(no subject)

Well, I won't exactly get in early, but I did have a lovely ride this morning.

I woke up, unprompted, at 6 (blast it!), tried to go back to sleep and failed (how can a cat make that much noise washing itself?) Got up, fed the beasts, and stumbled around for a bit, then went down to the park for a ride.

Just under six miles, and boy did I notice I hadn't been riding! Shamefully tired after such a small jaunt. But I saw doves, robins, heard some other smaller birds, spotted a deer and a fawn, and just as I was getting back othte car, I had the best fun of all.

I saw an OWL! A gurt big brown owl who swooped over the trail and landed in a tree on the other side and regarded me for a few moments, well, owlishly, before flying off deeper into the wood. It was big, and not horned, so I guess it must have been a barred owl, though it was not as white-specked as most pictures of those suggest. The habitat (marshy, watery terrain with lots of trees for cavity-nesting) is right.

(no subject)

Very sad news, as pointed out by brisingamen:

Vale, Airfix!

a reminder that moving to the UK isn't so easy...even for footy stars

Derby fail to get work permit for Josh Wolff

as pointed out by great_britannia

http://www.crosswalk.com/family/home_school/1261413.html

I am unable to find words that adequately express my horror.