the weekend

The Short Version:

So, the good news is that bloodstain came off the ceiling.

Turns out it helps if you get to it when it's still fresh.

And how was YOUR weekend?

The Long Version:

So, Feanor caught another goldfinch -- for the first time since last August -- and brought it inside, where he released it into the living room while Janice and I were having lunch.

Pandemonium ensued. I took the bird away from Feanor, and then had to intervene when Rigby decided she would to be able to dash in and take over. Luckily it was still very much alive, despite a bloody wound on its head like the Great Beast in Apocalypse, and flew around a good deal, at one point hitting the ceiling before fetching up in the window, where it tried to get out. I thought that showed good sense, since nothing good was happening to it inside. I managed to catch it twice, it having gotten away because I was afraid to hold it too hard given its injuries and the famously hollow bones of little birds. Luckily, it flew to the same spot each time, so I was able to recapture it and, with Janice's help, get it in a little box. Next we quickly looked up the name of the animal shelter who'd helped us last time (see August 31st 2009 post) and called them. Luckily they were still open another forty-five minutes, so we headed out in a hurry -- Janice driving, myself holding the box. The bumps seemed to disturb it, so I held it in mid-air the whole trip, taking care to hold the box shut despite its pushing hard at one point; our talking also seemed to upset it, so we had a silent trip.

In the end, we got there; they took over; we left a small donation to be shared between the clinic and the wildlife rescue/rehab people they turn the animals over to. Here's hoping it makes a full recovery. Certainly there was still plenty of life in it, if they could staunch that head wound and give it a chance to heal.

And from there we went straight to the store to buy, among other things, a collar with a bell for El Predator.

And we did other interesting and/or enjoyable things (played Cthulhu, had a Mithlond meeting, saw PRINCE CASPIAN), but I suspect that moment of high drama will stick out in our memories among the weekend's events.

--John R.