Early Voting .... and Goodbye, PorkChop

We tried again this morning to take advantage of the early voting set-up in the local library. Not a chance.... the lines were again snaked around the building. And the library parking lot, with enough spaces as a shopping center, was completely filled up. Not that we would've parked anyway--- we didn't want to wait out in the 95-degree hot sun on that line.

We're hoping that the early voting line is extra-long because the library has just one or two voting machines, which could make even a short line take forever. On Election Day, when the voting machines are set up in the courthouse, there are over a dozen machines and the voting goes fairly quickly. Anyway, we'll keep trying... but I have a feeling that we'll end up going out on Election Day.

My husband and Gracie went around the park for their usual walk this morning, and found out from neighbors that one of the dogs we know had passed away. His name was PorkChop. Funny name for such a serious dog. (Come to think of it, we know the dog's name, but not the people's names.) PorkChop was a basset hound. Long and low to the ground, and ever so slow. Poor PorkChop could hardly run, but he did try. There's a bayou that runs down the middle of the park that's in the center of our subdivision, and it was a sight to see PorkChop running towards the bayou with his ears flopping and his short little legs plodding along. That dog loved the water. The bayou isn't that deep, because for sure PorkChop would've sunk to the bottom like a lead weight. I can't see how those short little legs could've held that long stout body above water.

PorkChop's owners are still walking around the park twice a day... I saw them this evening when I walked Gracie. They were on the other side of the bayou and I don't think they saw us. Both of them were walking with their heads down, most likely thinking about and remembering PorkChop. I can't tell you how many times we would see that couple just standing on the walking trail, waiting for PorkChop to catch up with them.

I don't know how old PorkChop was, but I'm sure he was with that couple for many years. Somehow, you can just tell when a dog has been with its owners for a good long time. I wonder how long it will be till PorkChop's owners start walking around the bayou with a new puppy.

Every time an animal passes away, the owners always say they won't get another. But they usually do. Once you've lived with a dog or cat in your house, it's hard to get used to a home without the sound of four little feet walking behind you. After trying to vote today, we stopped at the bank and the teller who waited on us was one that I hadn't seen for a few months. The last time I saw her, she told me that she had to put their cat to sleep. (Such an odd, quaint expression.) This morning, she told me that she's now "a new mommy to two little kitties." Not one, but two. She said getting two was her husband's idea. He told her they'd keep one another company and not be too much trouble. (Now... where have I heard that line before...)

That was about the day here... not being able to vote... not seeing PorkChop plodding around the park on his usual walks. But the sun was out, the temperature was high, the sky was blue, and the hummingbirds are still out at the feeders in the backyard.

We went to Babbo Bruno's for lunch and sat there going over the list for our Christmas party. Invitations are all written out and addressed now... party plans have been made (which I won't go into here because I can't spoil the surprises for our friends who read this). This week's Halloween party is all set-- everyone has RSVP'd and there will be 24 of us.

And remember the British gentlemen that my friend F and I met at Einstein's Bagels a few weeks ago? He and his wife will be coming to the Halloween party and joining our Charades group. I haven't met his wife-- just spoke to her over the phone for the first time yesterday. She sounds like a very pleasant lady. She told me that she's looking forward to our "Death by Desserts" buffet. She said "Of course, everything on your table will be non-caloric?" Of course, said I.

Okay, so that was a little fib. But I couldn't sleep... and late last night, I made two small signs that I will place on the dining room table for our Halloween party. On one half of the sign is a purple witch. On the other half are the words: "Abra-kazam, abra-kazee... sweets* on this table are calorie-free. *This curse ends at midnight." After all, I am a woman of my word. I went back to bed after that and slept like a baby.