Let Downs

#1) Curt's surgeon cancelled his carpal tunnel surgery tomorow because of this $^&% ear infection. He said we could try, but there would be an 80% chance we'd get to the hospital and they'd send him home anyway. So headache saved, but frustration level rising. Reschedule isn't expected for 10+ days. grrrrr. Though I guess that means I can do more phone bank calling this week. The Kerry campaign *finally* called and I signed up for a 2 hour stint on Sunday, in addition to the calling I've signed up to do with Planned Parenthood.

#2) Mt. St. Helens is being very coy about this whole eruption thing. Elvis may have left the building but as of today, "magma has reached the surface!". Much to the disappointment of we volcano-watching rubberneckers, it did so with very little fanfare or seismic activity, let alone the much hoped-for geysers of red-hot lava boiling over the oh-so-picturesque snow-clad crater. In fact, nobody (including the scientists) appears to actually be able to *see* the lava - it had cooled to the point where it was a clunky grey mass that was inseparable from the 6 yr old old lava by the time it got to the top. The only way they KNOW it's fresh magma is because of the white-hot heat signature captured by the FLIR cameras.

One little bit of good news, though. We had a scare with Cleo the Calico yesterday. She disappeared for the entire day, per Curt and was nowhere to be found when I came home - even after making complete asses out of ourselves whistling for her and yelling "CleoCaaaaat" all over the neighborhood. We were both on the verge of tears at the prospect of losing another kitty, and really - the most beloved (I've had her 10 years... through 8 moves?) when she came traipsing in about 8:00 pm. After being convinced that she was broken and bleeding under a bush somewhere, this was quite the relief. Although, she is still acting funny. Stuck around long enough to eat, then hightailed it outside again. And she's been most anti-social since then, too. Didn't even respond when I broke out the flute (which she has a freaky love/hate relationship with). Maybe it's the volcano. Who knows.