Day 77: Lucky Seven x 2

I am very superstitious. Today is my 77th day into entrepreneurship - it must be double lucky. Today is also Veteran's Day, and the kids have a free day off from school. Schools are really nice, they take every opportunity possible to take time off. In NY, they had snow days. Here, they don't have that, but they still try.

The adventure of the day is garbage. For those who follow this blog purely for the purpose of feeling like you are back in Tiburon (I can guess who you are, even if you haven't declared yourself), you will be thrilled to know that our streets are being re-paved. They have finally reached the top of the hill, which is where the exciting event happened. Today is garbage collection day on my street. As I go to put the bins back into their discreet little tuck-away, I notice one of the bins have not been emptied. I peer into it, and see something with black and white fur. You urbanites out there, I assure you that skunks exist. They actually smell bad when they feel like it. Charlie can also tell you this, as he has been sprayed a few times. So now, we (Maxime, Charlie, and our neighbor Susan) are feeling like Bond..... James Bond. We strategize and concur (I don't know quite why, but this word always cracks me up, it's so pretentious) that Charlie should go inside so as not to provoke the skunk. Then, we borrow a garage can lid from our neighbor #2. Our fearless neighbor #1 tilts the can on its side, I find a long bamboo stick to release the lid, while Maxime jumps up and down from a safe distance. A few minutes pass, and we are getting worried. As we start converging, a little face sticks out, then a fat body the size of a small dog or big cat waddles out, and scurries off down our neighbor #3's driveway. Tiburon is a dangerous place, but we are saved, and the skunk has had time to feast on leftovers. We are lucky - the skunk didn't bother to spray us.

Speaking of leftovers, tonight is "leftover galore" night. We have dim sum (purchased at Clement and 4th this morning), sick-tummy noodle, and beef steak, followed by custard tart. Charlie is also in for a treat with sweet potato and Gruyere cheese. It is fortunate that I went for laps in the evening.