The word of the day for July 20, 2008 is "insect" — noun — 1 a: any of numerous small invertebrate animals (as spiders or centipedes) that are more or less obviously segmented —not used technically. b: any of a class (Insecta) of arthropods (as bugs or bees) with well-defined head, thorax, and abdomen, only three pairs of legs, and typically one or two pairs of wings. 2: a trivial or contemptible person.

Bubbles is laying on the sofa, looking back at me with sad eyes. He has been chasing a fly that got into the house, but having no luck, for the past ten minutes. He jumped up on the loveseat to bat at the fly in the window; then chased the critter across to the sofa and nearly got it when it lighted just below the mirror. He lost it when it flew out into the kitchen area. So he came back in and plopped down on the sofa with his backside to me. I snickered at him, which is why he has turned his reproachful eyes on me. He has chased flies often enough by now that he should know that he cannot catch them. He isn't even good at trapping them behind the patio door vertical blinds. I'm usually able to shoo them out the door before they come to serious harm.

He also likes to chase garter snakes, of which we have an abundance. Fortunately, they don't often get into the house. Bubbles especially likes snakes when they are dead. He rubs his cheeks against them [euwww!!] for some unknown reason. I have been able to get him away from the dead snakes and dispose of the carcases so far. I hope he isn't planning to eat them or bring them into the house. There's only so much I can handle when it comes to snakes.

Our quote for the day is from Samuel Johnson (1709–1784), British author, lexicographer. Quoted in James Boswell, Life of Samuel Johnson, vol. 1 (1934):

     A fly, Sir, may sting a stately horse and make him wince; but one is but an insect, and the other is a horse still.

;^) Jan

Tags: insect