worry

When you lose a pet you feel helpless. At least that’s how we felt tonight, when our little gray cat disappeared. She is normally an indoor cat, but she does get to go outside with us for a few hours of the day. Always under supervision and always in the backyard, where there is a nice fence.

For 3+ hours today, she was nowhere to be found. We searched the yard and the neighborhood. Distraught, Susie and I figured that we had no option but to wait. To wait and see if she found her way back to the house. We went grocery shopping. Upon our arrival, Susie found her in the backyard. Frightened and a bit dirty.

We have no idea where she was (perhaps under the shed) but we are both quite relieved to have our cat back in the house. And no, she won’t be going out again any time soon.

hiatus

I’ve been busy. All better now.

Last weekend, Susie’s daughter, Jen, and Jen’s fiance, Drew, were in town. In addition to the mandatory trip to downtown Greenville, Susie decided that we should visit Ceasar’s Head State Park for some hiking.

Susie and I had tackled this particular trail before, last summer. That time, we were ill-prepared for the trip; only one bottle of water, no food. On our second visit, knowing what was ahead of us, we prepared sandwiches, water and granola bars. I even had the opportunity to use my new hiking pack and boots. It was still a strenuous hike, nevertheless.

I ached for several days afterward. Hiking 8-10 miles will do that, I suppose. Susie and the dogs carried on like troopers, while Jen, Drew and I paused frequently and were glad to be alive by the end. It was easy to tell who worked out and ran 3 miles a day five times a week. (In my defense, I have to say that I was still recovering from a cold during our excursion. The Vernal Equinox brought with it a nice head cold.)

The main attraction of Ceasar’s Head is Raven Cliff Falls, a 400-foot waterfall. Our path took us on a descent to the river near the base of the falls, across a cable bridge and then back up the other side of the ravine. A suspension bridge spans the river and offers a great view.

One of the things that I’ve always loved about this area is the close proximity we have to some many great parks and outdoor recreation. I like the idea of a weekend hike, even though I do complain (quite loudly sometimes) during the actual hiking part of the trip.