Stephanie, yuck. I hope Toby comes home soon.

It's not a book, but in a heartbeat I'd move into the Muppets Theater world.

GENIUS. I would join you there.

o_a, you're going to rock it. And we'll get you all psyched up this weekend.

I think I caught Pisser about to spray this morning, but I scolded him and he stopped. He seems to do it not only to mark territory, but when he's mad (he was meowing to go out on the porch and I failed to comply). I think the Feliway is having some effect, though.

We're hosting a group of our colleagues from other campuses today from 10-3. It should be pretty fun and laid-back, really - I just have other things I need to do before I go. But I'll have some time tomorrow morning.

Since I probably won't be around much, I wish all y'all a lovely day.

Toby's back! Three hours later, but he's back. He was just wandering through the backyard, following a scent.

So if the aliens were going to create a world for you based on a book, which book would you want them to have?

I want to live on Beta from the Vorkosigan universe.

Flippin' 'eck, that was quick. At 11am I sent out an informal PhD inquiry to a university whose theology and sociology depts I've been interested in for ages. By 12.30pm, they were asking me to come in to discuss it with them. Here's where I have to start selling my soul in the hope of some funding. But yay for interest in my work! Must send out more inquiries. Must finish book review first. Ah, crazy days.

Stephanie, yay for Toby coming home! What a relief.

smonster, it's good to hear that the spraying is getting better. Continued cat~ma.

Glad Toby's home safe. The Biscuit goes walkabout periodically. It's upsetting because he's good until he isn't, so we get lulled into complacency, and then he takes off. Most recent time, he was a little baffled as to how the SO found him so quick. He didn't realize he'd left a very clear trail in the snow. He and his neighbor dog buddy were out gallivanting. On the plus side, the SO discovered that his new winter coat and snow pants work perfectly.

Yay for you, Seska.

At 11am I sent out an informal PhD inquiry to a university whose theology and sociology depts I've been interested in for ages. By 12.30pm, they were asking me to come in to discuss it with them.

YAY, Seska!

And oy, Stephanie, on Toby and his wandering ways. We've never NOT had a fenced yard and just spent a metric ton of money fencing in our new yard. It's verra pretty but oy. These dogs ain't cheap dates. I also need to spray some boundary stuff around the decorative pond/water feature. Mooshu fell in it the first day, because he just can't see, poor baby.

I think we will finally go with the invisible fence thing in our next house when we move in June. This area is just not fence friendly (too wooded and hilly) but I just can't have them wandering around like this.

javachick - insent, sweetpea.

Seska, that's awesome!

Kate, understandable! And I am kinda surprised that you haven't had the pangs, hard, already. It's so hard to leave places behind even when the next place is spectacular.

Thanks, javachik. It's not the first time I've felt little pangs of homesickness, but they've been strong these last couple of days. I think having seen lots of friends while I was home over the holidays is making their absence in my life more noticeable now.

So if the aliens were going to create a world for you based on a book, which book would you want them to have?

Ooh, that's tough. But since I'm reading Laura Miller's wonderful The Magician's Book right now, I might have to go with Narnia. Or the Doctor's universe... but I'm half-convinced that's where we live already.

I might have to go with Narnia.

I was thinking The Horse and His Boy - borders of Archenland and Narnia. That being the Golden Age of Narnia, and Archenland being a friendly neighbor, it would be a good time and place.