Tomorrow's Father's Day dinner plan is Chicken Marsala, Mashed Cauliflower, Oven Roasted Asparagus, and Chocolate Mouse.

Sounds delicious. Does the "chocolate mouse" come from the same recipe book as the chocolate monkeys?

Or three, his short term memory isn't what it used to be

I'm going to guess this one. Vet labs are a mess and the number of people I've had to call to come back in to redraw is kinda horrifying to me. But I am so sorry this happened to you because I know you're concerned about Harvey and thyroid testing in older cats is really important especially with weight loss. I hope they are able to perform the test and get you results quickly.

Does the "chocolate mouse" come from the same recipe book as the chocolate monkeys?

Let's hope it doesn't taste like artificial mouse.

I may drop the idea of mouse or mousse because the recipe is too much effort. Easy is more my plan.

also stupid autocorrect

If you ever read or watched Rosemary's Baby, "chocolate mouse" has a whole other meaning. And a chalky undertaste.

Steph, I'm so sorry about your aunt! Your poor dad.

My friend has invited me to Game Night tonight and I don't wanna go. I feel like I should go. I'm really not gonna do anything here but watch tv. But I feel anxious and ugly and kinda fragile and I just don't want to go have fun with people, if that makes any sense. I should probably make myself go. I feel like I need more than six hours warning to get ready for Organized Fun.

Or read Rosemary's Baby. Which I did in the airport limo to Ft. Dix visiting H back in the days we were first married.

I know a lot of you re-read books. Am I the only one who re-reads to reclaim and re-experience not only the plot of the book, but the surroundings in which you first read it? Rosemary's Baby will always belong to that hot summer, airports, and waiting in spartan rooms for H to get off duty.

Woman on the Edge of Time will always be dappled shade and birdsong while the kids splashed in the lake, as will The Stars My Destination. Daybreak 2250 AD will always be a snowy day in military quarters in Nurnberg, steam radiators hissing and clanking.

Anybody else? Just me, then?

Steph, my condolences to you and your family.

sj, just hugs and thoughts of you and TCG.

Am I the only one who re-reads to reclaim and re-experience not only the plot of the book, but the surroundings in which you first read it?

I have a related issue with some books. If I have a book along for reading during a time of deep stress, trying to re-read the book triggers a certain amount of renewed stress. I sat by my mom's bed for a couple of days towards the end of her life when she was pretty much comatose. And I kept an old favorite book with me that I'd read a bit of while holding her hand. Now I can't really read the book again without feeling an echo of what I was feeling then. Except, oddly enough, reading the eBook version doesn't bring up the same feelings.

Emotions, man. How the f--- do they work?

I kind of get that with some books. The Secret Garden make me eight again, and sitting in a tree reading. (There was a great climbing tree in our backyard, and I could stick a book into the back of the waistband of my shorts, climb up to the place where the branch dipped and made a nice seat, and sit there reading for hours. I was so sad a few years ago when the low branch -- the one you need to grab onto to start climbing -- died, and it had to be cut off.)

I'm going to guess this one.

Thanks, Cass. Between Harvey's age and the weight loss, I was surprised this vet wasn't all over the thyroid testing and that I had to insist on it. And then it still didn't get done? I'm feeling a little growly over it yet trying to be understanding of human frailties.

I may drop the idea of mouse or mousse because the recipe is too much effort. Easy is more my plan.

Would Cocoa Ricotta do? [link]

But I feel anxious and ugly and kinda fragile and I just don't want to go have fun with people, if that makes any sense.

You have to figure out if your urge to turtle is counter-productive wallowing or if it is a signal that you need some time to yourself. I support you in doing whatever is going to make you feel the best in the long run. And I support you if you happen to get mixed up about what, precisely, will do that. I'm a firm believer that "I'm sorry, I already made plans" is a perfectly reasonable answer even for those times when the plans in question are plans to vegetate in front of the television by yourself.