First Post: Wednesday, July 26, 2023

No escape, not even in The Hills…

Summertime, with the first immovable heat dome having settled over broiling Southern California over the past few days, with no relief in sight until early next week.

When it’s hot like this, interactions with all manner of critters occur more frequently. The ants look for moisture, a reprieve, and try to invade the inside living spaces reserved for the humans.

Then there’s the rodent refugees thinking either the swimming pool is an oasis for them, or else a channel to something cooler for themselves. Of course, they never end up making it across, and it doesn’t take a Tejas guvnor to decree their demise. As well, it has happened that an eager swimmer has started undertaking laps before realizing that those gray lumps bobbing alongside are indeed fatally flooded furry floaters who need to be plucked out of the water lest unwanted contact is made. 

Then there’s the mascot, the dog called Kevork K. Kanine. He lives for the hunt. That primitive instinct lingers, despite domestication & a cushy indoor life. He’ll spring through the sliding door in search of anything he can sink his teeth into, some poor overmatched lizard or low-flying bird. In terms of the former prey, Kevork knows they like sheltering in storm drains & downspouts, other shady corners & nooks. So he’ll hit the jackpot every now and again when the scurrying reptile is too slow for its own good. Kevork will take a swipe at it with one of his outsized paws and that’s enough to immobilize the slippery customer. Kevork will deliver a couple more blows and then it’s all over but the chomping. Yes, he’s bitten a lizard into two pieces, with the tail end somehow moving independently of the head section.

Also, sometimes a misguided bird will fly into the house, and Kevork will leap into killing action. He’s fast & merciless. He does what he’s hardwired to do. 

And he has no fear. The other day, a scorpion was scuttling across the patio, and Kevork’s giant nose nudged the little desert lobster along. (Also, if you leave your bathing suits out to dry outside by the pool, make damn sure you shake your trunks or one-piece or your bikini thoroughly. The scorpions love hiding in swim apparel!

And this has been Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom!

BestLine Racing Society Recap:

Hawthorne, PennNat & Saratoga this time. Something goofy going on with the iOS weather app, which said there had been 0 in. of precipitation in both Stickney, Ill., & Granville, Penna. Yet the real people on the ground said to these algorithm forecasters, AU CONTRAIRE, MON FRERE! And what’s with those full-sun symbols for yesterday & today, yet the turf races are OFF. Unfortunately, nNot the first time we’ve been bamboozled by the Apple mopes trying to predict what’s gonna be falling from the sky, or not. No good, Chollie, no good.

At any rate, nothing doing yet. Regrets!

BestLine Racing Society Nightcap: 

We got The Mountain this time. Again, the weather app says no record of rain in the last 24 hrs., plus none on the horizon for the rest of this evening. Logically, the races should remain on the grass, then, at New Cumberland, W.Va., tonight.

Strongshots

Race 4
#2 Carlie Q Blue (.320 Win Prob / 2.13-1 Fair Odds / 2.75-1 Premium Odds)

Race 5
#5 Dang It Cain (.342 / 1.92 / 2.51)

Longshots

Race 1
#4 Flyunderthegraydar (.216 / 3.63 / 4.56)
#3 Gottagetitback (.173 / 4.78 / 7.09)
#1 Unbridledselection (.168 / 4.95 / 7.33)
#7 Julie’s Ferrari (.167 / 4.99 / 7.38)

Race 7
#3 Gormleyesque (.279 / 2.58 / 3.30)
#7 Miss Bette lUTE (.166 / 5.02 / 7.43)
#2 Christina Ann (.163 / 5.13 / 7.59)