Amy, that's adorable.

It's more fun to be awake on vacation?

That's just crazy talk. I am blaming the time change. When it was still dark at 7, they wanted to be asleep. Now it's bright and shiny. But I hope I'm wrong come spring, when the sun will be up at 5:30. Because if my boy is up then too? I'm going to cry.

Oliver survived the hellish night on warm blankets in the bathroom. I gave him his breakfast, fed Ruby and Mona, and now he's testing Mona's patience. He wanted out so I put him on the balcony, where he's made himself a nice perch on the potting table. I figure that's outdoors enough for an outdoor cat? I dunno.

I still have these conflicted feelings, like I may have stolen someone's cat. But fuck them, you know? Why is your cat outside in the cold and (earlier this week) in the rain taking shelter on my stoop?

I peeled potatoes and put them in the crock pot last night with some chopped garlic and enough chicken stock to barely cover, and out it on low. I heard I can make one pot mashed this way, and keep the stovetop free for the other things that need to cook.

The house smells AWESOME right now They absorbed most of the liquid, and are staying warm and ready for mashing.

pumpkin pie is in. mac went and knocked on neighbor's door before 10am to see if the kid could play. I had told him he had to wait until 10. I was unshowered and in pjs and the neighbor kid walks in. also? the kitchen a mess AND cat throw up on the carpet in mac's room. oh kids.

Last night's mushroomgravy!fail is being repaired. Tofurky is in ov. Cramps are raging and cold is setting in -- today is going to be a RIDE.

I had told him he had to wait until 10.

I remember my best friend's parents sitting me down and telling me that I was welcome to come over to watch Saturday cartoons (they had cable, we did not) but could I please not come before 8 AM.

msbelle, you're a REAL MOM!!!

Allyson, no. You did not steal someone's cat, cause that cat decided (if he had a person) not to be that person's cat anymore.

We have an indoor/outdoor kitty, and let me tell you, should someone decide to take "poor Minnie" in, they would quickly be disabused of any notion she was looking for a home. LET. ME. OOOOUUUUUUUUUUTT!! at full volume. You are guilt-free, should you be able to adopt that kitty.

I took Cosmo in that way; she was at a friend's BBQ, and they said they'd seen her around for a couple of weeks, and asked the neighbors if she was their kitty, and no. No tags, a storm, a plantive half-grown grey kitten PAWING at the glass door and doing the silent meow? Jumping on my lap in the garage and sleeping?

Yeah, home, James!

Pangs has been watched while I made the green bean casserole, sliced apples, heated the stove and did some dishes. Now the potatoes are starting to boil, and after I have a smoke, I will get dressed and make whipped cream.

Wait, maybe I'll reverse that. Yeah.

Dinner at noon!!

where the hell are my aprons?

It's not a holiday without the smoke alarms going off! Cough. Oops.

Allyson, our Cortez adopted us. He was probably a teenager, maybe not yet two? And had been neutered (spayed? I can never remember which is which) so someone clearly owned him at some point. But he came and he stayed, and he had obviously been on his own for a good long while at that point. I figured if we loved him and gave him a good home, it was the best thing.

So, I hope you can do that for Oliver. And if not, you're giving him a chance to find another great home.

I just got a text message from someone with a New York number, and I don't know who it is! Hmm.

I'd give Craig's List or Petfinder or whatever a gander and see if some little kid isn't looking for her kitty let out by a delivery man or houseguest... its probably unlikely but not much of a google to see.