Divide and Conquer -- Sat., June 9

Cotulla, Texas:

This morning I got up early (after three hours of sleep) and faced the day. At 10:30 a.m. Bob went to Dilley, Texas to give Bruce and Kathy a break from gate guarding and I worked our gate for the afternoon. Divide and conquer. Their gate is very slow. He only had to check in about three trucks in 7-1/2 hours. I was a little busier and checked in 14 vehicles, but checked out way more than that as all the people who Bob checked in before me, checked out at the end of the day.

Bob was ecstatic because he was able to watch sports on TV. (We don't have cable service here or a satellite dish.) He realizes how much he has missed TV. A satellite dish may be in our future.

Bruce and Kathy have a dog. Bob said once the initial excitement died down, he and the dog were good buds.

For most of the day I worked on a project I had put off since we moved from Hawaii...organizing all my papers. About two weeks ago, Bob bought me a nice plastic filing case and hanging file folders. Today was the day I had time to go through everything. Makes me feel good to get that taken care of. Now I need to read all the magazines I have piled up. That's a task for a few more days.

Nature moment today: A zone-tailed hawk was flying around our 5er. It landed on the telephone pole outside our gate. Immediately three mockingbirds and a red-winged blackbird surrounded it on the wires, harassing it mercilessly. The zone-tailed hawk flew away and landed in a tree on the ranch across the street pursued by the other birds. Camera in hand, I set off down the road in pursuit of picture opportunities. The hawk flew to another telephone pole where it was joined by what looked to be a juvenile hawk. The parent may have been teaching the youngster to fly.

Zone-tailed hawk in flight.

Zone-tailed hawk in mesquite tree.

Parent on right, juvenile (?) on left. Note mockingbird keeping an eye on the situation.

Kitty pic for the day:

Bowie & Sunnie on the quilt Bob's mom made for us.