Given the white spots and ick on my tonsils, and the fact that I can't lie down without feeling like my throat is going to close up, I decided it was time for actual medical help. So I've got an appointment this morning. And I called in sick to work. Yesterday I really kept on top of drinking plenty of water even though it hurt to swallow. Today I'm not willing to swallow my own saliva. And now I've started to cough.

In Kitty Update News: Tuesday I was at home and supervised their hanging out together. They seemed to do fine, were wary, but not unfriendly toward each other. We were encouraged by this (although I did put Marley back in his room for a couple hours in the afternoon because I thought they were both a little stressed. Well, I know *I* was a little stressed.)

So after Tom came home Tuesday, we let Marley out, though he did often stick to this room. We didn't shut him in there when we went to bed, which led to some kitty v. human shenanigans in the wee hours, but nothing kitty v. kitty.

We went to work yesterday and decided to let Marley be free to roam the house with Taz. When we came home, they were playing with us (chasing a furry thing on a stick- Marley would play with it for a while, and then Taz... we tried to alternate equally between them.) and then Taz started doing this weird thing.

He would stand close to Marley and start meowing loudly, plaintively, and continuously, which makes Marley back away from him, but not run away and not counter attack. After a while, he would growl, but still not attack and not retreat, but either stay locked on Taz or backing up slowly. Then Taz pounces, and they have a quick tussle (nothing serious, but there is hissing and meowing.)

After a few round of this last night, we put Marley in his room and shut the door. Taz plaintively wailed outside of it, and would flop on his side and push his paws against the door, like he was bereft that we took his buddy away from him.

Then when we let Marley out this morning, Taz started the same thing with him! Then they disappeared for a while and Tom found them in the bathroom, flopped on the floor next to each other chilling out. They ran up to Marley's room where he crawled under the bed (his safety spot).

We didn't separate them because my thinking is they have some issues to work out. Any thoughts? Are we doing anything wrong? Did we move too quickly? It seemed like it was going so well, and this isn't exactly *bad*, just weird and annoying.

Sorry for the long cat post- you can see where my energies have been directed all week!

Jilli, insent.

Oof, sorry Andi for the timing of my cat-centric post. I hope you feel better... white spots are definitely a sign to bring in the big guns, I'm glad you made the appointment and took the day off from work.

ION, I am annoyed with my boss for freaking out about the stupidest things. Wow, dude, I *really* don't care. Don't make me say it!

He would stand close to Marley and start meowing loudly, plaintively, and continuously, which makes Marley back away from him, but not run away and not counter attack.

Sounds like Taz is trash-talkin' Marley. But it seems like they're finding ways to co-exist. Best of luck with continued kitty coordination.

WindSparrow, I hope the doctor can prescribe something that clears up your throat problems asap.

Andi, oh noes! You've been so good with the preventative care, but sometimes, the bugs just gotta take ya. I hope the infestation is over quickly and painlessly.

And thanks for the good thoughts in re Gordon. I have yet to talk to Niki and the ICU folks are loathe to give me details, but it seems to be okay at the moment.

Karl:

Didn't they do this two years ago? I wrote about it in '06.

[link]

Skippy girl.

WS, quick relief ~ma going your way.

Nora, it sounds like a getting to know you dance to me. Not troublesome.

{{bonny, Gordon, Niki}}

~ma all round.

I took off and headed over to my mother's house for a few days. She has health issues and I needed to get a first hand look. Also, a close family friend 3 weeks older than me died Tuesday and she and my sister were very upset. I just felt like I should be here so DH is in charge at the home front for a bit. My mother and her friend grew up together. They were pregnant together for my birth and our friend Phyllis. So not only did we know dear Phyllis for her entire 55 year life, our moms have been friends for 87 years.

It's tough because today is her birthday; she almost made it to 55. But it comes with the understanding that most of her life she suffered with serious health problems and is now at peace. Harder on the moms and the rest of the family.

Andi, I hope you feel better soon.

bonny, I hope you get to talk to Nikki, and Gordon, soon.

{{Laura + Families}}

Karl & MM, very, very briefly: yesterday's court decision was ostensibly about police negligence w/r/t records, that is, an error of fact. The previous case was about errors of law. Regardless, the Herring opinion was not narrowly written, and that means the law professor blogosphere is in a tizzy today.

Today's lesson in Why We Need Editors:

"The patients were 58% male."

Chromosomal anomalies? Transsexuals who are in the middle of transition surgery?

We're such nerds here that we love finding sentences like that.