Observations out the side window

Birds have been showing up by twos -- two cardinals, two mourning doves, two winter-phase goldfinches. Can't tell with the chickadees, they flit around too much. Heard a house finch singing on our walk yesterday, followed by a mockingbird that seemed to be taking notes.

And in a further sign of spring, our temperature breached 40 F yesterday, for the first time in a week or so. Maybe the ice age will end within our lifetime, and before glaciers bulldoze the landscape clean for another round.

A man wandered around the house next door this morning, taking photos and notes and measurements. This looked more like a real-estate guy than a contractor, both in action and demeanor, so I expect to see a "For Sale" sign in our future. This place just changed hands last year, but conversations with the _other_ neighbor on that side (double lot, house in front and house in rear), I have heard rumors that the new owners got in over their head. Not sure if that is financial-wise or renovation-wise.

And Fat Wizard just fell asleep on sentry duty. I can't have him condemned to a firing squad, but he's going to suffer for it.

Further proof (if needed) of my out-of-it-ness

That Ken MacLeod book I mentioned that didn't interest me enough to finish it? It's on the short list for Hugo Award voting...

Well, it ain't the first time and probably won't be the last. I can recall several Hugo and Nebula _winners_ that I didn't finish.