Day 232 of the year and we haven’t had a new species for a week. We are still ahead of our goal but time keeps ticking away. In a true competitive big year we would need to be at least twice the count we are right now.
The red line keeps creeping closer.
I think this may be first week we haven’t gotten any new species. Birds or odonates. We have probably gotten most of the summer resident species we are going to get right around here. Except for screech owls which seem to be our nemesis bird right now. We just haven’t had much time to travel about chasing things here in Southern Michigan this past week. Both Lise and I spent a good part of the week just catching up on work matters.
I’ve been having some mobility issues too. Somehow I hurt my lower back up in Marquette. Probably from spending too much time on the river in weird positions photographing odonates. What I really need to do is spend about three days flat on my back but I just can’t seem to make that happen.
The hurting back is bad enough but to add insult to injury my dermatologist prescribed this nasty creme to burn pre-cancer cells off my face. Usually he uses liquid nitrogen to get rid of them. That feels like someone stubbing out their cigarette on you but at least it’s a localized burn. I guess this time his options were to dunk my face in a vat of liquid nitrogen or give me this nasty creme. I started using it twice a day up in Marquette and I have to use it through today. Makes my face look like I’ve been dragged behind a pickup truck. I’m starting to feel like Joseph Merrick. Mothers pull their children out of the way as I walk down the street. I have to pay Lise to stand aside of me in public. Even the lizard turns away from me. Leper colonies are sending me marketing brochures. So now I got this burning creme on my face and ice packs on my lower back. I’m waiting for a crack to start splitting me in half.
Fido or Ed? Only his dermatologist knows for sure.
These past couple weeks Molly has been in Florida with friends. It was our first real taste of an empty nest. We’re really glad she got back last night but the empty nest was surprisingly easy to get used to. We’re starting to make travel plans for two years form now. Maybe check out those leper colonies as a retirement option if my face doesn’t clear up.
Ed's and Lise's Biggish Years 