Pecking

[rejectomorph]

Yesterday evening, the house filled with the smell of charcoal lighter fluid. Some of the neighbors have no business trying to barbecue. If you release the stink of lighter fluid, you're doing it wrong. Later, the dog next door spent several minutes making quiet growls, snarls and aspirate barks. He kept running along the fence. I couldn't see anything on this side of the fence, so maybe he was putting on the performance for my benefit alone. Maybe he disapproves of me living here. Or maybe he was disturbed because he was hearing the distant whump of big fireworks going off in Chico and Oroville. It was right about that time of night. I didn't hear them myself, which surprised me. Most years I do. Could it be that my hearing is going, too?

I find that the discomfort of sitting at the computer is coming on more rapidly now. I might have to cut back even further on using it than I already have. I'm unable to concentrate on writing anyway, while my head hurts, so maybe it's for the best. There's no telling how long it's going to take to get all the kinks in my neck straightened out. I hope it's soon, not only because they make me very uncomfortable, but because I'm severely addicted to the computer. This is being a worse than usual summer so far.

The blue jays are awake and pecking at the lawn already. I've brought the cat in so they can have it all to themselves.