I try to call my mother at least once a week, but lately, hearing about the “cold spell” they are experiencing is getting old! I know that she doesn’t mean to complain about the temperatures dropping into the low 70°, but hearing about those “cold” temperatures in August makes me yearn for the days when I (too) lived in Colorado Springs!
My husband and I are starting to ponder where we might want to retire in the not-so-near future, and it isn’t in San Antonio! In the past, both of us assumed that San Antonio would be where we eventually retired. But, this last summer has been particularly difficult for us. Just walking across a parking lot is something I dread in these over 100° days.
Sprite (our 14 1/2 year old “puppy”) is going through a time of blissful ignorance… Poor little Sprite… We have to be sure to watch her when she goes outside because she frequently lays down in the sun, on dried-up grass that we are only allowed to water once a week (our night is Thursday, and we get a very limited time span in which we are allowed to water.) If we aren’t particularly diligent, Sprite will simply lay down >>> never in the shade >>> and pant, pant, pant.
Because of Sprite, we have never wanted to “attract” birds, squirrels, or (of course!!!) the neighbors’ cats to our yard. But this year, my husband and I felt like we simply had to go buy a bird bath to put outside. After seeing several squirrels laying on tree branches as if they were going to pass out, we visited our neighborhood Home Depot and bought one. Slowly, the birds and squirrels are getting the word out… WATER!!!
As for Sprite, the little animals don’t seem to bother her. She would have enjoyed running after the squirrels a few years ago, but now she seems oblivious to them. She does enjoy inspecting her backyard domain in the morning to make sure no nighttime trespassers are still on the premises… Then it’s off to nap it off!
