I love shit like that. Just for the story.

Now pretty much any time one of us declines an invitation my sister and I are all "is it because of THE SARS???"

That is brilliant.

I, um, missed my grandma's funeral for the Chicago F2F.

I made the visitation, and I was the f2F organizer. My parents were ok with it.

I won't put my cats in kennels. Even Perkins hates it too much.

That's what cat sitters who medicate are for.

They have friends who will sit. The concern is that the cat will hide to the point that the sitter won't be able to find him. They were going to bring him to the in-laws', but they will be out of town. Meh. Shit happens, I don't know.

I hated my grandfather but was there for my own father's benefit. I also didn't have any awesome plans. But I'm sure I would have canceled them. I also shouldn't have gone, at least to the memorial service, as I giggled like i was on drugs. Because Catholic ceremony and the Ori have a lot in common, and me and mom had been gorging on SG-1.

Yeah, see, I'd do most anything to avoid boarding Devi. But MK and Loki are such social felines, they have a good time. I mean, everyone at the vet's knows Mister Kitty and when I take him in, come from the back to greet him. Even the office cats like him and vice versa. Loki hasn't met someone he doesn't like, and regularly visits neighbor's deck and has done a more thorough investigation of her house than I, and I've been over there drinking!

Devi, otoh...when I first got her and she was less staid in her ways, my friends tried bringing her back to their house. With afghan dogs used to standoffish cats. After she scaled their bathroom wall and clung to the ceiling, they took her back to my apartment and just visited. And then there was the time when a neighbor set off fire alarms and a friend's husband went to evacuate Devi (gotta love ex-submariners) and while he succeeded, was scarred to prove it.

When I had to hospitalize her, the vet commented she was a very unhappy kitty and the sooner I could take her home, the better. And not because she regularly drew blood from the techs. Sorry, guys!

The concern is that the cat will hide to the point that the sitter won't be able to find him.

This, for me.

Puppycat would eventually slut it up in search of pets. Kittenish? There are many people who don't believe I've ever owned a black cat. She hides. Well.

Question: how do you know when to pick tomatoes?

When you can pull on it gently and it comes off in your hand. If it's really a struggle to get it off the vine, it's got more ripening to do. Is my technique.

I just feel 'em up. I want to feel a little give but not too much. Color is also a guide.

ETA: "give" meaning that they should be a bit soft but not too soft.