A Story Book

Yes! I really did see a bobcat from my window ... It had 4 legs (duh), was chunky and muscular, sort of gingery colored, and with a very obvious lack of tail.  It seemed smaller than I would have imagined (roughly the length and height of a large housecat). It took about 4 graceful steps near the water's edge and then turned into the brush and was gone. Just like that - poof! I stepped quietly outside and watched, scanning for signs of movement, to no avail. It had simply evaporated. By the time I went back to my dinner, it was cold, but that was okay. Without witnesses or photos to corroborate what I saw, I had to consult my field guide for a better assessment. 

When I handled this book to check the details, I remembered that it has a history, obvious from its appearance ... it's what one might call a 'story' book, in the literal sense, I guess.

It had been left out in the rain one afternoon - I was furious, and my daughter felt so bad about forgetting to bring it in that she offered to pay for a new one. After I calmed down, I used the internet to find out how to dry out a soggy book. The solution, to put it in the freezer, and then take it out to dry a few pages at a time with a hairdryer, did the trick! The book (and my daughter) survived to 'tell' the tale, a little scarred, but still functional!

As for Robert the Bobcat, there was absolutely nothing else it could have been, so I do declare that I saw a bobcat, in my yard, with my own eyes!