Saw the bobcat last night! How cool...............from a distance! The Bellview Fire Dept. had its annual catered winter dinner at the community center. Cliff went to the center with the dept. to set up tables, etc. so I met him there at 6 with our dessert contribution, a 4-layer dark chocolate cake....alternating red raspberry jam filling and white frosting. I got to mix and mingle with the locals, meet the spouses of the fire fighters from Bellview district, thanked the paramedics/emts for doing a job that I wouldn't ever think of doing......don't have the stomach. Lauria and Jim used to run with their dept. in VA and loved it. Spouses were given a ticket for the gift drawing that took place after the dinner. My number was drawn 2nd and I went for the biggest gift bag and received a Conair Home Spa.....foot/hand massage. My first thought was "how big is the foot bath?" I hope it's at least a size 11! Cliff stayed to help clean up the hall so I drove down the dark unlit winding roads looking for deer and whatever else roams that time of night. When I pulled into the driveway, I could see the feline head, large tufted pointy ears, and two beady eyes peering up from the woods near our porch. I took my gift in the house and left the rest of our cake in the car for Cliff to bring in when he got home. The mountain people here have told me that the bobcat won't attack me but I didn't know what else was crouching nearby. This is actually the second time I've seen a bobcat but wasn't sure the first time. They are only about 25 lbs and I thought they were larger. Months ago I spotted a large cat scurrying into the woods as I drove up Boulder Creek Rd. It had the same colors, face, and pointy ears. I'm pretty sure now that's what has been leaving muddy footprints on our porch and on our grill at night. Some evenings we hear noises on the porch but think nothing of it because this house cracks and creaks as the temperature changes and the wood expands and contracts. I still haven't spotted the bear but will keep my eyes peeled.

Good news......Cliff's mother is home from the hospital and doing well. The day she was released she went out to eat with Diane and a friend. Always a good sign..................

Need to make my massage appointment this week. Even though I'm working out, shoulder and upper back muscles are tight and causing lots of rotator (sp??)cuff pain. Maybe I can stick my shoulder in my foot bath!!!