It’s a splendid day outside.  After yesterday’s high around 80° F (27° C) with boringly sunny skies, a cold front moved through last night and has transformed the world into something very different.  Right now, the temperature is 46° F (8° C) with a harsh wind blowing from the north between 25 and 35 mph (40 – 56 kph) with gusts over 40 mph (64 kph).  There’s also light rain as the temperature continues falling on its way to the 30s F (~3° C).  Most Texans would call it a raw and miserable day.  I call it wonderful.

Unfortunately, I don’t feel very well.  I woke this morning with a bit of a sore throat.  Assuming it was from the abrupt weather change, I brushed it off as inconsequential.  Now several hours later, I find I’m actually feeling worse than I did this morning.  I have a headache and my throat still feels sore, and now my nose is starting to run and is giving me a bit of an upset stomach.  The last thing I want is to be sick.  Days like today are made to be enjoyed and relished, not observed from under a blanket through eyes clouded with misery.

I’m going to make a cup of hot tea, read a bit of news, toss up a few posts (probably an open thread, a video, and a photo or two), and then I’m going to wrap myself in a warm blanket on the couch with my laptop and The Kids.  There I will be for the remainder of the day.  I’d much rather be outside, perhaps taking a walk or capturing some new photographs and videos, but my body has already made it clear that’s not an option at present.  Oh well.

I’ve been terribly concerned about Chira.  He once was a regular fixture around here.  His multiple visits each day for several months were predictable and welcomed.  Then he stopped showing up.  It was a sudden change, an abrupt modification of our ritual.  After that, I would see him occasionally, sometimes more than once a day, but rarely more than once every month or two.

As I told Jenny some time ago, I hoped he had been adopted by someone who was taking care of him and feeding him, and that was why he no longer visited me as he once did.  It was either that or he was sick and/or hurt.  Today I got my answer.

I had fed the outside cats around six this morning and dallied inside as I was not in a hurry to go anywhere.  Sure, coffee was beckoning, but I was playing with The Kids after brushing my teeth and getting partially dressed and figured I’d find my way to Starbucks eventually.  As I lay on the bedroom floor playing with my own cats after watching some of the outside felines grab some breakfast, I heard a thump from outside and turned to see Chira on the patio.  It’s a cold and blustery morning and he was wasting no time doing his thing—whatever that happened to be.  By the time I stood and went to the window, he was already at the other end of the patio.  He leaped to the top of the fence and it was then I got a good look at him.  He was wearing a collar.  Because he promptly jumped down and ran off around the corner, I can’t be sure if it was a flea collar or a regular collar, but the fact that he was wearing one meant someone had taken him in and was caring for him.

I’m thrilled.  Chira’s a very sweet and laid back cat.  I had seriously considered adopting him after he started hanging around, and I even implemented a plan to capture him.  But then he vanished and seldom visited.  At least now I know he’s being taken care of and I don’t have to be so worried about him anymore (although I still worry since he’s outside).