October snow mucks up Halloween.

The cats are fascinated, though. The snowflakes are so giant. Cortez is in front of the window, completely baffled and curious.

So, the other night *I* made grilled cheese & tomato soup for dinner, and burned the grilled cheese (this is why Tim makes the grilled cheese instead of me, but he was disassembling the drill press that night).

The smoke detector didn't go off that night, so I just asked Tim to test it. He reached into the depths of the credenza and pulled out an incense stick (a heretofore unknown incense stick; color me unsurprised). He lit it and stood under the smoke detector and waved it. The alarm went off immediately.

"Well," I said, "we know no hippies will break in."

I am very, very sorry for everyone who is being snowed on. And glad it's not me.

OK, floors cleaned. I want to shampoo the carpet, but think I'll run the errands first before the weather gets any worse. Luckily, don't have to go anywhere that snowpocalypse-shopping is happening.

Devi cornered Pumpkin behind the bookcase and was swatting at her. Oddly, the only blows that were successfully landed were Pumpkin's. Tufts of Devi fur everywhere. Pumpkin got over it fast, but I've got to keep them separated when I'm not around. Thus I have a bungee cord to hold the door closed...

Also, I appear to have a mild cold. I think I've had it about a week. I thought it was just odd hours, but....nope. Blowing my nose just too often.

Switch and Cortez play fight a lot, and it only occasionally gets ugly. When it does, I can usually stop it just by clapping my hands and shouting, "Enough." I realized there's no way I'd bring another cat into the mix, even though the two of them will also just as frequently curl up and sleep together, and groom each other.

The power keeps flickering. Snow is bad enough, but if the power goes out I'm going to be cold and BORED.

It will be soon enough, Dana!

I just took down the hummingbird feeders, which is pretty typically bang on schedule, right at the first real freeze. But I had to leave the oriole feeder up because the finches are using it extensively. So I refilled it, and a finch just landed on it and nearly dunked her whole head. It was empty enough beforehand that they have to perch on the rim and stick their heads inside to get the sugar water. But it's completely full now, which means they can perch on the perch. But she didn't realize that and perched on the rim and stuck her head down. She came up, shook her head, and I swear looked right at me. I know I'm anthropomorphizing, but I can't help it, it's so funny. I need to buy birdseed when payday hits.

Anyway, the household tasks are done, I had a nice breakfast (whole wheat bread turned out much nicer since I sifted the flour with the gluten) and am now at my desk. If I can get a little business done, I can do cleaning and garden work the rest of the day.

Toy Story is being watched. The 3 year old has professed his dislike of blueberry muffins (all the more for me). And the 9 month old is so close to walking. She is way more mobile than the last time I had them here. She is keeping me on my toes.

The weather is too icky to take them out. Would be nice if that would clear up.

My sister's household has three cats and a dog. Two of the cats fight, and every time they do it loudly enough for the dog to notice, she rushes over and breaks it up. I've always wondered what's up with that. Is she just investigating? She does make them stop. It's pretty funny.