Getting the kids bed ready is stressful. As stressful as getting the kids school ready, but without the impending arrival of the bus, which does dial it up to 11.

I hear you, Kat! Mornings, especially can put me in a screaming mood.

Yay Suzi date!!!

I skipped and skimmed over about a billion regional food-related posts.

because we're worried about Slinky's weight loss and ravenous hunger and such. Fingers crossed that it's diabetes or something else that can be managed with drugs/insulin.

That or hyperthyroid would be my guess based on experience with my cats. They both have the hyperthyroid and those were the symptoms, along with hair loss. And that was also the symptoms when Swifty was diagnosed with the diabetes.

The vet thinks hyperthyroid rather than diabetes, but he's doing a full blood panel to be sure. Slinky peed on him out of spite. I mean if you had instructed her to pee at a specific time, it could not have been timed better. She really doesn't like being doctored.

My cat just got diagnosed with hyperthyroid and had all those symptoms (weight loss, hunger, fur). He's been on meds since Feb and has gained about 2 lbs and his fur look shiny and pretty.

According to the vet, she had lost almost 2 pounds since last year, but is still within healthy range, though at the very low end of it. Hopefully the blood draw will yield an easy-to-treat diagnosis.

Kato, who has definitely lost weight since the winter, is 76 pounds. We never got his exact weight over the winter, so I shudder to think what it really was, given that 76 pounds is POST-weight loss. He gets old-man glucosamine now (in fact, Kato and Tim can take the same glucosamine, and all 3 of us take the same fish oil; it's kind of hilarious), but other than that, he's in fine fettle.

And Toke is Toke. She is the same weight, good health, indifferent to all pokes and prods. She is pure equipoise.

Didja' hear a dog was with the Navy Seals when they took out Bin Laden? A dog with titanium teeth! (It bit a board a while back and busted some teeth. Cheaper to give it titanium teeth rather than train a new Navy Seal pooch.)

Awesome slideshow: [link]

That link is the best thing I've seen all day. Those dogs kick ass. Literally.

How old is Slinky?

Hopefully the blood draw will yield an easy-to-treat diagnosis.

The thyroid can be really easy to treat and, man, the improvement once you are treating (for me) is amazing.

I hope the labs give clear answers and a treatment plan.

That link is the best thing I've seen all day. Those dogs kick ass. Literally.

Agreed.

How old is Slinky?

She's 14. An extremely spry, zippy, energetic 14. I seriously always forget how old she is, because she honestly doesn't act like it, and has maybe 6 white hairs total. Although occasionally one of her whiskers will grow in totally white, which is hilarious.

Kato is getting quite the tuxedo-front effect of white hairs, which looks cool, but I dislike him getting older. A lot.

That link is the best thing I've seen all day. Those dogs kick ass. Literally.

Agreed.

I mean, REALLY. I will never in my life, all my cumulative accomplishments done and those yet to come, EVER be as badass as ONE of those dogs.

Sumi, I put soy sauce for dumplings.

In the given context, chicken. Dur.

Damn, now I wish the whole NC contingent had put Mama Dip.

Best of luck, Suzi!

Steph, I hope Slinky's issue is soon diagnosed and easily treated.

Get better, Slinky!

ION, this made me happy: Cat vs. Piñata

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, Charlie disembowels a piñata. For dramatic effect, this piñata was filled with tasty kitty noms.

Go you Suzi! Rock on with your awesome self. I hope it turns out even better than you can imagine. ::waiting to be kept posted...::

I said butter, collards and vinegar. And, sadly, the handed down recipe that popped into my mind was the decidedly un-Southern, chicken soup. In retrospect the pie answer seems the OTA.

Every time I think about the dogs who served in the Vietnam war who just got jettisoned and watched their units leave them behind.... Yeah, anger. I'm glad things have changed, but it doesn't make up for past mistakes.

Tanglewood in Clemmons used to hold steeplechases, which were merely excuses for tailgating--a social event at which 90% of the attendees never even saw a horse--or cared.

Chicken and dumplings, sillies, and vinegar in BBQ. I named Justin Wilson, just because I remember his accent and his lovely wry wit. I have no idea what else you'd call a potluck, the only ones we had were church socials. Or, you know, potlucks.

Someone asked about potlatches--they're a PNW native celebration, involving ceremonies, dancing, as well as food. Sort of like powwows in the southeastern states.

Also, I forgot to add, yay, Suzi! Go have fun!