Okay. So this little girl from our church volunteers at a Wildlife Center in town and today they had an open house. She asked me to stop by. So this whole time I’ve thought how weird it was that I never knew Lubbock had a Wildlife Center and I had to look it up to find out where it was located. It’s actually called the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center and it just happens to be someone’s backyard. I mean, there’s a house, and a large backyard filled with cages and a little shed and a fenced-in area and stalls for birds. They have three deer, a pelican, a bobcat, a fox, a raccoon, a possum, lots of different bird species, a kitten named One-Eyed Jack because he only has one eye, and several ducks, including one named Ilene because she only has one leg. In a very large backyard. No kidding.
One-Eyed Jack, by the way, is looking for a good home, but he can’t live with other cats because he has feline herpes–contagious to other cats but no other animals, including humans. If Mel wouldn’t say, “ew” and “ick” and “shoo” I might ask her if we can get a cat, but I already know what she’ll say.
So two of the owls were the most terrifying things I’ve ever seen in my entire life. There aren’t words to describe them, but knowing me, I’ve got to try. So they’re your typical scary-movie owls with big, yellow eyes so menacing you think they’re putting a curse on you. The ears of one of the owls’ were sticking straight up, his mouth was open like he was laughing evilly, and his chest was moving rapidly up and down in a fluffing motion that only amplified the effect of his silent cackle. The other owl just stared at me wide-eyed. As I started walking away, his gaze appeared to follow me the way some portrait paintings do. When I stopped to see if he was actually looking at me, he bowed his head and stared straight ahead, baring into my soul and I’m certain he was plotting my death. It was bizarrely creepy.

At the suggestion of Ben and this guy’s post and also maybe God, I’ve given up caffeine and Imitrex in an attempt to lessen my headaches. I gave up caffeine about six years ago and things were better for awhile, but apparently at some point I decided it no longer mattered, so I started drinking it again. The first week was excruciating and nauseating as if I’d been beaten by bricks and poisoned. But now it’s been ten days without caffeine and nine without Imitrex and the days are getting better. I have hope again, and I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.

Also at the invitation of Ben, I’ve joined Plurk, and so far it’s holding my attention and entertaining me. Feel free to join as my friend. I can’t tell you how happy that would make me.

More later.

Peace, love, and plurking.