We always had 3-12 outdoor cats on the farm. We had to be sure to cover up the grist bin and tightly close the burlaps bags of bran to prevent the cats from using those.

In retrospect, having to occasionally remove cat shit from cow feed sounds pretty gross.

Cindy, you don't want a cat.

I woke to 4 fake mice denting my skin this morning. And a cat sleeping on my head. And [link] makes me laugh.

I don't want a cat. I've had two. I loved them. They died. But I feel like a mean mommy for not having a pet. I could get a fishy or something, but pets you can pet are better.

Cindy, you've evidently never had the L&O Chung Chung! stuck in your brain. You really get weird looks with that one.

As for Tai Chi, you do understand it's a martial art, right, with the whole hurting people thing?

Or in a few months, they'll be joined together in a nice lap robe.

That's fine too, as long as they're out of my back yard so I can use it.

We have the occasional coyote, and I've seen a fox. Also, even though we're in a residential neighborhood, we're not at all far from the highway.

Better and better.

I wasn't allowed to watch TV as a child, but I still know all the theme songs. They are like a virus. And yeah, they are linked with other memories.

We had an outdoor-at-night cat when I was a kid. This was mostly in Michigan, although Skippy (I was 3 when we named him) lived his last few of years in NC. He made it to 15 years, though, which isn't bad.

Fast forward to my parents getting a cat after retirement. The same man who said, "Cats have fur--put 'im out!" in a Michigan January was making sure his precious Kimsy was inside every balmy NC night.

intersting call I just got. I had ordered some sunglasses from a store in the mall since they did not have them in stock. They even matched an online sale price I had found. Well, as it turns out the frames have been discontinued. I asked to have my credit card refunded. They countered with offering me store credit for $50 more than my original purchase. ok, I'll take free money, sure.

Cindy, you've evidently never had the L&O Chung Chung! stuck in your brain. You really get weird looks with that one.

Actually, I have. I've told you about giving birth to Julia, yes? I was pregnant with her at the height of my L&O obsession. She had to be induced, because she'd made herself a little too at home on the inside. They broke my water at 6 or 6:30pm. At 9ish, they were telling me she'd probably be born around midnight, but I said the baby was coming sooner (this is the common theme in my deliveries, and my theory is because my labor is almost all back labor). By 9:30ish, it was evident I was right. At 9:45ish, I told the doctor I had to have her by 10:00pm, so I didn't miss the crime on L&O. She was born at 9:47.

As for Tai Chi, you do understand it's a martial art, right, with the whole hurting people thing?

Yes, I do understand it is a martial art. I thought though, that the beginning levels were more about the art and less about the martial. Is actual fighting incorporated right from the beginning?

Fast forward to my parents getting a cat after retirement. The same man who said, "Cats have fur--put 'im out!" in a Michigan January was making sure his precious Kimsy was inside every balmy NC night.

My parents did the same thing! After years of "when I was young, our pets only ate table scraps," my mom now treats her new cat like a king.

Cindy, as much as I love my pets, I envy your no-pet-having self. Paying a dog sitter when we have to go, paying vet bills and food gets expensive. Not to mention cleaning up--because even the most well trained animals will have accidents or get sick is a pain. Mac gets reoccuring ear infections that are gross and I have to clean her ears daily. Sam's too skittish for the groomer to clip his nails so I have to do it and we're looking at hip surgery for him in the future with dysplasia.

They're a LOT of work. There's reward, but still a lot of work. And money. And hair.