Tom, that does indeed Shakira.

Go watch some Shakira hips for 5 minutes, and have some good coffee.

I'm not sure about the factualness of that New York Marriage article, because he says The Waltons was based on Truman Capote's childhood. Wasn't it based on Earl Hamner's childhood?

SOmewhat relatedly, I just read the autobiography of Patricia Neal, who had a long term affair with Gary Cooper. It also seriously made me want to beat Roald Dahl with a stick, even though she was actually very nice about him. She reprinted a letter he wrote to her about their marriage failing because of his affair with their very close friends, which blamed the marriage failing not on his affair, but the fact that she was acting jeolous, and if she would just "act normal" they could get back together and he would have lunch (but ot sex) with the woman every few weeks.

Timelies all!

Gonna head to the Baltimore Book Festival later today.

Joe and I are going to attempt to play racquetball today. This should be very interesting as it's been about 15 years since he's played and I never have.

Michael ran out to get cat food and was gone an hour. I figured he'd stopped for a leisurely coffee or something. Nope - he adopted a cat. Simon is a neutered male, 6 months, black with white feet and whiskers, skinny and explory with a long-furred tail. He seems very friendly and doesn't object to being picked up by the kids.

Advice on how to keep our existing (10 year old female) cat from freaking the fuck out would be appreciated. Right now Simon is living in the playroom.

Wow undiscussed adoption of a new cat. Interesting choice mr. Flea.

It's been raining here since 4am. My rain collection bins are full.

Uh yeah. I mean, we've sort of talked about kittens for a few months now, but we had not reached any sort of decision yet.

If it had been a dog, I would have sent him back, so at least he has some sense.

Yikes, flea. Um, use the trick you're supposed to use bringing new babies home? Get Simon's scent all over something and introduce it to the girl cat? Let her get used to that before introducing the actual animals?

My cat woke me up by bringing a bird into the house. A little bird, and not into the bedroom, blut still, adrenaline rush. Got it out the front door and it flew away, much to Jadzia's disappointment.

Female cats are sometimes very blasé about male cats moving in. Good luck with that, flea.

You need to keep 'em separated for a few days at least, preferably in a room with a door that they can sniff at each other under. Then let the door open, and give them free rein for a few hours, let them proceed as they wish, then put new kitty back for several hours.

It's better when it's gradual and the old kitty doesn't feel like an interloper is totally glomming in on her space.