Four Deer

(Original)

Spent Sunday night tossing and turning, sleeping fitfully whilst fretting about mine warfare. No, really. Naval mines to be precise. Let me just say this, I hate mines. Except when it's me laying them. Don't ask, I've played too many war games and simulations over the years, affects the brain it does.

Anyhoo. Monday, up early I was, 0530. Couldn't sleep and the feline staff suggested that I should feed them, "seeing as how you're up and about already." What the heck, might as well. So I did. Consequently I arrived at work a bit earlier than normal. Well, 15 minutes earlier, round about 0715.

A gray day, cold wind coming in off the Atlantic made me shiver as I dismounted Big Girl and locked her up. 'Twas then that I noticed movement to my left flank. Over by a stand of trees near the parking lot. Not far from the front of the building.

Right about where that picnic table stands on the far right of the photo. Four deer, two of which looked like yearlings based on their size. Two larger ones, I assumed they were both does (the female of the species Odocoileus virginianus, the males are known, round these parts anyway, as bucks). I assumed because by this time of the year the bucks have shed their antlers. While there are a number of young males on the property, the big fella, the head buck in charge of the herd seldom comes anywhere near the open. He can be seen on the edge of the fields to the east of the facility, which are surrounded by rather tangled woods.

We have a sizable herd of white-tails on the property. No natural predators except when they jump the fence and get hit by cars on the main road. Juvat is familiar with the attack patterns of the white-tail. Security once found that someone had cut a hole in the fence back in the woods for to go a-hunting on company property. Those fellas were sore surprised to discover that the Federal government looks askance at folks who break into facilities where gubmint work is being done!

So yes, four deer, all of whom were rather surprised to see humans dismounting their vehicles and proceeding to work. Perhaps they figured that Monday was a holiday. Maybe they just lost track of time. At any rate, it was an awesome thing to see on a Monday morning, out of the ordinary and all. It was also great fun to see just how fast a white-tail can run when they want to disappear into the woods!

I was kinda thinking the other day about my lack of "political" posts lately. By choice. I see nothing to be gained by ranting and raving about things, particularly the antics of the political class.

A friend or two has lately indicated that they were "refraining from Facebook" for a while. Well, I won't do that. I keep in touch with my kids and grandkids over Facebook, videos and photos of the latest doings. I keep up with old buddies from my Air Force days and I belong to a group of folks who have a great deal in common with each other. We're mostly conservative but there are a couple of folks of a liberal bent who keep us honest in our views.

I have pretty much disengaged from political discourse. I stay informed but won't engage unless it's absolutely necessary. Which is seldom the case.

So there is that.

One last thing, I just wanted to mention the music I'm listening to these days. Foo Fighters. There, I said it. I don't knowwhat their political leanings are and I don't much care. They entertain me. A lot.

Nice beat.

And you can dance to it. Which I do, when no one's looking. My dancing leaves quite a bit to be desired.

While I'm not this bad...

Hhmm, I might actually be worse.

Though, to my credit, I once invented a dance. I called it The Tomcat, it involved dancing about the periphery of the dance floor with my arms spread wide, then I would dash across the floor, sweeping my arms back as I did so. Yeah, F-14 Tomcat, not the feline kind.

Looked kinda like this...

Why yes, I did do my own sound effects. Was alcohol involved? Of course it was.

I was quite proud of that, as was The WSO. I introduced that move at the Navy-Marine Corps ball back in '05. Quite a hit amongst the midshipmen of the Holy Cross NROTC detachment. Gunny got a chuckle out of it as well. (Gunny was the Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant assigned to the unit. We were buddies of a sort. Kindred spirits.)

You might ask yourself, "What did The Missus Herself think of your new dance?"

Well, honestly, she just shook her head and stated...

"You're an idiot."

Why yes, yes I am.