Archimedes was from Syracuse. It's almost undrstandable how your student could be confused.

Oh Robin, we've had a two-seater swing like that on our deck from spring through fall for the last three years. Last year, the wind caught the canopy and hopped the whole unit over the front railing to the ground a story below. We're having freak windbursts, because it's nearly happened several times since then, and since we're not always home when a storm comes up, we've had to take the canopy off more or less permanently.

Now, however, the windbursts have gotten more freaky and stronger--they're catching the swing seats and dragging the unit around the deck. I miss my canopy shade, especially now that the temperature has soared.

But before we had our freakish winds, the swing was the best thing, ever. I know you'll enjoy yours.

It's almost undrstandable how your student could be confused.

Oh, yeah. I'd forgotten that. He actually told me that his sister told him that, and it wasn't clear whether she was playing a joke on him or really thought that, but I'm glad to have that link. Of course, it proves that not only does he not know much about the history of math/philosophy, but he also doesn't know much about the history of the U.S. Let's go high school graduates!

Late to the party, but Many Happy Returns of the Day, Sean!

Happy Birthday, Sean!!!

I saw that swing, Robin, and the first thing I wondered was if it would fit on my balcony. But then Beverly had to start talking about freakish winds and scared me. I guess I will remain swingless. I do think I need to find some kind of canopy/umbrella for the balcony, though. It faces west and gets very, very hot in the afternoon, which is prime balcony sitting time.

(((Sophia)))

Oh Sophia, all the healing-ma and cat-ma in the world.

Sophia, sorry to hear about your cat. Please do NOT neglect your wounds -- deep cat bites have a marked tendency to turn septic, you should SEE a DOCTOR and GET antibiotics ASAP. Please do this.

One of my kidhood cats suddenly turned vicious -- the best the vet could tell us was that it was probably an epileptic-type reaction, only instead of having a seizure, the cat's switch went over to "attack anything moving." Alas, we had to have poor Nicki put down, because there was no way to guarantee it against happening again.

Thanks sue, Tom and Theo:

I posted a few more details, copied from Bitches.

They seem to think that something went wrong with his nuetering and he really didn't like being indoors. He has been attacking me a lot lately. He actually attacked me inside, so we went for a walk outside, which is wear he attacked me the first time. He went up on my porch, I thought he wanted to go in, and he came at me so hard I fell to the ground and couldn't get him detached from my leg. I went upstair to get a water bottle, wnt on to my porch, and he cam out of nowhere, again, knockimg me to the ground and this time puyncturing the skin on my hand deep enough that I could see my innards. The spray bottle didn't work. At this point, since he was on the porch, I feared he would attack someone else, which is why I called.

I am just heartbroken, though. When the people came, I felt like a battered woman, and I had to call him so they could catch him.

I cleaned my wounds pretty well, and applied iodine, which all the nurses tell me id the thing (neosporin is bad. I am actually hoping to make it until one of the nurses I work with can look at it and prescribe me something. I think most of the pain is due to the tendon thing, and the fact that the wounds are on bendy bits. I have about 30 - 40 distinct scrtched on my right ankle!