Austin's here

Maria's son Austin got laid off from his tractor parts distribution center job on Friday, so he decided it was an opportunity to come visit us.

He arrived early last evening and dazzled us with his new haircut.

We determined he can file for Indiana unemployment benefits online, so that's on the agenda for the next day or two.

He and Maria had breakfast in the kitchen as they tried to identify a new woodpecker, also having breakfast, at our bird feeder.

That brown lump between them is Ruthie. She and Pete were very happy to see me when I picked them up at the kennel yesterday afternoon. Bathing is part of the deal at our vet's kennel operation and, in the course of giving Ruthie her shampoo, they noticed a large cyst on her right shoulder. The vet lanced it free of charge and gave us some antibiotics (not free of charge) to administer to her for the next few days. She doesn't seem to mind the minor surgery.

Backing up a few hours, we left the Lodge at Mount Magazine State Park in dense fog about 8 a.m. and crept through the switchbacks down the mountain to the valley floor 2,200 feet below. We gassed at a station at the foot of the mountain and drove about 50-60 miles to a diner in Russellville where we had an unremarkable but inexpensive breakfast. The high point of the dining experience was watching the cashier shuffling back and forth behind the counter, talking on her cell phone and telling someone, "I need a drink real bad."

We picked up I-40 and ignored the Garmin GPS suggestions to exit onto 2-lane highways to U.S. 67, favoring an Interstate route all the way to Little Rock, where we picked up U.S. 67. It was more miles and a few more minutes of driving time, but a much more pleasant drive, considering we were in rain and drizzle much of the way.

We got home about 1:30 and flopped down for a nap until it was time to pick up the dogs.