Hi, it's me again

[IrishAyes]

3. Thanks.

Pets are well, thank you. Molly Maguire is too small and slow to catch squirrels, but Brigid Malone, the smooth-coat JRT which is the same as a foxhound a hundred years ago, has proven herself quite the hunter. She's built for speed; 14" high at the shoulder and mostly legs. BrOne week in winter she caught 8 in one day. Didn't cost me a dime to feed her that day. Since squirrels are pretty smart, I've developed the idea that Brigid MIGHT be jumping the fence to hunt in the overgrown empty lot acros the back alley when she figures I won't find out, and then maybe she brings her catch home to eat. She's pretty smart herself.

As for neighbors I've got new ones on the northside now. A young and growing family. They're racists but for some reason are still rather nice to me, especially inexplicable because they know I'm a flaming liberal................... At long last the hateful old coot on the southside croaked and now another young family has bought the place. Around here odds are high that they're at least very conservative, but I've met them several times across the fence and they seem truly congenial. They're 2 kids and growing also.