for an excuse to not do his homework last night and insisted on making them for me.

What a great excuse, too! I'll add that one to my procrastination protocol (beats sharpening pencils and looking for papers).

...I distinctly smelled a fox somewhere near the house.

hmmm, never noticed a fox scent before. Our fox (heh, like we own the fox?) has been hanging around a lot lately at dusk and nighttime. I'll have to look up their behavior behaviour (looks so much nicer) and figure what's going on here. I've been putting out scraps in the general area I know I'll see him/her, and usually I see the outline of the ears or the glowing eyes when I approach: not too close, though, trust me. Yeah, the DEM would come down on me, considering rabies in New England, but the fox has been fairly benign and I wonder if there is a little den nearby. There are certainly plenty of field mice for it to eat, otherwise.

[altivo]

Foxes do have a distinctive smell, and often it is quite strong. That's why hounds can follow them so easily at a high rate of speed. Still, damp air makes it particularly easy to detect and follow I think.

The scent is nowhere near as strong as skunk, but has a certain similarity. Musky, it makes the nose tingle I'd say. Now I apparently have better than average scenting ability, at least when I don't have a cold or allergies going on. However, Gary can detect fox too, and generally he claims to have almost no sense of smell.