Hm, quite possibly. Will do some research.

I can see why she's impatient and doesn't understand why we're not wavering, because we do let her do some things she's technically too young for. We let her ride in the front seat of the car because she's so very tall for her age--last time we measured her she was 5'0", and I think she's grown another inch or two since then. We've instructed the school librarian to let her have any middle school-restricted books she wants. (Her school is a K-8, and certain books are off-limits to the K-5 kids without parental authorization.) She watches some TV-14 shows with me, though our remote is still password-protected so she can't watch whatever whenever. But this feels different--so many more potential problems, so much harder to monitor.

Looked out the front to see if I needed to put out more salt (actually sugar byproduct, I think) and neighbor's parking lights are on. Knock on door, no answer, go in to send a note, hear door, he's on it. My knocking made him look. Except now I note the vacant's sump is dumping an enormous amount of water out with regularity suggestive of a flooded basement due to pipe burst. Across the street. I have the tool to shut off the water. Do I? I don't know. I hate being an adult,

Can't find the meter without shoveling snow, so. 311 it is.

Matt- Holy Moses! Did your cats invite their friends?

If they invited their dad (well, Molly's anyway) it would make more sense as he's a very stocky and muscular alley cat half again as big as either of them. It irks me to no end that the grizzled old vet who's been eating out of dumpsters for a couple of years will let me pick him up, no problem, but one of my own cats tries to run or struggle and the other freaks out like I'm going to toss her into a woodchipper.

Those cats of yours are Siamese, aren't they, Matt? Smart, mouthy, high-strung? Two cats on a chase rampage could knock your sofa arm off! Some cats just don't like being picked up - my formar stray Murray will endure it for 1.5 seconds and then starts wriggling and flailing. The funny thing is, when he was a stray outside, he would let me pick him up, and nestle in my arms! He was totally playing me.

but one of my own cats tries to run or struggle and the other freaks out like I'm going to toss her into a woodchipper.

Matt, some cats just cannot bear to be held. Sammie hates to be picked up or held. I think the only time she did not struggle to get away from being held was that rainy day when I first heard her meowing from up in a tree. I think A) she was cold and needed my warmth, and 2) knew she was going home. Now, 13 years later, struggles to get out of my arms like I might be hungry for cat flesh. Her idea of snuggling is to lie near by, and let me put one arm next to her. She isn't a lap cat, she's a lap desk cat. Confining physical contact just does not work for her, and she shows her affection and trust in other ways.

Those cats of yours are Siamese, aren't they, Matt?

I think Jackson's father must have been Siamese, but while he has the coloring he's stocky and relatively mellow-he only gets vocal and needy around feeding time in the morning. Molly's father is the aforementioned chill black alleycat, and their mother is a solid gray shorthair who's since disappeared.

Question for the cat-knowledgeable: Finn and new kitty are still getting along, hanging out, playing, and generally being buds, but Finn is still barely eating. Is that normal, given the disruption in his routine?

Are you still feeding them in separate rooms? It could be that Finn just doesn't want to lose track of Spidey. Maybe try feeding them within sight of each other?

Matt, some cats just cannot bear to be held

Miss Erzabet No Biting, who will cry until I let her under the blanket on my lap, or who will herd me to a chair so she can sit on my lap and be cuddled, HATES being picked up. Picking up is VERY BAD for Erzabets, and must not ever be done.

Susan, we should grab coffee and commiserate. I swear.