Delurking (sort of) to say how sorry I am about Mr. Kitty and Maddie. It's so hard to say good-bye to beloved pets. I've been there a few times myself.

Strength to sarameg and askye. Sounds like both your kitties had darn good lives.

OMG, y'all. Now Pumpkin just gave me a heart attack by first sneaking out into the rain while I was getting the trashcan in, then she roared back inside (after attempting to scale the deck posts AFTER I had to chase her around in the rain, which she thought was great fun!)

Whereupon she leaped into the crawlspace, attacked the pipes in the ceiling there, then leaped up onto the radiator pipes in the (open rafters) basement ceiling and tried to negotiate the basement ceiling by pipe. OY.

GOOD DISTRACTION MISSY!

No way you're a lurker anymore, Jean!

which I feel like means that some kids will get shafted and feel bad when they all open them together at school.

Yeah. Or else some santas will worry about that and end up getting a present that's too expensive....

ION, random stuff from my Thanksgiving:

I had to explain to my youngest son Mason (who's in third grade) that not everyone has the internet in their house or apartment. (For example--his grandparents.) Mason also told me that Gizmo (from the Gremlins movie) and Yoda are the same species. And while praying, he thanked God for making Yoda.

And my family got into a discussion as to why Tiny Tim wore adult diapers. So I said, "See, Mom, this is why you need the internet. So we can resolve arguments like this."`

Or else some santas will worry about that and end up getting a present that's too expensive....

I feel confident that both things will happen, but realize there's nothing I can do about it. Ah well. My kid will be happy with my $15 gift!

Yeah, I suppose I'm not lurking so much anymore, but I still feel like a lurker. Trying to get over that.

I'm glad Pumpkin is keeping you on your toes, sarameg. I think unfinished basements must be like Disneyland to cats.

I have a bad feeling about today. I was going to try to be productive, but shit keeps happening.

Like I woke up to a bad email from Atlanta, and then managed to break a wineglass all over while making breakfast (which did not include wine), and realized I have to fly out on Sunday for my trips next week (don't wanna!) and some ridiculous work stuff is being annoying (people! quit calling someone else who calls someone else who calls someone else, and just make a decision and communicate it to everyone via cc!), and the phone interview I had yesterday hasn't emailed or called to set up a real interview, and mostly my head all "I'm fat and horrible and no one will ever love me"

Hatey rage spiral. And I still haven't cleaned up that broken wineglass.

I'm so sorry sara.

while making breakfast (which did not include wine)

Maybe it should have, seriously.

I'm trying to set up my sister's laptop, and I've already forgotten one of the passwords. Jesus. Writing the rest down, and looking for a user-friendly password manager for her (me).

(which did not include wine)

I think that might have been the problem....