Social Disease

Lyrics by Burnie Taupin. Music by Elton John. Vocals by Timothy Price

Social Disease is on Elton John’s Yellow Brick Road album, released in 1973. While I never drank, smoked, or did illegal drugs when I was a teenager (and still don’t), I loved Social Disease because I could relate to it as my peers thought I was a weirdo. Many teachers and principals told my mom I would grow up to be a no-good-for-nothing social disease. I never rebelled against my parents. I didn’t need to. They left me alone to take care of the animals and the house and irrigate the property through my teen years. But I rebelled against authority and public school. I hated both with a passion.

Loki: “Reach out and touch someone with a social disease!”

Breast Cancer Rose

Marble: “Where’s the cheez?” Loki: “Concetrate hard!” Silver; “¡Milagro!”

Line of cats

Thunderstorm

Snuggle Kitties

Gwendolyn and Loki

Jumping spider

Loki was thinking when Cater Mortis set in. Luckily, he snapped out of it. That was close, Loki!

Iris before and after Laurie whacked back Dr Huey. Dr. Huey was getting out of hand with long canes that were getting blown around and breaking the iris.

Resa looked up American Badgers and discovered they are on the endangered species list. Tristan said that’s because they are dangerous, mean, and grumpy. Craig piped in, “They will eat your face off!” I told them our badger is sweet. She said that the Cheo in the Badger recognized the Cheo in me, so it saw me as another mean and grumpy badger. There are advantages to being a mean and grumpy curmudgeon (Cheo).

We saw the badger again tonight. It listened to us for a few minutes, decided we weren’t a threat, and headed off to the apple orchard to hunt gophers. I photographed it with my phone because I had forgotten to check the batteries on the Bazooka’s camera body. Stupid paparazzo, as the critters like to say.

Close to sunset

Flowers & Cats. Oh! Yeah! And Owls!

Wisteria

Tulips

Glenda

Loki: “Oh Lord, I beseech you to make the stupid Paparazzo put his camera down and clean the stinking cobwebs! Amen!”

Loki: “I’m waiting for the bolt of lightning!”

Spunk hammocking

Silver

Marble and Glenda are Cow Cats grazing on grass.

Sasha

Loki

Gwendolyn

Mama, in the morning

Osric Owl snoozing in the morning.

Walter and Willa

Nora Owl in the evening

Willa and Walter

Sunset