1. Reading the book Bridge of Birds has challenged me to read with a different mindset than I've ever read with before. I am basically illiterate when it comes to reading fantasy. When I was an instructor and when I was a cast member in four plays at LCC, countless students recommended fantasy novels to me often. Bridgit, who recommended I read this book, Diane, who also loves fantasy/hero's journey books and expressed happiness that I was reading Bridge of Birds, and Val, who also loves such books, have all talked about different fantasy authors and books over our years on ZOOM, but I never followed up until now.
I spent much of today reading Bridge of Birds and if I made any headway as a novice reader of fantasy, it was slowly but surely getting this book's humor and having some laugh out loud moments. These moments occurred side by side with the main characters pulling off hair raising escapes and encountering evil beings of all sorts. Occasional sexual encounters also provided relief and some levity for the younger main character, Number Ten Ox, but in this arena of the story, the nonagenarian other main character, Li Kao, could only encourage and congratulate Number Ten Ox and remember back to days of when he was young and virile himself.
2. I read more about toxoplasmosis today, the infection that can be transmitted to humans through cat feces. Cats become infected by eating infected rodents and birds or through eating raw meats. Upon further reading, I learned that it's very rare for indoor cats to become infected. Indoor cats don't hunt rodents or birds and, in Copper's case, he only eats commercially sold wet and dry food.
I've concluded that the only way Copper could become infected with toxoplasmosis is if an infected mouse or rat got into our house, then got into one of the two rooms Copper occupies, and Copper hunted and ate the rodent.
I will always wear a mask. I will always wear vinyl gloves. I will always wash my hands vigorously when I'm done.
With the knowledge I have and these precautions in place, I am going to take responsibility once again for keeping Copper's litter pan scooped out and, when the time comes, I'll also exchange old used up litter for new.
I am a very cautious person about contracting infections, but I just don't think Copper, as a strictly indoor cat, will get infected with toxoplasmosis and then pass it on to me via his feces.
3. Debbie combined the pork cooked in mushroom soup gravy with the vegetables left over from Monday's corned beef dinner and the result was delicious. As I ate it, I playfully decided it was a German-Irish fusion dish!
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