Yooper? (Except obviously that ties back to the place name. Er.)

I'm just chuffed when I hear other people refer to Yoopers. That doesn't happen much in NC.

Tonight was the annual neighborhood Christmas caroling event that's put on by the local Salvation Army. I don't agree with their corporate policies, but our neighborhood event is wonderful. The marching band plays carols, people hand out homemade donuts and hot cider, and there's a horse-drawn carriage giving rides around the block to look at the holiday lights.

I've been going for years, and I guess the Salvation Army volunteers have gotten used to me. When I turned up tonight, several of them were very excited to see me, and everyone liked my top hat. Apparently I'm very festive.

Walking, talking, proof of that one.

There are three Hoosiers in my house right now! (Me, my roommate, and my sister) Two of us were wearing Indiana-themed clothing today (the two who do not live there--a motor speedway shirt and an "indiana" shirt). We do all sound alike, but we also went to the same middle and high school.

sumi

and found out that Rockford has an internment camp.

Yeah, my dad remembers that. Not sure if he was concurrent, but he remembers that it existed. He also remembers the Peaches.

Another night of Feline Grand Prix, ending in the never-ending fun of bedmaking! OMG, Pumpkin is the BEST thing to happen to Loki. He actually gets tired!!

I hung lights. And then rehung lights, preferring the white wires. I REALLY wish I'd picked up more same-types a couple of weeks ago. I got 3 different ones to figure out what I wanted. Went back to get 2+ of them the next day , completely devastated lights section, damnit. Learnt my lesson.

I'm jealous of Pumpkin! That's what I wanted for Leo when I got Percy - someone to play really hard with him and burn off some of his excess energy. I picked a boy cat about the same age as Leo, but you can never know their personalities or how they'll interact until they settle in. Leo tries to play with Percy, but Perce can't take too much ambush-and-chase before it gets too much for him. Percy would like to be an only cat, but poor boy, it isn't going to happen. He'll just have to put up with sharing his house with an annoying brother.

Beth and Matt, peace and strength to your family.

Pix, I'm sorry. I remember thinking of how Petri had been the one constant in my life for the ten years he was with me.

And since I've been woefully behind, Sara, I was sorry to read about MK.

I got the ideal partner for Loki in Pumpkin. And all such a fluke. I now credit my mother, for naming her, which pretty much sealed our collective fate.

I've never had such a social/feline-friendly-playmate female cat before. She's not a lap cat, but definitely human-oriented. If go out a door, she cries. Her favorite retreat is upstairs on the chair in my bedroom, but if she's awake (and Devi isn't on the prowl) she's wherever I am. Preens and stretches for face-rubs all the time.

She's a very stretch-y cat. Her wake-ups involve at least 4 different looong stretches.

aurelia, thanks.

the stereotypical farmer's name was Jonathan, to the point where some of the jokes just started with "Jonathan came to the store"

In the mid 19th century, the archetypal dumb yokel was a "Pike Countian," from Pike County, Missouri.

She's not a lap cat, but definitely human-oriented.

Once Switch was over six months old or so, he wasn't a lap cat anymore, either. But he does like to be in the same room as I am, and he does talk to me. If he's outside and I go out there, that's when he rubs all over my ankles -- I assume to tell any other creatures I belong to him? No clue.

Cortez isn't a lap cat, either, but he is a Velcro cat. He needs to be pressed up against you in some way, and will. not. move. once he's settled and comfortable.