Iowa City, Iowa

Authorities say a man showed up to serve his public intoxication sentence, drunk.

I think my wife is rubbing off on me. I stepped out of our shower on the boat today, and almost stepped on what I think is a bee. 10 years ago it would have been curtains for the little bugger, but I just stood there with a towel in my hand staring at it, thinking to myself, that’s a pretty bee. My second thought was, what’s happening to me? I can’t kill the bee? I blog, and I love a Café Mocha with whipped cream.

The bee was flexing his colorful wings as if showing off. It could have been a response to the danger of the big giant human being that was suddenly hovering over him, or maybe it was a mating ritual of some kind. I like to think it was the former, not the latter.

I mention my wife because she is just the best friend the animal and insect kingdom could ever hope for. I’ve learned a lot from watching her over the years. I learned that it isn’t necessary to kill the daddy long legs taking up residence in the corner of the ceiling in our living room. If I leave him alone, he really won’t attack me.

When she finds a harmless little snake in our backyard, and I distance myself from the situation, she gently relocates it to the wooded area of our yard. He'll like it better there. That’s pretty nice.

I’ve never been a big fisherman but I have dabbled in the sport from time to time. The other day some crew members were fishing off the side of the boat. These guys don’t use rods and reels. I always call one particular guy Tarzan, because I swear he could live off the land with no problem. He was using just a hand line, tossing it over the side, wiggling it around a bit, then pulling it back in. So I wanted to try this method, just for fun, and of course, after a few minutes, I catch a damn fish. He was just a little guy, which made it even harder. I could hear my wife’s voice in my head as he jumped around on the deck, “oh, poor little guy, he’s so cute.” I felt terrible.

I’ll have a latte frapamocha, heavy on the sweetener please.

The cats and dogs that thrive in our household are testament to her feelings for animals, they’re all rescues. I could detail each one for you but you just wouldn’t believe it.
So, Mr. Bee is, at this moment is still strutting around our bathroom like a Mummer in the Philadelphia Mummers parade.

He has MaryEllen to thank for that.

I was on the phone with her today, when suddenly a hawk showed up on a telephone pole. She pulled the car over and excitedly relayed to me this beautiful sight she was enjoying. She has a special connection with animals. She’s definitely rubbing off on me.
I think that’s cool.