I named a late great cat 'Toshiro' in the hopes that he would be a fierce warrior, but in the long run I decided I should have named him Dom DeLuise.

Dogs I've had:
Pepper
Lucky
Skipper
Ginger
Spencer
Musashi

Lestat the cat would be a drama queen pain in the ass.

So nothing at all like Vlad and his daily "I will sing my song of woe because none of you will come to the basement and pet me in my favorite window" show.

Cats I've had: Ginger, Pud (like Puddy Tat), Regular Cat, Rufus, Stinky, Swifty, Uncle Bud, and our current 2 Professor Kitten and Magellan.

Dogs I've had: Lucy, Maggie, Frank, and current dog Capability Brown (known as, CB).

Hec, when did you start running?

Exactly a year ago. I started my diet on August 1, and had started running the steps again the week before.

I lost 50 lbs in four months and have stayed at that weight since. On August 1 JZ and I will both get hardcore about the diet again, and I'll try to get down under 200. I'm at 205 now, and I'd be content if I could get to 195.

At least Matilda comes by to help out with her now - I think it's good for both of them.

Absolutely! She benefits from the structure, change of venue and focusing one somebody else for a bit.

She actually had a good week between minding Peanut, a day at the beach with her friend Iris who has returned, and Emmett coming down to see us for a couple days.

Hi Pix!!

Oooh, you want PUNNY dog names. Well then. Chewbarka

Droolius Caesar

Bark Twain

Hairy Paw-ter

The Notorious D.O.G.

Orville Redenbarker

Salvador Dogi

Sherlock Bones

Woofgang Puck (or Woofgang Ameowdeaus Mozart if it's a bit cat-like)

Bark Obama

James Earl Bones

L.L. Drool J

Beowoof

William Shakespaw

Jabba the Mutt

Bob Scratchit

Sir Arthur Canine Doyle

Dogstoyevsky

Fuzz Alrdrin

Luke Skybarker

Karl Barx

Ron Fleasly

Bone, James Bone

Ryan Fleacrest

Hairy Houndini

Winston Furchill

Muttley Crew

Indiana Bones

Fyodor Dogstoevsky

Kareem Abdul Ja-Bark

Groucho Barks

Paw-casso

George Bernard Paw

Dumbledog

Fleasy E

Andy War-Howl

Boba Fetch

All depending on doggo purrsonality, of course ;P

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Love you Erin, those are great!

Timelies all!

Nova and Luna were given those names by their foster family(the whole litter had space/celestial names) and we decided to keep the names. We are science fiction fans after all. :)

Our previous cat was Puss in Boots, because of her coloring.(Orange tabby tuxedo, white front paws and white going halfway up the back legs.) She was named in 1991. Imagine my reaction when Shrek 2 came out...

Hec, when did you start running?

Exactly a year ago. I started my diet on August 1, and had started running the steps again the week before.

Okay, I did know you were running the steps. I thought you mean running on flat ground (which somehow seems more crazy to me than running the steps in the stadium, for no real reason other than I hate running). Is your piriformis behaving? (That's the fanciest way I've ever asked someone about their ass!)

Roofers started at 6am. That was actually helpful, kept me from oversleeping. Got Mom to the hospital with a few minutes to spare. Her knee replacement went GREAT and now she's staying overnight (as planned) for some PT and rehab before coming home tomorrow.

VA Hospital in Covid times: We both walked in with our own masks. Once we got into the hospital itself, we were temperature screened (both in the normal 97 degree range) and given replacement hospital-approved surgical type masks to change into. Each approved mask was in its own brown paper bag. Handy for storing my fabric mask with P25 filter insert! Hand sanitizer/tissue stations at every corner. Once she was checked in she was taken "back" for the standard pre-op stuff like biometrics, as well as a rapid result covid nasal swab. Where "rapid"= less than an hour.

I got to spend a few minutes with her pre-op after her Covid test came back negative (phew! It'll be another 5-9 days for my non-rapid resonse) where I touched NOTHING in the prep room except my backpack and myself. They got through most of the usual pre-op stuff while I was waiting in the lounge, but I was there to meet her Dr (who awkwardly stuck out his right hand as though for a shake...while I kept my hands in my pockets. It was a little weird.) I got a piece of paper with her patient ID number and there was an electronic board in the waiting area with patient numbers and various stages of progress. I also gave them my cell number and got text updates! Texts when she went in for surgery, when it was done, when she went into recovery, and once she had started to wake up. The Dr also called me after the surgery to let me know how it went (great.)

Once she was awake and successfully consumed her first ice chip a nurse called me and we were able to talk over the phone. I wasn't able to see her during transfer to her "clean room" and basically left at that point to go back to her place and be present for roofer needs. They had to come in a few times to check skylight installation from the inside. it's very loud. i want a nap.