Well I'm sure torn. On one hand I'm listening to Scheherezade now--and they're playing the whole thing, not just one movement. So there's no way I'll be doing anything else for another half an hour or so. And I definitely have a lot to say--and would like to ask for counsel on what to do. On the other hand this is the opposite of secure as far as Jan is concerned--she could easily check and see exactly what I've written--and explode at me again--she's already told me she doesn't want anything she tells me passed on to anybody. But I'm totally the opposite of her on that--she doesn't want to tell anybody anything--and I feel that if you can ask for counsel, it's always worthwhile--a new perspective, and somehow, sharing the burden. And Jerry, you invite me to "unload".

But I suppose I'd best wait awhile--at least.

Anyway, the movement of Scheherezade they're now playing is called "The Young Prince and the Princess", I think. I definitely remember playing it in a high school production of "You Can't Take It With You"--I was Ed--and my wife was a ballet dancer--so I had to play some music for her to dance to. I learned how to play the xylophone for the occasion-- and I picked this movement since it was a waltz.   It was great fun to do it on stage.

We're having a drought now--evidently have had one for weeks while we were away. So I was out trying to perk up a wilting forsythia by setting up a hose between 2 rocks to spray in that direction. (After that I set it up in other areas of the garden.) Anyway, the water was coming through the leaves of a dogwood we have in the front yard--by the way, the English call it a front garden. But if that's so, what do you English posters on this thread call the garden which is in the front yard (or front garden)? Sure seems confusing to me.

Well OK, back to the story. Anyway, we have had a hummingbird feeder on the deck (in back) for months now--no visitors at all.

Today, while Jan and I were talking, she was facing the front windows and I was facing away. She noticed there was a hummingbird sitting in the dogwood--enjoying the impromptu shower provided by the spray from the hose. Flexing her wings and revelling in the spray.--it was a female ruby-throated. Just wonderful. Don't recall ever seeing a hummingbird do that before--certainly not in our yard.

Then we also saw the first monarch of the year in our budlia (AKA butterfly bush). And if we'd been out shopping or doing anything else "productive", we would have missed them both. Thinking now we should put the hummingbird feeder in the dogwood. Does that sound reasonable?