Pippin and Fizz are doing MUCH better these days. They are both off of their
psych meds. Fizz has stopped beating Pippin up. Plus, he's positively frisky
and playful. He's lost some weight too. Pippin spends time outside when we
let him. He's been bringing back voles and cicadas.  He especially likes it
when I go outside too, usually with the baby. He'll wind around us while she
practices walking barefoot in the grass.  We have to be super vigilant about
not letting Fizz eat any non-diet food, to prevent the recurrence of his
crystals. That really seems to be the primary culprit in his bad behavior,
and who can blame him?

We have sent Yogi to live with my in-laws.  SIL was supposed to take him
back (she's the one who found him) when she had a pet-appropriate living
arrangement, but adopted 2 little kittens instead.  So, Yogi is in New
Jersey now, in the company of an older female cat Mischief and a 10 year old
d*g Lady.  He is slowly adjusting, and once he's comfortable, he will have
access to attention all the time, as Grandma is home all day. Plus he access
to food all day  long, which we couldn't do at home due to Fizz. Hopefully
it will work out for the best for him.  If not, we'll take him back.

Mithu is perfecting his extortionist/terrorist tendencies, mostly on DH.  He
(Mithu) politely requests snack, and if snacks are not forthcoming, Mithu
will proceed to stroll along DH's desk, papers, keyboard, etc. and will
start to make a greater and greater pest of himself until DH finally caves
and gives snacks. Last night while we were bathing the baby, Mithu wandered
into the bathroom, demanding, er, requesting, snacks.  DH said "would you
like a bath too Mithu?" and picked him up and hovered him over the tub. (To
the great delight of the baby, by the way).  Mithu apparently was NOT
interested in a bath. He was released, and he wandered out to his snack
receiving place, asking for snacks. At which point we schemed that maybe we
could teach Mithu not to extort snacks by "misinterpretting" his requests
each time. So we dragged him back to the bathtub and hovered him over it
again. Then let him go (not in the water).  Whereupon he wandered back to
the snack spot. At which point DH gave him snacks. *sigh*  Who is the
superior species again?

Through all this the baby is growing and learning. She is learning to walk,
but can't do it without assistance yet.  She is also learning to pet, not
grab, the cats.  One of her favorite activities, aside from walking, is to
play with the cat flap we have in the basement door.  She loves to push it
open, and also loves to deposit toys through it.  My dad gave her a stuffed
lion, and she tried to stuff that through the door.  After all, it's a cat,
it should go through, right?  I can't believe she turns one on Monday.

That's all the major news. Purrs to all who need them.

-Caroline S.