That was so cool!

I put down the computer a bit after 01:00 and went for a walk. I often enjoy a night-time stroll "around the block", a loop which takes 30 to 40 minutes to walk (though I've jogged it in as little as 20 when feeling motivated). Tonight the light was decent--the moon hadn't quite set, there were a few stars, and enough cloud-cover to reflect such light as there is back down on us (no street lights in this country neighbourhood, and very few houses with lights on at this hours). About half way around my loop I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye at my feet, and stopped abruptly. The brain first translated it as "friendly cat", as they will often walk right up to people in the street and ask for attention. However, there are no friendly outdoor cats in this neighbourhood--there are indoor spoiled pets, and feral cats, and the owners of the former are very careful to make certain their beloved friends are never mistaken for the latter, since many of the locals kill feral cats at any opportunity in an effort to protect the local wildlife (or that is their story, at least. When I stopped and bent down to look at the critter, it stopped and looked up at me. My second thought was "possum", since they are so commonly seen at night (though, come to think of it, I don't see them as often in this neighbourhood as I did up on the mountain), but, looking closer, that was no possum. Short little white-tipped tail. Check. Little pointed nose. Check. Oval body. Check. It was a Tassie Devil! It was sooo cute! I've seen them in the wildlife parks, of course, but this one walked right up to me on the street and said hello. :-)

I had thought to do the walk, yoga, and bed straight away, but I'm so energized from my random encounter I may just have another read over chapter six before doing yoga--perhaps I can get the new improved version sent back to my advisor before going to sleep after all.

That was so cool!

I put down the computer a bit after 01:00 and went for a walk. I often enjoy a night-time stroll "around the block", a loop which takes 30 to 40 minutes to walk (though I've jogged it in as little as 20 when feeling motivated). Tonight the light was decent--the moon hadn't quite set, there were a few stars, and enough cloud-cover to reflect such light as there is back down on us (no street lights in this country neighbourhood, and very few houses with lights on at this hours). About half way around my loop I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye at my feet, and stopped abruptly. The brain first translated it as "friendly cat", as they will often walk right up to people in the street and ask for attention. However, there are no friendly outdoor cats in this neighbourhood--there are indoor spoiled pets, and feral cats, and the owners of the former are very careful to make certain their beloved friends are never mistaken for the latter, since many of the locals kill feral cats at any opportunity in an effort to protect the local wildlife (or that is their story, at least. When I stopped and bent down to look at the critter, it stopped and looked up at me. My second thought was "possum", since they are so commonly seen at night (though, come to think of it, I don't see them as often in this neighbourhood as I did up on the mountain), but, looking closer, that was no possum. Short little white-tipped tail. Check. Little pointed nose. Check. Oval body. Check. It was a Tassie Devil! It was sooo cute! I've seen them in the wildlife parks, of course, but this one walked right up to me on the street and said hello. :-)

I had thought to do the walk, yoga, and bed straight away, but I'm so energized from my random encounter I may just have another read over chapter six before doing yoga--perhaps I can get the new improved version sent back to my advisor before going to sleep after all.