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.

I just need to get to it before the birds. I hung cheesecloth, but am not 100% that'll do it. Wildlife is wily here.

I usually go mostly by color. When squirrels and birds are a problem, I sometimes bring them inside when they still have a little green at the top and let them ripen a few more days on the counter.

Yeah, that's tricky. You may want to pick it a little early and let it ripen on your counter.

Oh my god. I thought that, being gluten intolerant, I could never have Skyline again (or, well, I could have just the chili in a bowl, but frankly, what makes it good is having it over spaghetti, or as a cheese coney; it's totally too watery to eat in a bowl).

They have on their menu the option of the chili over a baked potato. OH MY GOD SO GOOD. Seriously. I am so happy.

I am totally failing to decide what to have for dinner. Nothing I have here is appealing, but I don't want to go out and get anything. Bah.