Today was not that interesting of a day. I have noticed, however, that Charley is doing a large amount of shedding right now. So much so that tufts are coming out of her coat. I thought because it’s winter she wouldn’t have been shedding as much but I just read that some dogs depending on their breed will shed what is called their “summer” coat to get ready for their “winter” coat. It’s part of a process called “seasonal shedding” and will last a couple months. But, man, she is shedding something fierce. My vacuum cleaner looks like their is a whole dog inside the canister when I get done with one day of vacuuming. It’s really kind of gross, but oh well.

Stella Vader the kitty cat is doing well. I try to do special play time with her without Charley because Charley is a tremendous attention hound…. Plus, Charley gets to go outside. Stella wants to and I’ve actually taken her out on a leash which actually worked out ok, but I live in the city and it’s not really kitty-walking friendly.

I’ve also started reading a bunch of the classics. I just finished To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and now I am reading THE SCARLETT LETTER. I remember reading The Scarlet Letter in like jr. high, which kind of amazes me because the wording and actual story line is a bit adult. Not adult in a bad way, but I have been writing down all these words that I’ve been coming across that I’ve had to look up, such as sedulous, propinquity, asperity, loquacity, scurrilous, and somnambulism. I don’t remember those words in junior high, but maybe I did and can’t remember now. I don’t think I am smarter than an eighth grader I’ve realized. I can understand them when I read it in context but I like to look it up to see the exact meaning. Sometimes that makes the word even more profound than how it is read. I am just marveling how those two authors, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Harper Lee have such an awesome use of words.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/25344/25344-h/25344-h.htm (The Scarlett Letter)

Oh, I also read The Adventures of Pinocchio by C. Collodi. That book deserves its own entry all by itself. Very scary and somewhat dark. I can see the lesson in it but man, to me it’s a very bizarre story. And kind of violent I think. Guess it is a scary story to keep kids in school and to behave, I suppose.

I was going to read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn next but I think I am going to take a break from these classics right now. I have a book by David Sedaris that I may start reading now. Totally different genre. Totally a lighter read I believe. Something funny. Or maybe Stephen King. Another different genre.

I also didn’t realize how much of a love story The Scarlett Letter is. There are so many different layers in that book I never realized. I think it comes with being an adult. I’m glad to be re-reading it now.

But that’s another thing. Charley gets so jealous when I am reading a book. I’ve learned if I read out loud she calms down a bit, so I just read out loud to her and it’s all good.