AMBIVALENCE

I've been having second thoughts.  Even third thoughts.  Do I actually use my new travel pack---and in public?  Or just keep it hidden in the closet?  It's so...well, it's so GARISH.  Tasteless.  TACKY.  Gaudy.  Conspicuous.  VULGAR.

But it's the only present I've ever been given.

I just can't make up my mind.

FLABBERGASTED

Miss Creative's sister and her two children GAVE ME A PRESENT.  Me.  Bessie Beetum.  Can you believe it?????

A special travel pack.  Just for me.  For my trip Miss Creative's and my trip back to Phoenix.  No one EVER EVER gave me a present before.  (The candy cane that Santa Claus put into my foraging basket one Christmas doesn't count.  Even though it was my size.  I hate candy canes.  Santa Claus should have known.  It's still in my foraging bag.  Probably mummified by now.)

I looked over the travel pack.  It's got 3 (THREE) separate pockets.  Two of them with zippers.  With string pulls on the zippers.  And the front pocket has a...well, a lid.  And it's lined with fuzz.  I'll keep my reading glasses in there.  There's just one problem.  What about the...the flowers?  They're...well, they're...NOT DIGNIFIED.  Much too BRIGHT.  Too COLORFUL.  They don't go with the rest of me at all. 


I don't care. I am GOING TO USE THIS TRAVEL PACK.  It's so...so PERFECT.  (Except for the flowers, of course.)  It's just going to take me time to...to get used to...well, the embarrassment.  Everyone's going to laugh at me...

MORE RAIN...

It's pouring rain...again...not a good day for...um, hunting.    (The, er, prey---well, the CHIPMUNKS---are staying under cover in this downpour.)  Though I do plan to get out for a good brisk fly-around later in the day.

Time now for a quick snack out of my larder...more later.

WEATHER!

The storm continues!  Exciting.  Even for an old owl like me.  (And I've seen plenty of storms.)  It's a nor'easter, full of rain and wind, especially here at the beach on the ocean side.  Miss Creative actually drove me down here to look at it.  Yesterday AND today.  (Once in a while she actually does something nice.)  The wind almost blew me away.  I had to hang on with all my talons.  Now I'm at the library to use the WiFi.  (There's that ridiculous word again.)  The library is warm.  Dry.  There's even a chair and table for me to use. Posting my blog in comfort.  Not like yesterday...  

A PROBLEM

A rainy, gloomy, windy day.  As I discovered when I finally woke up this morning looked out the window just now.  But that's not the problem.  

This is the problem.  I'm having to post today's blog entry inside Miss Creative's automobile (of all places).  (And don't look at the automobile.  It's shockingly messy.  Dirty.  Very embarrassing for a neat owl like myself.)  The internet isn't working at Miss Creative's studio.  Really inconsiderate.  Of someone.  So here we are in front of the general store, where they have "WiFi".  (WiFi.  Isn't that the most ridiculous term you've ever heard of??)  I'm soaking wet from having to fly out to the car.  The rain is drumming on the car roof like a...like a thousand woodpeckers.  And I'm supposed to be coming up with a brilliant comment for the day.  But it just isn't working. 

 Because on top of everything else, people keep staring in through the car windows at me.

Someone else staring at me.

And here's someone else staring at me...I can't stand it...I give up...

AMAZING DISCOVERY!

 I was worrying again about that house of mine in the backyard in Phoenix.  And how it's falling down. And full of black widow spiders.  And can't be fixed up.  And how I'm never going to ever have my own house.  So I was trying to get my mind off things by surfing the net.  Or should I say, over-flying the net?  Anyway, I found out something INCREDIBLE.  There are these buildings called "playhouses".  Sometimes they are called "garden sheds."  And the incredible thing about them?  They are just my size.  Miss Creative could get me one.  Just order it from the internet.  And put it in the backyard in Phoenix.  She actually COULD.  Another incredible thing?  They come as KITS that "anyone can put together".  In just 4 hours.  (Although Miss Creative is not "anyone".  So this part might not work.)

Can you imagine me, Bessie Beetum, living in a house like this?  (Actually I can't either.  It's too...frilly.  Not practical.  But something like it, maybe.  Something plainer.)

Or maybe in a house like this?  

Or even in a house like this?  (Although I don't like the looks of this one much at all.  But if it were mine?  I wouldn't complain.  I'm certainly NOT a complainer.  As you know.)  

The computer (or the internet) is NOT cooperating with me.  The type is coming out in RANDOM sizes.  I can't make it look at all the way I want.  I have NO patience right now.  Can't fuss with it.  Must take a short fly-around.  Calm down.  House possibilities like these are almost...well, almost TOO exciting...

THINKING...

I just got this brilliant idea.  Miss Creative can go on a BOAT to Phoenix.  (And me with her.)  Just think of it.  Salt air.  Blue skies.  A fresh breeze as we scud along.  And NONE of that being trapped inside a plastic bag that's trapped inside a suitcase that's trapped inside an automobile or an airplane.  For hours and days on end, no less.

Oh.  I just now looked at the map more closely.  Boats can't go to Phoenix.  So irritating.  The map makes it look like the ocean is two inches away from Phoenix.  Really misleading.  Deceptive.  You'd think they'd have figured out a better map system by now.  


Well at least I can work on this silly theme problem.  Somehow I've GOT to come up with a theme for this horrible driving expedition.  A theme that I like.  One that will ALSO appeal to dear Miss Creative.  (Of course I'll have to convince her of agreeing with my choice.  But first things first, I always say.)  I don't suppose she'd like the idea of roosting in all the pine trees between here and Phoenix?  Or checking out all the meadows?  Or perhaps sampling all the...um, flavors...of mice between here and Phoenix?  No, probably not.  Well, I'll sleep on it.

NEWS

Looks as though Miss Creative is planning another trip.  But this time it's about going back out to Phoenix.  I can live with that.  She was looking on the internet and talking with her sisters a lot about flying out there.  Ugh.  I know what that's like.  Anyway it sounds like she's not going to do that.  Because of it being too complicated for her cat to fly.  Or impossible.  Or something.  (I never have anything to do with her cat.  That's why I don't usually talk about him.  Or even think about him.)  

But judging by all the maps and things, it looks like maybe we're going to drive there.  In an automobile.  My least favorite way of traveling.  I'll probably be completely suffocated in that plastic bag by the time we get there.  Just a handful of feathers.  And she's got this ridiculous idea that we'll have a theme for the trip. (A theme.  Can you believe it?)  Diners, for example.  So the trip will take even longer because we'll stop off at all the diners along the way.  (Or all the junkyards.  Or all the plastic bag factories.  Or whatever crazy thing turns out to be the "theme").  Will I ever survive?

HUMPH

Well, dear Miss Creative is at it again.  Impractical.  FRIVOLOUS.  (Certainly NOT sensible.  The way I am.)  She has all kinds of art supplies back in her Phoenix studio, of course.  Too many, actually.  But does she ever think ahead, the way I do?  Did she bring any of that with her when she flew East?  NO.  OF COURSE NOT.  Instead, she just went out and bought MORE.  Can you believe it?  PROFLIGATE.  Wasteful.  She's just brought in this huge bag of...well.   JUNK would be the kindest way of describing it.  Anyway, she's brought this huge bag of junk into MY SPACE the studio.  Dumped everything out.  Right in my favorite meditation spot.  (No one---especially Miss Creative---EVER thinks of ME.  Of course I'm used to that.)

And why does she need all that junk those art supplies anyway?  I can get along just fine with just one pencil and one piece of paper.  MUCH more economical.

Ah...

 There's nothing like a few days alone in the woods.  I feel like a new owl.  (On the inside, at least.  Outside, I look as old as ever.  Or even older.   Not that that's my fault.  Cooped up inside for forty years---that would give anyone crumpled feathers.  AND bald spots.)
Last night I leafed through happened to see Miss Creative's diary lying open on her desk.  Couldn't help reading the first few lines of the day's entry, of course.  (Very careless of Miss Creative, I must say).  The entry started out, "Bessie has given me an idea for something..."  But just then SHE came back and interrupted me...That is, I suddenly needed to go out for a short flight.  Ever since then, I've been wondering what "something" means.  Probably another peculiar non-plan for pointless travel...
But suppose it means "a story"?  


It's 4 pm.  SHE always goes for a long swim right about now.  I'll just take a peak through the studio door screen.  Maybe get an idea of what "something" might be... 

Ooops...Maybe I'd better not disturb her.  I'll bring you up to date later.

A JOLT

First of all, Miss Creative has not been in my the studio because she has been "taking a break."  Taking a break from what?  Wasting paper?  
But worse...I  eavesdropped received some very unpleasant information today.  I heard Miss Creative say to her sister (AND I QUOTE) "I don't really like Bessie.  That's why I've never made a book about her."  

I can't imagine why in the world she doesn't like me.  I'm very likeable.  Nice.  Friendly.  FUN TO BE WITH. And  POSITIVE.
Anyway, I don't like HER, either.  (Sniff.)  I'm going off to camp by myself for a few days...

(I really would like to be in a book, though...AND have a hollow tree house of my own...This is just between you and me, of course...)

HMMM...

Dear Miss Creative has not been in my her studio for two days.  I find this ominous...

BRRRRR

Last night it was FRIGID.  Well, COLD.  Well, a little bit CHILLY.   I think I'll have to get out my long johns.  

Daisies are dead.   Leaves are turning red.  The crickets keep talking all night about snow. I'd say it's time to go back home to nice warm Phoenix.  But who's going to listen to ME???  Not dear Miss Creative, that's for sure...She's probably decided that she's no longer a Migratory Creature, and is hatching some new ridiculous plan that involves ice and glaciers and below zero temperatures.  And I'll be the last one to find out about it...