It's 10:05 p.m. Do you know where your plumber is?

     Until last Wednesday, I did not know there was such a thing as an uncloggable clog. After a good two hours of snaking from both the kitchen sink and the basement utility sink, the plumber from Green's gave up. He and I then planned out the route of the new pipes he would install running from the kitchen sink to the main outlet, a route that thankfully did not involve digging up the basement floor. When he came back on Friday, he cut the existing pipes and constructed a rather stylish bypass out of PVC pipe, tucking it neatly into the the wooden and steel supports on the basement ceiling.
     How often are we told that when we run into an obstacle (or a clog), we should keep on pushing (or snaking) against it until it budges (or flushes). What if it never does? What if it never will? What if all that slamming ourselves against an unmovable obstacle just sends us to either the chiropractor or the therapist? I am not arguing against perseverance. Perseverance is my middle name. (Actually, I don't have a middle name. If I did, Perseverance would be a good one. In that case, I might call myself Persey.) I am just suggesting that sometimes, a bypass is the way to go. I know my plumber would agree.

It's 5:42 p.m. Do you know where your cat is?

No, this will not be a blog about cats. My husband would never forgive me for that. But since I am starting that way, here is a cat poem I wrote some time back. I wonder what happens when I hit that publish button. Does it really go out on the internet? Enjoy!

Oh enviable cat
so well-placed in life
wrapped around a table leg in transient winter light.
Your little mind
is uncluttered and clean.
Who wouldn't wish to dream only of fish
swimming lazy and slow
in a waterless stream?

Good night Nebraska!