i feel a yearning to know its story

some things i noticed today:

*a brilliant red cardinal - i heard him before i saw him.

*these pretty lines from the story "ilk" in dressing up for the carnival, by carol shields:

"There is only one shrimp left on the plate. It lies curled on its side, paler than a shrimp should be, and misshapen. I feel a yearning to know its story."

*there is nothing in this world that will make you have to pee more frequently than having the plumber in your family (m, in this case) remove the toilet (yes, we have only one), in preparation for installing a new one. and having this take most of the day. i have used the facilities at hannaford, target, and home depot. so far.

*there is this thing they call sunshine. it appears in the sky and is bright and golden, and it actually warms you. amazing!