Cricket, like most cats, likes to cram her body into tiny nooks & crannies. There is no box she can’t fit into, even a box that doesn’t exist.

Ok, think ill of me if you will, but I let my cat sit on the counter. Not the food preparation part, but the ‘desk’ part where the computer is. It’s usually covered with mail/papers/boxes I don’t deliver, and she sits on the paper in a very “I’m not actually on the counter” kind of way. (If she does try to get on another part of the counter or on the table , you must yell “DharmaDharmaDharma!!” at her. Nothing else will work.)

So, a couple of nights ago I was trying to clean off the area and pulled a small envelope out from under her. Lloyd said, “Do you think she’d sit on a rectangle if you drew it on the counter?”

Hmmmmm.

Wisely avoiding the Sharpie, I went with tape. Sure ’nuff.

So, I dropped a poop sample off at the vet to see why Cricket has had troubles the past two weeks.  They called with the results – no parasites, thank goodness, but she might be missing some beneficial bacteria from her system due to the antibiotic shot she got a while back.  The vet said, “Bulk up her diet with some special cat food (iams) and try giving her some ‘active cultures’.”  So, I stood in the dairy aisle and perused the yogurt selection….for my cat.

Yep.  The stuff that’s good for us might just restore my cat to normal.  I actually hemmed and hawed on which flavor to buy, and then I realized that she’ll eat anything.  Really. Some of the things Cricket likes to eat:

Chips
Ice Cream
Donuts
Bugs
Red bell pepper
Avocado
Corn on the cob
Peas
Really, any veggies
Chocolate chip cookies
(I think she actually might be a dog.)

So, strawberry yogurt was obviously the way to go, because that’s the flavor I like. We’ll be splitting a carton for the next eight days.

NOTE: I always ask Lloyd to read through posts before I publish them, and now I know that if you’ve never watched Project Runway, the following is completely unfunny.

Tim Gunn: Designers, your challenge is to take this ordinary leather glove and create a fabulous restraint system on a budget of no dollars.  Good luck.

Tim Gunn: We’re sending in your models for a fitting.

Heidi Klum: I’m so beautiful, let’s start the show.

Heidi Klum: Designers, we found your work to be careless and unfinished.  Lauren – you are somehow the winner of Project Runway.  Cricket – have some cat food.

The first attempt was the yellow from Brad’s room, and it was nice, but it didn’t go with the dining room. So, I used brown paint from the downstairs bathroom for the top part, and tan paint from the upstairs bathroom for the bottom. There: it’s all done and I only spent 4 bucks for new roller covers. To honor the event, I have made a movie! Cricket just loves when there are projects that require the ladder. It’s the ultimate cat toy. (Something went wonky when we uploaded it, so it no longer fits just right with the music. I do not care.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rw5cdOPZgs

It was not my best day. I won’t go into the boring details, but let’s just say: I woke up late and it went downhill from there. Taking the trash outside this evening, though, the sun was shining and Cricket was being brave. We’ll end on that.

Oh, wait:  Happy Birthday Jacob and Stephannie!

It’s Thursday night, 8:12, and I’m listening to my leaky kitchen faucet and waiting for the laundry to dry so I can hang it up.  30 Rock wasn’t on tonight, so there’s no reason to stay awake anymore.   Good night, cruel world.

In other news, I left that stupid seat heater plugged in again in my truck, so I had to walk home from work. Stupid Lauren. Stupid wonderful tushy-warmer.