It's been raining for days and days, soggy, gray and chilly. I got up Sunday morning and all the clouds had blown away to leave one of those fabulous sunny California days. The hills that are usually the color of a Siamese cat are totally lush and green. I decided to blog about how wonderful living here is, but by the time I went back upstairs to get the camera to prove it, the clouds had blown back in and it had started raining again. Rats.

Portrait of the Author's soggy, gray, chilly yard

Naturally the big fern is wild for it.

And all the cyclamen I saved last year are blooming, yay.

But I was not feeling the cold wet love. I know serious gardeners would scoff at a little sloggy rain and get out in the yard to take care of the tasks required this time of year. I know because I used to be a serious gardener out there in the muck, but I have come to my senses now and decided to live with the weeds. How bad can they be? So I came back inside and made banana muffins instead.
Also, this just in, the Evil and Adorable Saki the Cat always leads with his left paw when playing (or slashing at my hand. It can be hard to tell them apart.) He's an orange tabby. He lives with two elderly poofs and has no interest in Lady cats and his favorite lounging station is a hot pink pillow. And we think he's Jewish. So. A redheaded, gay, jewish southpaw. It's like he's covering all the ACLU hot spots.