I tried that stretch. I laid down on the edge of the bed, one foot on the floor, reached back and grabbed my foot and pulled it to my butt. It stretches my, what's the top of the thigh, quads? pretty well, but I don't really feel anything else. I'm right that lordosis is swayback, right? I'm pretty swaybacked. If this is something that would help my back, I want to do it right.

Wow, that's a lot of words I don't know.

I picked up vastus medialis from the page I was reading. In lay terms, I need to strengthen my inner quad muscle to get my kneecap to track right.

I'll be interested to see how I feel tomorrow. I need to write up a little rehab program for myself and then do it.

And Nora, glad the event went well! Sorry I couldn't make it.

I was pressing around and he didn't seem to be in any pain. I don't think anything felt hard. He's so skinny right now he's barely got any fat on him.

But I'll keep an eye on him.

If this is something that would help my back, I want to do it right.

It helps your back only in the sense that if the iliopsoas is really tight, it can throw other muscles -- hips, back, quads -- out of whack, which can lead to pain in those areas.

From reading the description of that stretch, it's not uncommon to feel it in your quads, but the area it's really supposed to stretch is where your pants pockets sit. And the recommended adjustment you can do to make the stretch really get that spot is to tuck your tailbone while doing the stretch. And let me say, when you do that -- tuck your tailbone -- you REALLY feel it in the pants-pocket area.

What does tuck my tailbone mean? Push it back? Or forward?

I get that they want the owners there during the visit. But the vet in Tallahassee was really good about understanding about how people have jobs and can't always take time to be there with their pet. Plus the fact that a lot of people around here work in Burlington, which takes me 40 minutes to get to work. You would think the vet could make some kind of arrangements. Or be flexible.

I strongly disapprove of any vet who cannot be flexible enough to board a cat through the day to be able to examine a male cat with a possible UTI. Male cat with UTI is urgent - for the level of pain, and for the possibility of crystals/uroliths. Nora is right - it does sound likely to me, too, that Dean's urine is crunchier than normal. Aside from the pain for him and the inconvenience for you of having to clean up accidents, crystals can result in a blockage. Now, he's ok if he is peeing just tiny amounts, but if you find that he can now longer get anything out (you'll also notice his bladder becomes hard as Nora said) - this becomes a Capital-E Emergency.

May I come kick your veterinarian's hinder parts? Pretty please?

Ginger, I continue to regret you have to go though this, am glad at least one small aspect of your schedule went right, and respect your continuing strength in this battle.

Yes, so very much this. And {{{{{{Jen}}}}}

Her place is *amazing*. I just wanted to move in forever and lick all the walls, they were so gorgeous.

Aw, thank you, JZ. And, leN, I do have a Thursday - Saturday night gig, but am available for decorating consultations Sundays - Wednesdays. Provided someone picks up the airfare.

What does tuck my tailbone mean? Push it back? Or forward?

Forward. Like, if you had a tail, and you pulled your tail through your legs towards your front, "forward" = the way your tailbone would move. (I'm bad at describing physical things AND I'm stoned on tramadol, so I hope that made sense.)

Basically, tucking your tailbone results in a flattening of your lower-back arch.

smonster, that idea you had for a handywoman service? I think you should do it, preferably here

Imagine the fun juliana and I could have working together... I fix shit up and she makes it purty!

I just used a "personal massager" as... a personal massager. File that under sure signs of getting old.