I interrupt this thread to say that our dear friend Cricket is LURKING here and not saying anything. This is to pressure her into saying something.

Because I LOVE her.

14 sights you should see from the air

I've seen 4 of them. Could have seen 5, though.

should we have a list of our names on other sites

Not that I mind, but it could press on some people privacy issues. But I guess that if somebody wants, he/she can write them in the profile.

And hello, Invisible Friend of Kristin!

And Erin - yay for the job!

...unless you're in Formula One, at which point they go from wholly unnecessary to completely necessary.

I amend my statement as you are TOTALLY right. My F1 boys are welcome to flappy paddle to their heart's (and rev's) content.

I still don't like them in passenger cars. Or asses.

Not that I mind, but it could press on some people privacy issues.

So. Very. Much.

If ever there were a time NOT to click on ita's links, I'm thinking this is it.

Ah no, these were quite tame.

Paddle shifters are never the answer.

Flappy paddles on really high end double clutch vehicles are really the only place they belong. But when they are in that situation they are very nice.

I have flappy paddles in my BMW but I don't have the double clutch unfortunately.

OK. Confirmation day. I'm very nervous. There's a lot of processing around the church, and sitting and standing repeatedly, and having to remember masses of things. Bit of a disabled dyspraxic person's nightmare. I'm praying they've remembered to put a chair by the font, and I'm just not doing some of the processing. OK. It will all be fine. Meanwhile, entire family has descended. This is interesting.

Do I want to know what flappy paddles are?

Oh, Jesus, you guys. We came home an hour ago (1:30-ish). We had left around 7:30, so we were gone around 6 hours. We walked in, and the dalmatian was sprawled on the hardwood floor, her legs gone out from under her, and she couldn't get up. Her legs -- mostly her back legs -- wouldn't work.

She had had some pooping near (but not in) her bed, and I think the resultant flailing and then sliding on the wood floor made it messy (not badly so, but enough).

She was calm, though, and The Boy picked her up and took her outside, where she kind of was able to stand, really shakily, but not really walk. They came in, and she was able to take some hesitant steps, and then went to the water dish, and her legs went out from under her again (the kitchen floor is tile, and so she slid and couldn't regain her footing; the sliding has been happening a LOT lately -- we feed them in the kitchen, and her back legs start to slide out from under her as she leans down to eat -- but she's always managed to keep her footing -- until now). The Boy picked her up again, and brought her to the living room, where she was again able to stand, but refused to get in her bed.

The Boy went outside to find the kennel; it's one of those collapsible cage ones. The dogs followed him, and the dalmatian seemed able to walk, if not frolic. She even went down the 3 steps to go out, and then came back up them, on her own. She eventually did get into her bed, and is now lying there with her butt hanging over the edge.

I don't think this was an anomaly; I'm afraid it's an escalation of whatever it is that's been making her unable to keep her footing on the tile in the kitchen.

Man. We don't know how old she is; the friend that The Boy got her from was the dog's 3rd owner. Best guess is 9-12 years. She's weird and high-strung and dumb, and shakes all the time, but has been basically healthy. She's just recently -- in the past 5-6 months -- started the back-legs-slidey thing.

Not good.

Seska, we cross-posted -- are you excited about confirmation? In addition to your other feelings, I mean? It sounds like a joyous occasion, with the added dsypraxic concerns and up-down-up-down-up-down.

Still -- joy! Right?

Oh, Teppy, I am so sorry. My parents' oldest Golden has this and there's nothing they can really do. We help her up and stuff. Some days are pretty good still. I hope your dalmatian has a lot of good days ahead of her still. ;;Tep;; (What? Seemed better than hugs.)