Good and bad

 * Got the fieldwork for the first site done. Got photos for two of the locations; we started walking out to the third, which is the furthest out, and my body just kind of went "nope." But I think I do have one not-great older photo I took of that location that I can use.

* Got a call tonight, the brush clearing guys are finally clear on their schedule to come. They'll be here tomorrow while I'm out in the field. I'm ready to have this done. I might use more of the money I have saved up and have the fence at the back of the yard replaced after they do that if I can find someone who does fences.

*But the potentially worst thing - I'm not totally sure but I think - the neighbor's friendly little cat (I think I've posted her picture here) might be dead; I was coming home this evening from running and errand and saw her lying absolutely flat out on their sidewalk in a position that doesn't suggest "just sleeping" (and it's also very hot here). I know she was an old cat, her owner once mentioned that to me, and she had been getting kind of thin and "crunchy" in the past month or so. But it's sad; she was the animal I had the most contact with and she always seemed happy for me to pet her. It'll take a bit of getting used to to think she'll never come by again. 

I've dealt with this before; not just the loss of family cats but about fifteen years ago one of the renters on the street had a not-too-bright but friendly Siamese mix who *got hit by a car as I was watching* which was kind of traumatic. (At least Rosie, if she's dead, seems to have gone peacefully, and as I said, she was old).

I will say if I ever get a cat it will be a 100% indoor cat. I don't like to dictate to other people but there are an awful lot of hazards out there for a cat that goes outdoors unsupervised. 

Ironically, I dreamed about Sam (the cat my family had when I was growing up last night).