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Hi folks

I just finished sitting for Junie (dog) and Giffen (cat) for 4 nights (plus the two outdoor cats).   Junie, a bitch, is kind of psycho.   Jedi Junie, barks at people before they arrive!  She bit me, so we got that out of the way, and I'm one of the few people she likes.  I'm special, and she jumps around when I let myself in, to put on the step-in harness, and take her out to the pee mail, sights and smells.  I'm not sure, but it seems like she hates all other dogs, from my experience walking her.  I walk her twice a week, usually going north, for a half hour.  Giffen (only 3 legs) hangs out upstairs, and sleeps under the bed.  There was a black widow in the basement, but she's moved on.  I destroyed her web.  I was warned of a raccoon that came in the dog door, raiding the food stores.  But I luckily didn't have to deal with any of that.  But there were ants.  I killed many of them.  And pre-emptively stashed leftover dogfood in the fridge before they could get to it.  Giffen prefers salmon to chicken.  She didn't eat 2 or 3 meals...  If I leave the wet catfood on the floor, Junie will eat it.  Maybe that's why she's psycho.  She thinks she's a cat!  The house is pleasant, with wifi, a lush back yard with a picnic table, a radio, a television, and a cozy bed.  I enjoy it there.   It's a block up from where I live, so I pop in to my room for mail, and to take a shower (the water knob in their shower is a bit screwy, so I don't mess with it).   The residents (Teresa, Electra, and Johnny) left the house to ski in Tahoe and work in southern california, respectively.  I fill the water bowls, give all 4 animals meals and meds twice daily, walk Junie for a half hour every morning, and bring in the mail and water the plants.  There are dental chews for the cats, and 2 meds for Giffen (pronounced Jiff'n).  Doors to close and lock, the front door of course, and others (like the dog door) from threats like neighborhood kids, raccoons, fierce roaming neighborhood cat, and Junie bullying the cat and eating his food.  It's mellow, and I bring my phone, tablet, and computer.   I listened to kalx, watched youtube videos, checked blog traffic numbers, and read my book (self-defense).  I also watched standup comedy specials on my phone, with my amazon prime I got from aunt Vicki for Christmas.   Jim Gaffigan, Louis CK, Sarah Silverman, George Carlin (3 shows), Bob Saget, and Dana Carvey.   Sunday night I came home and listened to HOS (hearts of space) for 2 hours on my Echo with my roommate Michael (a weekly routine).  I'm listening to the Mother Hips now, with a pot of coffee, and a candy dish full of Riesens.  I'm going to SF on Thursday to return my library book (I finished Dostoevsky's 'The Brothers Karamazov') and spend time with my nephew Ben and my folks.  I have tomorrow free.  I have a gym membership I'm not taking advantage of, enough.  Maybe I'll do a Wag! walk or two.  Or just relax and do nothing, sleep in, get a chocolate chip cookie from Starbucks, and/or a burrito from the taco truck on San Pablo (manantial), vegetarian if I'm feeling kindly (my fave veg meal is the Sometimes I'm A Vegetarian sandwich from Ike's love and sandwiches, downtown, yum).   I have a sty on my left eye, and my new shoes are wearing out really fast (especially for the amount of money I spent...)  I'm overweight, too, with a gut.  My shoulders are still sore from overexercising (arnold presses), so pushups and  pullups and chinups suck.  My sweet tooth needs to be reigned in.  An exercise regimen, for daily maintenance, and ideally gradual progress, using the gym, diet, dog walks, and self-discipline, is called for.  Berkeley has free food, free yoga, free dental, free library books, and my rent includes free wifi and utilities.  My meds are almost free.  And my clipper card is disability discounted.  My phone and the service plan it's on are a gift from my brother.  Amazon prime has lots of free video, like the library.  I got a haircut today.  $18.  I'm lookin' good!  I'm flying to Portland next month, staying there for 4 weeks, so I'm preparing for that.  That's my life, right now, in a nut shell!