No, I'm not the vampire--I'm the one who gave up the blood.

Much to my delight, my blood was red enough for a donation on my first try. A couple of times ago the phlebotomist said (after getting the reading from my right hand finger) "let's try the other hand." Bingo. Since then I have twisted myself around in the chair and offered my left hand, and it has been a "go" each time.

If the blood was taken from an artery I could understand, since it would be fresher from the heart. But it's from a vein near the end of its trip around the body. Whatever works, however.

Donating blood justified supper at Arby's, where I continued reading the book I bought the other day. (Can't recall the author or title at the moment, but it's set in Botswana and is about the #1 Ladies' Detective Agency.)

Donating blood also got me (yet another) t-shirt AND an absolutely adorable and soft stuffed floppy bear. And I'll see YGD on Sunday!

Stripe didn't move away quite as quickly or as far as usual when I got home this afternoon. He strolled to "safety" just under the front porch, and came right in when I went back into the living room after putting down the "leftover" from the can of cat food. He and CC seem to be friends/hunting buddies. Being a male, he's probably also waiting patiently for that which will never happen with CC.

Summer is officially here--my furnace fan cycled on to clear the ambient hot air out of the firebox and into the rest of the house. I turned off the pilot and took care of that problem.

I'll go in to work tomorrow, and then will have a long(ish) weekend to do yard stuff.

One thing about having a yard--you never lack for things to do.