We are going to be fostering one of the soon-to-be homeless German Shepherds/Shepherd mixes from Westside, looks like. We can't adopt another dog, but we can at least help one through the transition to a forever home.

And Sean, I don't mean to pester with advice. Mostly I just want you to know I care and am wishing you well.

And Sean, I don't mean to pester with advice. Mostly I just want you to know I care and am wishing you well.

I know. And that UPS info would be useful. Honestly I've been looking for steady work for some time. I love what I do, but it's become significantly less reliable than it was two years ago, and that's a problem.

OK, in order:

First, thank you all again for your wishes. I am stressed, but it's mostly about others. I just can't understand how they can live like that, in Gaza and in the south. I have a shelter and a nice alarm which gives me 60-90 seconds of warning. It is enough. But my friends who are getting called in, my friends who are in the south, the fact that we're wishing minimal to no damage to my sister's place in Be'er-Sheva, and most of all, on going blabber in the news (which is interrupted at times so much that they can't say three complete sentences in between automatic reports on alarms) - is very stressing.

Steph - wow. I applaud you and your mental health. Such an asshole doc!

Hil, I hope your back pain is better. Sean, I have no advice, but I do hope things will work out best for you.

I hated the war the second you had to take cover. Now I hate it even more. It got me thinking religion today, I will say that. So? If I pray for your well being, for you and your loved ones, is that then asking god to redirect the attacks away from you? Which would then cause pain to others I don't know. Which seems mighty selfish. So. I can't pray for that. But I want you to be safe. So, if I were the praying type, I pray for peace. I think it's the only non-selfish way about it. And if there is a god who actually answers prayers and stuff, I would think/hope s/he would answer the least selfish of prayers.

Amen, darling. And thank you for that.

Oh, yes, to stop being all memememe, Shir, you and Nilly, and everyone you know or care about over there, and well... everyone (you know how people get), are in my thoughts with what's going on over there. Take care!

smonster, I totally feel you. I had a cat, or three, every second of my life from pre-birth to 26. Now, I can't even imagine it. I think I am instinctively, a dog person.

Pix, good on ya for fostering. It really is God's work.

I may give it a go to help Cagney with his boredom levels.

I'm curious to see if his general detachment would actually help him to be okay when a foster dog moves on.

The back pain is much better, and in fact, I made it through several load ins and load outs without a repeat of it, so yay there.

Oddly, I was the human of our Jenny cat's heart, and I loved her, but she wasn't my heart-cat. And TC *is* that heart-cat for me, and he loves me. But Dad is his human.

Beverly, this is so interesting to me, like Plei saying that she needs to be patient with Bluebell and having cats bonded to different people.

I wonder if my bond with Bartleby was sort of lightening in a bottle. Thankfully, I learned, from him, to be much more patient than I EVER realized I could, so Cagney benefits.

Maybe Cagney is less into me, knowing I'm not as into him.

...Nah. He's be this way with anyone, I think...unless I was 24 inches high. He loves, loves, LOVES him some small people. Which is sort of fascinating to me.

I apologize for being all sentimental and repeaty. It's just that last year at this time, I was watching Bartleby suffer and praying that it would be the answer to all our problems. Now that I know the end of that story, it's hard to be anything other than sad.

On the other hand, Cagney is having a ball mauling a beef neckbone. He's been at it for 50 minutes. Blood and bone, my version of sitting the toddler in front of a video.

(((( SHIR)))) May these virtual hugs squeeze the stress out of you. Use us as your rock. Your grounding rod. Your comfort zone. Your sounding board. We are here for you. Stay calm. Carry On. Stay safe. Keep your wits about you. And do what you do.

Aaaand, pulling my head out of my own backside, I ditto this:

(((( SHIR)))) May these virtual hugs squeeze the stress out of you. Use us as your rock. Your grounding rod. Your comfort zone. Your sounding board. We are here for you. Stay calm. Carry On. Stay safe. Keep your wits about you. And do what you do.

Much strength to you and yours, Shir.