I got the rat poison. I opted not to get the kind you throw in the attic, because it kills them instantly and then, you know, you have a dead rat in the attic. I have used them before, but always had Dan’s house to escape to when one died, and ripened. Upon close investigation, I saw no sign that they were ravaging my pantry or anywhere else. No droppings, no chewed through bags of rice or cereal. I’m taking a guess that the one I saw might have snuck in when I left my back door open for a minute. I’ve not seen hide nor hair of him since. So I set one more bait station, refilled the one I had and will just continue to monitor them. Usually, they think they’ve found the food when they find the bait station, eat some, and leave. They are small, about twice the size of a mouse, but nowhere near the size of the river rats we used to see as a kid when the Mississippi overflowed its banks, or even in CT, when the Connecticut River flooded and they would come up the sewer lines into our car wash. I’m grateful these are only about 4” long, not 18” or so. Ugh. Rats.

I have been beating up Dan’s old gong stand to try to get it apart so I can put it away. I sprayed all the nuts and bolts that were stuck with WD-40 as well as the joints that just slid together but won’t unslide. I’ve been banking on the crossbars with a hammer, but don’t wish to dent it. I guess I will have to either ask Dan to come and take it apart, which I am loathe to do, or ask one of my friends (male) to help me. I guess the 2^nd choice is the best one. Dan might take it as a sign I needed him, for other than taking it apart. But I’ll try again for a few days, and then decide if it doesn’t come apart.

I sat out on my deck reading yesterday. The temp is coming back up, and it was a perfectly beautiful afternoon, in the 70’s, though it got quite windy. Today is reaching for 80 and I’m so excited that I can put shorts and flip-flops back on. It is such a shame that we won’t be doing a sound healing tonight on the beach, such a perfect night it will be. Although it is still breezy, and that makes it difficult. The gongs catch the wind and have blown over. Still, the wind usually dies at sunset, so I think it would have been doable.

I went to open mic last night. I almost didn’t go, because I was tired by nighttime, but I needed the camaraderie there. It is there that I met my Gulfport tribe. It’s a perfect place, a seafood joint with really good food, really good staff, very casual, wonderful talent. The sound leaves a little to be desired, and used to drive Dan crazy. There are a few people for whom that’s enough not to want to go. But most of us go not only for the music, but to see each other, and catch up, and support those who perform. Last night two people had celebrated their birthday in the last week, so, as is our custom, someone brought cakes and we all sang happy birthday. I knew there would be cake there, so I ate a tiny dinner, and when I saw two cakes (I’d only expected one) I turned to my friends and said, “Oooh, I’m going to be Marie Antoinette! Having cake for dinner….” It was good. And fun.

Everyone has been asking me where was Dan. I have not wanted to tell people we’d split, because they all loved him too. Dan the actor, not Dan the man. They didn’t really know the man. But they all enjoyed his company. However, last week, I just lied, I said probably watching football, until I was advised that Thursday night football is over. Damn, it never pays to lie. I just wasn’t ready to verbalize it, still hoping we could resolve the issues. This week I just said that we’d split up. And while they were all appropriately sad, I felt relief that now all my close friends, my tribe, all know, and I have nothing to hide. Plus I find I can talk about it now without too much emotion. It is wonderful to have the warm cloak of good friends wrap around me. I am blessed.

Love and light, everyone.