Sometimes she's way beyond my ken, but that is a cool gift. Made cooler that a 10-year-old thinks it's a cool gift

Indeed. But I must give credit where credit is due -- it's a wonderful present for him.

The dam, Zoey, is due to have her litter on June 4th. And I talked to this breeder, and she really impressed me; she asked me, and my folks when they called her, a bunch of penetrating questions. She won't sell a pup to anyone who wants one. She also has this vid on her website (which could possibly go on Good Stuff): [link]

Matilda has never seen a rainbow?! Oh, wow, that is really strange!

We're just not well situated to see them.

Emmett and I see them fairly often because the rain passes over the Bay and into the Berkeley Hills and when we're driving home from the East Bay the sun is at the proper angle to create rainbows. Double Rainbows even.

But since Matilda is in the City she doesn't get that angle very often.

To get a rainbow, take a garden hose, and make it mist on a sunny day.

We're in San Francisco. No garden hoses. No yards. Shaded back yards (which, in our case, is brick) because of the Victorians. Like that.

Why my brother is awesome:

Me: [FSIL] was telling me about the parents' reaction to the wedding.
Him: what reaction, the one where they said the same thing they always say and have done nothing in 1.5 years but ask me if i have ended it yet
Me: The one where Moms blamed her diabetes on you and said she'd kill herself on your wedding day.
Him: that was good
Me: I think I like the diabetes part the best.
Him: yeah she always threatens to die
Him: thats like, so overplayed

Also because after 70 comments on my Facebook post about the cruise, he comes in and makes a perfect Return to Zork reference.

maybe a sunny carwash joint? A couple quarters is worth a rainbow for a lil girl.

A couple quarters is worth a rainbow for a lil girl.

I wish I could get a fifty cent car wash.

She'll run into a rainbow eventually, I expect. All the more magical when they're rare.

Merlin, Day 3: still behind the sofa. Starting to look more pissed off than freaked out. We got the impression, when we first met him, that pissed off is his natural state. So he must be doing better. Thanks for all the recommendations. We got a Feliway diffuser! Am hoping it starts working some 'leave the space behind the sofa' magic soon.

Surgery~ma, Erin. Hope it's all fine and not too stressful.

P-C, congrats to your brother! And I had an interfaith wedding and it was awesome. The Girl's dad threatened not come, especially if we kissed in public. He turned up anyway and left before the kiss. So that worked out OK. (I probably talked about this here a lot at the time.) I had relatives who wouldn't come but the day was still amazing. I hope they have a fantastic wedding!

My university has given me less than a week's notice of an annual review I have to submit, that I thought would be in October - y'know, a year after I actually started here. I spent the whole of yesterday panicking, rather than doing the work that actually needs doing. As soon as I can persuade my supervisors, I'm moving from Biblical Studies to Sociology. I am half-based in Sociology and they are utterly lovely. Conversely, the Biblical Studies department keeps doing things that make me want to quit the PhD and go and make my living driving an ice-cream truck or something. Also, I am actually a sociologist. (I can't wait till the Biblical Studies professors try to read my draft chapters on empirical research methods and ethics.) Ah well. Off to read some sociology!

Seska, it took five days for Oz to come out under the chair after he and Clio had a run in on his first day. I did spend time talking to him in a calm voice when he was under there, so he would get used to me. He's got fear aggression, so there was the added bonus of him attacking my leg when I got too near the chair.

Continued good thoughts for you, Ginger.

Erin, that is lovely to hear.

P-C, I love that you and your brother are so close. My brother and sister have gotten me through many a shitty time.

KItty~ma, Seska!! Patience is going to be the key here, I'm thinking.

I can't believe I've hurt my arm holding up an umbrella. WTF. And it's my dominant arm, not good. If I can make it through today and tomorrow, I'll have the weekend to rest it.

So in this rare case a pissed off cat is a good thing?

For many cats it's the default attitude. I once saw a book by a vet titled "All My Patients Are Under The Bed".

For dog people - on Shakespeare's Sister she rcommended making your dog "meatsicles" - unsalted beef broth frozen in an ice cube tray. Her dogs love them; judging by the pictures, it's a treat best enjoyed outdoors.

And I was watching "Shelter Stories" - on PBS, showing how dogs are brought into a shelter, evaluated, and fiind homes. One was a female, probably some bulldog in her background - she had that heavy underbite. In one scene, the guy who evaluates the dogs (for temperament, mostly) has been working with her and he's sitting on the floor. She's sitting next to him, her head on his shoulder, looking up (adoringly) into his face. Such a sweet scene.