Embarrassing my son before he’s even born

He’s due in early July. And yes, that’s allegedly fetus penis.

(And no, you didn’t miss a previous announcement. This is the official announcement.)

Cats + Air Purifier = Cats – Smell

So, my family has had cats since I was in kindergarten or first grade, and they’re great, especially when I hit upon the brainstorm of having the litter box(es) outside on the balcony and letting the cat(s) use a pet door to go in and out.

Well, that’s not available in the Hesperia townhouse, and the smell of scoopable cat litter clay and the output of two cats (one of whom is half-again as large as his sister) created, if not an odor, the looming hint of an odor.

As a Christmas self-gift, I ordered an air purifier. (It’s somewhat expensive, since I didn’t want to futz around with expensive replacement filters.) I put it in the bedroom next to the bathroom where the litter box Superfund site and turned it on.

Sitting in the living room, I thought there was a window open somewhere: There was suddenly cool fresh air blowing through the house. (It even gets rid of the fine dust that seems to always been in the air and the mouth and the nose in the High Desert, which is a welcome treat.)

I like it so much, I’m considering getting smaller versions of the air purifier for my study and my desk at the Star.

I wish someone had told me about these things years ago …

Computerized cats

I just got Hanna and Lucky microchipped. Unfortunately, these are passive RFID chips, so I can’t monitor where they are at all times, like they were on kitty Lojack or something.

Still, since Hanna freaks out when a collar is put on her and Lucky will (no kidding) flex his neck muscles and make his pop off (the vet assistant today when she saw him: “Wow, that’s a big cat!”), this is probably the most likely way of getting them back if they run outside at some point.

Glasses and Christmas

So, my ginchy rimless glasses fell apart the other day while in Von’s, shopping for ingredients for my chili, in preparation for the Hesperia Star’s holiday potluck party.

One of the tiny nuts that attaches to the bolts had fallen off, and since it’s about the size of the flea, it’s just gone. The glasses are in two pieces now, with each lens on its one, and one of them retaining custody of the nose piece.

Under normal circumstances, I’d take the glasses back to LensCrafters, have them slip on a new nut, tighten the whole works up and be just fine. But our only local LensCrafters is in the mall. And it’s Christmas.

So it’ll be a squinty holiday for me for the next few weeks, unless it’s a situation where I can wear my prescription sunglasses instead. Ho, ho, ho.

Done with Christmas shopping

It took a little longer than previous years, but I’m done with Christmas shopping.

But while we’re on the subject, why does Apple Computers’ iTunes store only work with Internet Explorer, of all programs?