Could I Please Have Another Spleen Sandwich?

Last night we were watching "Lidia's Italy", a food program that focuses on traditional Italian cuisine. She was in Sicily visiting a street vendor that served up traditional spleen sandwiches. Yes. SPLEEN sandwiches. Yummy. I laughed and laughed - there is something funny about the word spleen, and to have it in a sandwich... well... could I please have a liver stick on the side?

The creek and river are in full flood now. This is the time of year that I fear most for Spike's life. He sometimes gets onto a scent and follows his nose farther from the house than I like, and with a flock of geese on the other side of the creek it might be too much temptation for him. A slip into the water these days is a death sentence as the current is so strong. When we walked down to the river to see close up what was going on we left the dogs in the house.

There hasn't been much going on here, just a trip into town for dr. appointment, lunch with Carm's mom, shopping, and lying around reading. The weather has been on again, off again sunny and warm enough to start the snow melting. The snow is too soft and granular to get out for a walk, and the gravel road is wet and muddy. I feel antsy to get outside. But apprehensive about the big task awaiting us - bucking up the weeping willow that fell - with the chainsaw.

Grace is the bravest African Grey that I know (they are known for being phobic). Today Carm trimmed a few apple trees (the ones that the darn rabbit ate all the bark on), so we brought the biggest one in for her cage. It goes from one side to the other with its branches every which way. She eyeballed it for a short time but quickly started breaking apart the small branches as only a parrot can do. She never fails to amaze me :-)

Spike came in this afternoon all covered in goo or was it poo. Whatever it was, it stunk so he went straight into the shower with Carm for a double shampoo. Unfortunately he got some soap in one of his eyes which I didn't notice for ages. By the time I washed it out his eye was red, swollen and squeezed shut. It just breaks my heart to see him hurting like this. Hopefully after a good nights sleep he'll be all right. Poor guy.

Every day that is born into the world comes like a burst of music and rings the whole day through, and you make of it a dance, a dirge, or a life march, as you will.

Thomas Carlyle