All positive healing thoughts to your nephew, Laura, and strength and coping thoughts to your family.

How awful, Laura. All kinds of ~ma to him and the whole family.

Laura - lots of strong-~ma to your nephew.

So it was -15 last night. It was pretty damn cold this morning when I walked to Walgreens. I had no I'd, phone or jacket.

Took me all morning to warm up and my toes are still cold. Is that something I should be worrying about?

Happy Birthday, Beverly. Please imagine me warbling this enchanting version of the auld standard:

Happy Birthday to You You post in a Zoo Your Friends Act Like Monkeys (especially Kay=teee...) But that's OK. So do you!

I'm sorry but I cannot say that you SMELL like a monkey. Only Dave does that, and it has to be on his birthday.

I am so happy to keep hearing that people enjoy hearing about the hummingbird's progress. Today was another good day for interspecies relations at Chez Bee. I walked out of the house and wondered if the birds would recognize me. ZOOOM. Under the awning roof and parted my hair. Totally felt the wind. So cool!

Then Pearlie noticed the baby sitting on that favorite low branch. I sternly told her that is MY bird, so it's for watching and not for hunting. (Of course she understands me and obeys me perfectly at all times). I had to shoo them apart a few times and I had to be more annoying than just shaking the branch baby was sitting on. I had to say loud words and flap my arms around to chase it to another seat.

Then Dave came home early and wanted to see the bird, which obligingly sat on a bracket about three feet from his head whilst we sunned ourselves on the patio. Sadly he didn't see that, but he got to walk up for a nice long look when baby was hopping around in the pine tree.

So the local science and nature crowd is very pleased. We wish you all a Good Weekend!

It does take some time to get past that level of chill, Sumi. I hope you don't have anything you have to do this weekend except stay relaxed and warm up.

I love picturing the baby birds.

Driveby to post this current sale on zulily:

[link]

Bonny, I thought of you especially, but I believe many here will find it to be of interest. It's a jillion different coloring books, learn to draw books, some art supplies.

Between this and their current Marvel sale, my "austerity" budget has kinda gone out the window.

Enjoy, y'all!

sumi, change your socks. I know it sounds counterproductive, but even if you've been toasting your feet, they sweat, the socks wick it away from your skin, and then if the heat source is removed, the sweat cools and feels clammy next to your toes and chills them again. Clean dry socks should really help.

Katie, thanks for the b-day wishes. And your birdie posts are a high point of my day!

Lots of ~ma to your nephew, Laura.

Blah. I've had a cold all week, and my lungs are seriously not happy. Some of my students were asking me if I was OK, because I was coughing so much while teaching. And having to walk around campus while the temperature was -3 did not help at all.

I have put on some lovely hand knitted wool socks and my toes are already feeling warmer.

Laura, healthma for your nephew.

Hil, I have a similar cold. I am feeling a lot better today, but when I lay down I just cough and cough and cough. I have been off sick from work for the last three days. I am hoping I can get some sleep tonight.