That's so Cricket!

There is a cricket who has stubbornly decided to stay in my place. I've seen him hopping around almost every night when I come home from work (oh yeah - I forgot to tell you all that I completed my training , and now I'm a probationary employee on the night shift). I tried to escort him off the premises repeatedly, but he's always found a way back in, so I said "what the heck" and let him stay. Now he chirps contentedly downstairs morning, noon and night, trying to attract a mate. I don't think he's having much luck, though, seeing that he has been chirping up a storm for the past few weeks. No problem, bro - just kick back here with me for the winter, and you can try to meet some little philly next spring. In other bug news: the other morning I woke up and opened the door to find a huge (HUGE) preying mantis parked on my stoop like some sort of green, barbed guard dog. I took a bunch of pics (which don't do it justice)which I'll post - as soon as I down-load them onto the lap top. The new job has rapidly descended into just the job, and I fear that it will soon be just that job. It is never boring, though, as I have to deal with interesting people from around the globe with the most bizarre questions and situations. It isn't difficult, but it is complicated - I have to develop a routine that helps me keep all the pieces in place. In time I'll be able to do everything without really thinking about it.

服部半蔵

Hurray for Stability!

Much has happened, my friends. Stability has brought many benefits, but time is not one of them (which would explain the big gaps appearing in my blog). The job continues well - I'm almost up to speed on my training and should be a full-fledged employee by the end of this week. I also have become a reservist (keeping our country safe one weekend at a time). The apartment is coming along nicely; although there have been a few flies and cochroaches, they have been of the most apathetic variety - so much so that I have been able to easily whisk them up and shoo them out of my home (they don't seem interested in staying, either). Put some anti-roach stuff down just in case (it is better not to tempt them into staying) and I keep an eye on the the flies, but pretty much I'm lucky that Kentucky insects seem rather laid back. This weekend is Labor Day, and I'm up in Chicago visiting Dixie Dog and her owners. I was sleeping last night on the fold-up futon couch, and Dixie was sleeping on the floor next to me - she was making all sorts of sighing noises all night long, and sounded quietly distressed. This morning when I inquired about it I was told that Dix was a little upset because I was sleeping in her bed! Sorry Dixie! Yesterday I went out shopping, and one of the places we visited sold beer of every imaginable type. Among them was a beverage called Old Speckled Hen, which brought back a flood of memories of a particular English gentleman whom I had the honor of knowing in Tokyo. Sometimes after work, a group of us would go to Shinjuku to an ex-pat place (owned by some Aussies) which served OSH. Our friend is no longer on this earth, but seeing those familiar bottles brought him back a little closer.