Dan's cell phone rang at 2 this morning; a somewhat brutal beginning to what I fear is going to be a long, horrible day. Yes-  it is Memorial Day, but there is no rest for the wicked and we, apparently, have fallen squarely in the wicked category.

Dan had to go to work this morning at 5 am. One of his machines, beast-like things, serving up a massive “dozen or so terabytes” of data to his company decided that the load was too much and it needed a Memorial Day break too. This is all fine and good, except that Belgium does not have Memorial Day off.  So off he trudged, mumbling expletives, “Happy f&#*ing holiday to you too.”

After an hour or so of trying to catch a few more winks before setting out to finish the gardening... solo... the doggies and I decided it was time to greet the day. I brought some of last night's leftover rice down to the chickens. I have one sick chicken on my hands and I bring her a little treat each morning to make sure that she's eating. This morning she is particularly bad and I have found the mental space to accept the fact that it is more humane to kill her than to let her continue as she is. She is now stumbling around and couldn't even eat the rice. It breaks my heart to have to do it, but I can't stand that she's not well. 

So on top of being alone on a holiday, I am faced with a host of badness. My innocence will be gone at the end of today. I will have intentionally killed another living being. I'm trying to decide what my evil persona will be- the angel of death, a mobster, the grim reaper. It's such a pity that I look bad in black.

I'm still hoping for a miracle recovery.