OTOH, scratchy-bitey kitten sounds adorable, if kind of exhausting.

Significantly less adorable this morning now that it looks like I've been running the backs of my hands over a cheese grater. I need to buy him some kind of toy he can take his excess energy out on, stat.

House buying is always super stressful. Much house ~ma to Hec and JZ.

sweetie, HE works for YOU. Of course, you don't want to make him unhappy, but if you are doing what you need to do and he is unhappy, then tough snoogie oogies.

And listen to Vortex.

New to me car's windshield wiper fluid wasn't coming out this morning. So, I stopped at the mechanic hoping I just needed the fluid refilled, but of course it wasn't that simple. So, now I have to drop the car off at the mechanic on Monday morning. I hate how much money everything is costing lately.

Tim's family has switched over into high gear now that the visitation is tonight. I can't believe how many texts have gone back and forth since 7:30 a.m. But the texts are (mostly) not to me, so I'm just offering feedback when Tim asks and otherwise responding with listening noises.

Turns out that both the funeral home AND the church where the funeral Mass is tomorrow don't require masks, so I feel like we're about to launch merrily into a superspreader event. I had a dream last night that I got into an argument with an anti-masker Jesus freak. I'm glad I can use Covid as an excuse to keep people from hugging me, though.

There is probably a gif out there of Jack Benny saying “I’m thinking, I’m thinking!” that you could use.

It's not the check in that I mind, it's the cutesy "poke" that I find irritating.

I'm glad I can use Covid as an excuse to keep people from hugging me, though.

But if I'm masked and vaxxed and boosted, I can hug you for as long as I want right? ;)

(sends air hugs to Teppy)

My organization has a conference coming up - people have the choice of virtual or in person. For those attending in person, they have a choice of three wristbands - green, to indicate they're open to handshakes; yellow to indicate they're willing to have others come close but no contact; and red to indicate, basically, keep the hell away from me.

Timelies all!

Sounds like a reasonable plan, Toddson. Of course, there are a lot of unreasonable people out there, so who knows...

three wristbands

They've set up this system where I work, but so far I am the only one I've seen actually wearing one.

OMG, what a mad scramble of calls, texts and emails today.

You'll be happy to know we're leaning on the Hivemind as well, getting feedback from Martin (Juliana's husband, a contractor in the City) and Plei (vintage home expert, veteran of several restorations and remodels) and making them both look at the extensive building inspection disclosure for red flags. And probably have to pester Smonster too about dry rot issues with the windows.

And now we have to talk to our real estate agent again.

On the plus side, we now have a pre-approval letter and the money is all officially lined up should we go forward.

Vortex, could you make up a story of some bad association that particular word has? Like an asshole ex-coworker or something who would use it in emails and cc the boss and it was a whole thing so the word puts you on edge, and there's no way she could possibly have known that, but it would help a lot if she could use something else for you, thanks so much!