Not that it came as a surprise...

I was almost giddy when I got home last night - I didn't even mind the snail's pace that evening traffic has now adopted.  I was going ON VACATION.  It's like having three Fridays!  Then I noticed, when I got out to retrieve my mail, that the mailbox was facing a new direction.  The town had mowed the side of the road and, apparently, the driver somehow missed a GIANT MAILBOX ON A LARGE, TALL 4X4 POST.  It had been ripped out of its cement foundation and hastily shoved back in the hole.  It was about four inches higher and listing in an easterly direction.  Note to self: call the town's highway department to lodge a complaint. Sigh.

Then Scrappy did not finish his dinner.  First time in the five years he has been with me.

Then I was awoken at 3:11A by the unmistaken sounds of barfing.  I leaped out of bed and groped my way into the living room to find Scrappy retching.  Out we went (and none too soon, as the other end followed suit).  Sigh.  We repeated this twice more until things finally seemed to settle down.  I waited until a more reasonable hour and called my vet.  An early appointment was made and he was checked over.  Besides an overly dramatic demeanor (laid his head on the vet's lap and gave him his best cow-eyed look with full tremble), he seems to be okay.  But he's on a bland diet and I am to keep my eye on him (and his sister).  So my much-heralded vacation weekend to Maine is now a staycation.  All in all, I figure it's better to have it happen now, than when they are kenneled and I am four hours away.

Sigh.

I was able to keep my hair appointment and I picked up much-needed feed.  I get my feed locally - everything in it is from Massachusetts, except for the oats, which are from Canada.  The feed facility is part of a large horse farm, so there is much beauty around.  I love to look at the horses while they are loading the feed itno my car.  I caught sight of these beauties of the feathered persuasion as I was leaving.

These babies were big!

When I got home, I found this:

I was amazed at the speed at which they acted.  Now I have to paint it and transfer my LLF sign to the new post.  I have vowed to do something non-work/non-farm every day.  For the rest of my staycation?  There is always The List.

Scrappy recovered enough to eat his oatmeal.