Happy Monday, Bitches.

We have our first hurricane of the year, in November. No biggee, just real windy. They say I won't get any rain until Wednesday. Likely a lot messier for Gulf coast peeps. I was over on the Gulf for the weekend celebrating 2 family birthdays.

I drove the big van so that the boys and dog would be more comfy and it was a scary experience. The hurricane isn't close to me, but the wind gusts hit the van like the big sail that it is and it was a bunch of no fun. The worst white knuckle part was going over the high overpass to get on I95. Hate that stuff.

Now if the hurricane had been named ita I would be much more concerned.

Now, to watch Hugh Laurie sing, because always a good plan.

psst... Shir is a geek

That's not geekness. Geekness, sir, is to calculate multiple regression of all of the variables (public land data, wars, agrarian laws, census, etc.).

Which, if I had more time, I might have tried.

ION, hurricanes are scary, IMHO who has never seen one.

Stay in and dry, Laura!

So...I was rudely awkened at 4:55 this morning. The fire alarm was going off in my building. I got up, confused, figured out what was happening, looked out my apartment and saw smoke!!! I put the cat in his carrier, put on shoes and a coat. Grabbed my purse and keys and cat and humped down 5 flights of stairs.

Firemen come. They check stuff out. 30 minutes later, we're let back in the building. Turns out someone was playing with the fire extinguisher. Like shooting it all over the 5th floor. It either set off the alarm or the jokers playing with the extinguisher pulled the alarm.

Seriously?? At 4:55 on a Monday morning?? You have nothing better to do? If I could find those people, I'd do some serious hurt on them.

ChiKat, I didn't know that you lived in a college dorm.

What a crappy way to start the day, ChiKat.

The ex-Hugh Laurie singing was a much better way to start the day, and I highly recommend it.

saw smoke!!! I put the cat in his carrier

This amazes me. My cats would have been under the furniture or clawing and screeching. If my house ever caught fire, heaven forbid, I'd die of smoke inhalation trying to get my cats out.

They'd probably get themselves out through some tiny opening, and then sit on my grave licking their butts thinking, "Idiot. She died trying to herd cats."

They'd probably get themselves out through some tiny opening, and then sit on my grave licking their butts thinking, "Idiot. She died trying to herd cats."

This one sentence encapsulates the essence of cats.

Zenkitty, do you have them crate-trained? I haven't done any formal crate training with my cats, but I do leave their carriers out and open. Sammie and Harvey both play and nap in the carriers, at least sometimes. And then when it is time to take a cat somewhere, they don't get the auditory or visual cue, "Oh here comes the carrier, it must be time for a vet. trip", and it makes it a lot easier to dump 'em in the carrier and head out the door. It has also made it a lot easier the times when we've had tornado warnings, and I needed to take them into the basement.

It's the one thing about the cross-country drive that I'm dreading. Jack has never liked the crate, regardless of purpose. I'm thinking I'll hit the vet up for some kitty Valium before we hit the road.

Barb, two suggestions: get a towel or something that completely covers the carrier and drape it over it so they can't see out and feel more protected. This helped a lot the last time I had to take the cats on a long drive.

Also, maybe try feliway (kitty pheromones) spray for the carrier to calm him down.