E-o is in the House

That's not some hip hop song title; it simply means that our outdoor cat, Oreo, is inside because it's too darn cold to leave him outdoors. Even though my heart is three sizes too small, I still have one.

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Thing is, THEGIRL loves the cat. I mean LOVES him. And she shows it by picking him up by whatever she can grab and dragging him around like a sack of potatoes. He tolerates it for some reason. His presence in the house is a great treat for her.

For a while she wouldn't let him leave his food dish. You could almost sense him saying, "Look kid, I'm really full" as she picked up his hindquarters and dragged him back over. She told him, "I love you E-o" ("Oreo" is hard for a two-year-old to pronounce) and blew him kisses as he ate.

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Now he's sitting on the newspaper, trying to act invisible, hoping the Elmo video will buy him some peace.

Good luck, E-o.

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THEBOY is at a friend's home, having been invited for a sleepover yesterday evening. We slept more than eight hours (though Kelli's back in bed now), and you know, it's a peaceful morning. I've got another cup of coffee calling my name.

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Oreo just interfered with THEGIRL as she went to throw something in the trash can, so she dragged him across the kitchen floor by his tail. I can't believe he tolerates that.

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I know I shouldn't complain about winter much. Some of the folks who stop by come from/live in places where winters are genuinely harsh.

But a couple days of 28 degrees sure screw up my running schedule. I'm off tomorrow, and I'm told we'll peak at about 48. I'll probably hit the trail at that very moment. That ain't bad running weather.

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We watched Corpse Bride last night. It was fun, creative, well-done, and will probably never cross my mind again.

Oh, it was good and all. I seem to recall that it's based on... a Russian folk tale? Anyone know for sure? It's sure put together like one.

The world of the dead is portrayed as having comparatively more color and life than the world of the living. The animation is amazing... but still I found myself thinking, DAMN, Tim Burton... something is WRONG with you. Necrophilous personality indeed.

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I've received some kind emails from some of you lately about something weighing on my mind. I have genuinely been uplifted and touched. Thank you. It helped.

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Coffee. Bye.

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[Edit: Here's a good story on MMA's growth and popularity: http://www.rrstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060218/SPORTS/102180026]