D.O.P.-T.

A wild evening into the night: heavy rain and wind. We got half again as much rain as we'd had all season (but are still in very serious deficit territory). When I put out more kitty food, Monty appeared and sat on the doormat gazing into the house as if to say, "Is there any way I can move in?") Then he attempted to eat but gave up after a wind gust almost swept him away. Later the enormous mama raccoon came by; she's too heavy to fear the wind; so I brought in the food early. I sat up finishing the jigsaw with the dog beside me, then took her out in heavy rain, and she spent the rest of the evening lying beside my chair, then when I went to bed curled up in the hallway and eventually finished the night on the housemate's bed. In the morning it was grey and the big water bowl on the porch was empty for some reason. Silver was there waiting to eat, and was again this evening. I had brought in the cat bed, rinsed it out and tumble dried it; at noon the chair was dry enough to put it back, but it resumed raining and blowing at mid-afternoon. Mama Violet braved conditions to come out and eat. So far the lid hasn't been blown off the compost heap, but more hollowed-out dead oranges have come down from high in the tree. The park was almost empty; we passed a couple of other hardy dog walkers and joggers.

( Balanced rocks. )