At least it feels like it has only been 6 hours since Christmas. I made the
mistake (or maybe it was the outstanding choice) of giving DH a DVD copy of
the first season of the TV show 24. Somehow we missed that season.  I have
lost track of anything I was supposed to do this week outside of work,
return from work and cook dinner, cuddle with a couple of cats while
watching the television. And we still have 6 hours to go!!

Christmas was almost a success this year. DH didn't like the Sirius Sports
Radio and boombox I bought him so that was returned.  I bought it because he
was complaining of poor radio reception in his office. The other reason was
because his XBox 360 is on the blink and I didn't want to give him a
wireless steering wheel for an XBox that was in the repair shop.

The cats say they are almost all happy with Christmas.  The eve of Christmas
eve I hauled all the litterboxes outside and soaked them in bleach so they
had totally clean, odorless litterboxes for awhile.  Barnabus, Lacey and Sam
each got to be the first to use a clean box. Hobbes lost out this time.

Then disaster struck.  I didn't decorate until Saturday and even then I only
brought in a wreath and some ropes of long leaf pine to adorne the mantle
and top of the bookcase.  On the morning of Christmas Eve Sam began sneezing
and by the late afternoon his sneezing turned into difficulty breathing.
The only thing added to the house was the greenery so I gathered everything
up and threw it out of the house.  He's still sneezing some but not as badly
as he was.  He goes in for rabies shots tomorrow so I'll have him checked
out well.  His rate of breathing is slow and even so I'm not too concerned
but he is getting Albuterol whenever he has a sneezing attack.

The cats were very pleased with their new scratching post which is taller
than the old scratching post and has both carpet and sisal rope, something
for everyone.  They also got a new laser light, a new lap blanket for the
lap cats, several toys and some treats.  Mostly they had us at home for 6
days.

DH gave to me three cat fan pulls - a black cat, a tabby and a calico
(Barnabus, Hobbes and Lacey), a cat door mat and a gas smoker. He gave me a
smoker - a toy I really wanted - and I haven't built it yet! Help! I'm 24
addicted...someone recommend intervention!

Julie

PS:  Barnabus wants to tell Miranda that her letter to him was simply lovely
as well as tastey. He has eaten half of it all ready and will finish it in
the next few days. He must know it is from Miranda, its the only paper he's
eaten all week and usually he eats a newspaper, paperback book, christmas
cards and bills.  Of couse he doesn't actually eat it, he rips it apart,
gives it a thorough taste test then spits it out.  I have litle snowflakes
of Miranda's letter all over my livingroom floor.  That's all right though,
they match the very short pieces of blue yarn that he leaves all over the
house in his effort to gut a blue yarn mouse I had given him a few weeks
ago. <sigh>

Hugs,
Julie