And this is why I read Wolcott

This I have to share:

After all, Jonah Goldberg and John Podhoretz both have their own prodigious burps coming out in anticipation of Hillary Clinton's candidacy, and they're aware that the climate has gotten more hostile to the baby kings of conservative hackdom since the glory days when the fate of Western civilization seemed safely cradled in Bush's jockstrap.

Cuteness overload

Ok so I go home thinking Alpha has scampered off to live with the grown up squirrels, but I spot him immediately in the middle of the courtyard. As soon as he sees me he runs over, hops onto my foot and curls up as if to say, "Hi mom."

**Ellie melts into a gooey puddle**

I start to walk away to go get him some food and he starts to climb my pant leg as if to whimper, "No, no, no, don't leave me!"

When I come back he forgives me after a few sesame covered almonds. I leave him to dash back inside and feed the cats, then rush over to Pet Club to buy him a little house for the evening. I set it up so he's got a little cloth covered area to hide under, picked him up some special food and set him up with a water dish. He spurned everything but the banana chips, and demanded more almonds.

( I share with you now Alpha hiding under his den and grabbing sesame covered almonds: )

When I came back with the cage and a pair of gloves to scoop him up with, he was over with a larger squirrel digging through the leaves and making disgruntled noises. As I approached him he ran over to me and climbed up my leg again chuffing a little in a way that I interpreted to mean, "Mother, I can find no almonds here, where are they?"

He went in the cage with less effort than Kage and Pye going into their cat carriers. The best moment, though, was when he spilled a little water accidentally and went, "Oooh! I'm thirsty!" and started licking it up. Then he belly flopped into the water dish, would stick his face into it to try to drink and sneeze instead. He knew there was water down there and that he was really thirsty but couldn't quite figure out how to drink it without getting his nose wet in the process. Beyond cute.

So tomorrow I take him to the office, my coworker has raised many squirrel babies and has offered to take him on. As he'd last about 5 minutes in my apartment with Kage and Pye, I've happily agreed. Though I'm seriously going to miss the little fella'.

"I just snogged Madame du Pompadour!"

( Girl in the Fireplace squeeage... )