She does have to earn her allowance, by doing chores around the house, but she doesn't do them, or does them halfway and leaves a mess, and she doesn't seem to care that her allowance is reduced commensurately.

I would forget commensurate and make it all or nothing.

we want a really mellow, easy for Grace puppy.

The breeder should be able to tell you what puppies have the personality you're looking for. You don't want one that's too bossy, so you probably won't want the one that charges over to you immediately.

I would forget commensurate and make it all or nothing.

It's been tried. She bitches and it makes no difference.

Yay puppies! Yay sj's new little teacup! Boo Ellen stealing Jesse's tumbler.

In my life, boo Omaha weather but yay I ran a whole mile on the treadmill today!! I can't normally do that and have no idea how/why I could today--I had a vague plan to do some intervals but haven't been working out at all. And then at 5 minutes it still felt fine so I kept going u til I hit a mile! (And then I walked and then ran a bit more). Not sure what that was about--the diet I've been on? The fancy treadmill that was showing me scenes from New Zealand as though I was actually running through them? But super exciting nonetheless.

I got Anna, my dear sweet kitty who lived to be nearly 21 years old, at a garage sale. Actually Mom found the yardsale with the kittens and had another one picked out but when we got back Anna was the only kitten left, so she was mine by default. But I loved her, she was an awesome cat.

After she died I agonized over a new companion, I even thought I found one and took her home but it didnt' work out (Some people might remember this from Bitches). And then I found Dean and Maddie at the vet. Dean was a friendly, happy, playful exotic look cat and Maddie was his shy pretty sister. I fell for Dean and he seemed to like me, and I realized the shy one would work out too.

Then when they went (not healthy cats those two). I ended up with Penny. She was my next door neighbor's kitten, always out on the porch, even came into the house at one point. The neighbor got a second kitten and then had to move and could only take one of them. I had Dean and wasn't really looking. I thought I would keep one of the kittens. I had a choice between Penny and the other one -a dilute calico who was a looker; however, she hissed and ran from me. Penny climbed up my leg.

It didn't really seem like much of a choice once a kitten scales your leg (luckily I was wearing jeans so there was no blood shed).

It didn't really seem like much of a choice once a kitten scales your leg

That's how we got the dearly-departed Trinian Queen of Fuzzwumpia. Tiny little white fluffball climbed up the ruffles of my skirt, how could I not take her home?

Lee, we want a really mellow, easy for Grace puppy. So... who knows. they are all cute and wiggly right now. Also, they need a puppy cam!

Totally suggest a puppy cam. I hope there is a mellow one for Grace.

I can't normally do that and have no idea how/why I could today

Subconsciously, you were running away from Omaha.

All of my pets except Mr Peabody just appeared in my life, several of them literally on my doorstep. With Mr Peabody, I kept seeing him in Petfinder and suspected that no one wanted to adopt him because of the abuse in his background. Finally, I thought, "I'll just go see this dog." I was warned that he was pretty shy around people, but when they brought him in, he ran right over to me and put his feet on my knees. Then I knew I was doomed.

Running away from omaha does seem a likely answer. ;) here's hoping I can replicate the feat this weekend. That would be amazing.

Ginger, you meeting Mr. Peabody pinches my heart up in a good way.

I chose my last cats - I knew I wanted a black kitten because black cats are so rarely adopted, and Matilda was the one who walked right up to me and started chatting. Toby was a grey (not gray, definitely grey), wee little thing with a head much too big for his body, who looked sad and lost and already convinced that he was unlovable. So I loved him extra hard, to show him he was wrong, and he was and is and always will be the best cat I've ever had (with Matilda a very close second).

(After I met allergic Hec and allergic Emmett and had to find another home for them, Toby won over the new household with his graceful oddity, and their new human called Matilda the love of her life. They were both such great cats, and Hec helped find them a second home that was even greater and more loving than their first, but not a whit more than they deserved.)