Summer is a Cumin Seed.

If you like PDQ Bach, you’ll get the title. If not, it doesn’t matter anyhow.

But spring seems to be a more ephemeral experience than usual this year. I woke up to seventy degree weather, with the promise of ninety degrees before the afternoon ends. This is not the April I was expecting, to say the least. The cats haven’t come close to shedding out their winter coats, and are lounging about the apartment with all the energy of overcooked spaghetti. Last night the Warrior Princess refused to sleep on the foot of the bed, preferring instead to sleep on a tray table in front of the partly opened balcony door, where she could catch a slight breeze through the screen. If I could, I would have joined her there.

I did my Latin homework on the balcony last night before class. It was almost too warm to sit out there, but it was more comfortable than the apartment was. ACfH is fascinated by the concept of “balcony” and has now tried on several occasions to sneak out when she thinks no one is watching. I took her out (after getting a good scruff-hold on her) and let her look over the railing so she could see what “down” meant. Unfortunately, I don’t think she was particularly impressed. She did note, however, that the pony tail palm is now within reach on the balcony – if she could only figure a way out the door to get at it. What the heck is it about cats and pony tail palms, anyhow? I’ve had that poor plant for thirty years now, and I refuse to let it become cat fodder. The cats have different plans for it, though.

My Latin class started with nine people in it; we’re about two thirds of the way through the semester, and we’re down to two people. That borders on agonizing for me, since languages do not come easily for me, and now there is nobody to hide behind during class. We have begun watching I Claudius as part of our classwork though, and I’m enjoying that immensely. I don’t think I’ve seen that for over ten years, but the acting and sets are wonderful, and it’s as good as if I were watching it for the first time. Better, actually, because we’re covering pertinent aspects of Roman history concurrently with the program, as well as practising vocabulary with the show. I’m only sorry we won’t be able to see the entire series in class. I’ll have to see if I can’t rent or borrow the episodes we don’t get to see.