goodbye Roscoe...

Roscoe was our next door neighbor's cat. He was scrapy, a fighter. Our cat William and Roscoe tangled more than once. I think it was actually fun for the two of them and they never did horrible damage to one another. (Although William did claw Roscoe's owner once...)

Roscoe was part of our lives. We looked forward to seeing him in the evenings sitting on his stoop. His family kept a little "Wanted" poster of him on their door. His owner... the family's teenage son adored him.

Roscoe died of wounds from a dog attack. The dog wasn't on a lesh and was roaming free. Some would say I have a double standard about such things... cats... allowed to roam free... dogs... no.

Reasoning: Cats don't usually attack people (children for instance) and when they do it's rarely fatal. Even when they fight with other cats, that too, while more frequently fatal is usually not.

I prefer to keep my own cats in but two of them are rescues and were already trained to go in and out.


Anyway... Roscoe's death makes me very sad. I feel sorry for his family and I'm going to miss him.

absolutely potty...

Those who know me know that I am one of the geeks... the sad horrible geeks who love the escapism of the Harry Potter books. They sooo satisfy my inner child. So indulge me while I indulge myself and if you happen to be a Potter fan forgive me and you may not want to read the following no matter who you are...

(book 6 spoiler warning...)

Theories on Harry Potter, Book 7

Dumbledore is dead. He knew he was going to die and arranged it with Snape.
Snape is a good guy. He is trying to protect Draco who he feels some compassion/connection with. Dumbledore, as well, was interested in protecting Draco in that Draco is a naïf, in over his head.

Harry is a horcrux. Part of Voldemort’s soul was unwittingly bound to him. Harry’s mother cast a protective spell that required a human sacrifice. She was the sacrifice and when Voldemort killed her it completed the charm. The magic was so strong that Voldemort couldn’t kill Harry and the killing charm he cast backfired and also made Harry the horcrux for the splinter of Voldemort’s soul that his mother’s murder created.

Harry is “the chosen one” in that Voldemort literally, and again unwittingly, chose him. It is why they share powers and are telepathically connected.

Aunt Petunia actually loves Harry. Uncle Vernon hates him but Petunia put up with his treatment of Harry because she knew their home was part of a protective spell for Harry. She was afraid Vernon would throw Harry out. She is also terrified of magic.

In the end, the final battle, Neville will be forced to kill Harry. Harry will ask Neville to do it. They will both realize it is the only way. It is the reason they share the same birthday.

Neville himself may not make it through… but then again he might and his parents may actually regain their faculties once Voldemort has been killed.

Ron and Hermione will face the future together after watching their friend die.

Some emotional relief for the readers? A glimpse perhaps of Harry’s afterlife? Will he be greeted by Sirius and his parents?

sleep...

A dreamless night in my own bed after time spent in the heat and in conversation... a visit with my mother who is stronger than I ever imagined then to see Ms. T and the monsters... a chance to laugh out loud... my mind washed clean by a southern sun... The summer is finally here for me...

I love you all...