Dec. 02, 2002 ~ Monday catch-up
Blackie cat came home from the clinic today. She's feeling better after her surgery (spay), though her eye is still pretty gunky. She does have two eyes, but now Susan says that she will probably have no vision in the damaged eye. So we are back, more or less, to "One-eyed Blackie." She seemed subdued, almost lethargic, at the clinic, and I wondered if she was really ready to come home. But Susan is so much wiser than I am about such things, and she thought she was probably just scared. Said she would probably perk up as soon as she got home. And as soon as I opened the door to her carrier... zoom! She was gone, just a black blur of fur. She headed out in the direction of the barn, but now she's sitting on the bedroom window ledge, visiting with our indoor cat, Pepper. Those two are always flirting and goofing around. It's amusing during the daytime, less so in the middle of the night.
I've written another letter to Soldier Boy, and plan on trying to write two letters a week, minimum. They only receive mail once or twice a month, so I want him to have a bunch to read. I wish I understood this situation. Afghanistan is considered a war zone, if I'm to believe what I read in the papers, but theirs is officially a peacekeeping mission. As such, they don't receive combat pay or get the special badge or ribbon or whatever it's called, for their uniforms. But they must always have their weapons at the ready, and be alert for snipers. This doesn't sound peaceful to me.
Yesterday's headlines saddened me. On the front page was a story about Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) and all the shopping that people were doing. The photo showed a woman laden with packages and bags. Right next to it was an article about getting ready to go to war with Iraq. On the one hand, I try not to read these things. I know I shouldn't... it only upsets me. On the other hand, I have to know what's going on. They talked of the forty or fifty thousand troops in the Middle East, and the fact that it would take them one or two months to build up the 250,000 American troops needed to launch an attack. In the first Gulf War, Hussein seemed content to allow us a six-month buildup of troops. They say that this wouldn't happen twice. Hussein would probably attack our troops in the area, without politely waiting for them all to arrive.
My thoughts are dark and I don't really want to write what I'm thinking. So enough about that.
Soldier Boy, may legions of angels watch over and protect you and your fellow soldiers. My heart is with you there. I would protect you if I could. But there you are, far from home, protecting me. And protecting that lady on the front page of the paper, the one with all the shopping bags, who probably isn't thinking twice about possibilities of war.
But I'm thinking of it, and lots of us are.
Vaya con Dios...
All rights reserved
_______________________________