PetSmart Toys: A Cautionary Tale

I ordered this toy off the PetSmart website as one of the kitties' Christmas presents. It arrived yesterday. It was an instant hit, with Sebastian playing for at least a half hour and keeping the other kitties away from it and Moggie finally being able to steal it and go nuts herself. I immediately wrote a review raving about the toy and ordered two more because it's popular enough that I knew it would eventually get torn up.

The order confirmation arrived in my Inbox at 5:08 pm yesterday.

Later that night I saw Sebastian come out of their room with the toy only, no tail. Kyle and I tore the place apart and couldn't find the huge tail anywhere. I assume he ate it because that's what he does. (So far, he is still acting normal.) But this could be a serious problem and we're going to have to keep an eye on him. I emailed PetSmart at 8:58 pm asking them to cancel my order because this is a dangerous toy with the right cat.

PetSmart managed to send a SHIPMENT confirmation at 1:04 AM, but no Customer Service Rep managed to respond until 6:41 am to tell me sorry, but it already shipped (no shit).

Now I'm stuck with keeping a toy I won't use, shipping it back to PetSmart for half the price of the toys, or driving to Des Moines to return it.

Be careful what toys you get from PetSmart, and don't expect Customer Service to help you.

And now I have to go take a final.

Dark Times Breed Dark Thoughts

Every once in a while, always at night, I start thinking about Sabriel and I relive the horrible ending. As always, I realize there are things I would have done differently (like taking her to the teaching hospital for a biopsy to definitively prove she had FIP before euthanizing her) but all I do is torture myself. There are those (probably many) who would question still being so saddened by the loss of a pet a year and a half after the fact, but I feel how I feel.

I admit that the pets we've gotten since then have been, at least in part, attempts to patch that hole in my heart. I love them all very much, and know that we saved one from euthanasia and another from a horrible life, but I have finally realized that Sabriel will never be replaced. There will always be that little piece missing because of her. And I suppose I'm ok knowing that piece is gone because of everything she gave me while she was here.

I will lose a piece with every pet over time. That is the the great joy and tragedy of loving them. Their lifespan is dwarfed by our own so we are left mourning their loss time and again.

I drink good coffee every morning
Comes from a place that's far away
And when I'm done I feel like talking
Without you here there is less to say
I don't want you thinking I'm unhappy
What is closer to the truth
That if I lived till I was 102
I just don't think I'll ever get over you

Don't Vote

Old tractor parts?!

I have to thank Dr. Sponseller for showing this in class because I had never run across it before. Supposedly it was an engineering project by kids at a university that built it out of old tractor parts. It is phenomenal.



Bon appetit!

edit://Just read it's cgi...I don't care, it's still totally awesome.

And the hits just keep on coming

Palin's 17 year old daughter Bristol is 5 months pregnant and will marry the father of her child. As if the poor kid would have had any other choice with the family she's grown up in. They're probably forcing her into the marriage to save her mom's political ambitions.

Barf.

Hello, how are you?

It's been a while. It's just...we both want different things. You want me to waste my life writing in you, telling you about my day, and I want to experience the world! You were holding me back, but I've missed you. I'll try to visit more often.

It's going to be interesting to see how the Palin VP choice works out for the GOP. I've heard two main theories. The first is that she's a scary smart pick because she's a woman but has all those conservative values (lifetime NRA member, built an oil pipeline her first year as governor in Alaska, pro-life, etc). The second is that she's going to bomb because undecided voters or Clinton supporters won't vote for her simply because she's a woman and she has very little experience and no foreign relations experience--not exactly the person you want stepping in if (when) McCain kicks the bucket. My first reaction was fear but I kind of get this second opinion. I hope things lean more that direction.

I'm keeping residents of New Orleans, St. Bernard Parish, and the other Parishes and regions of the southern US that may be affected by Gustav in my thoughts. It's hard to believe that just three years after Katrina, when New Orleans has finally begun resembling itself again, they may be starting from scratch. If the storm is as bad as predicted the levees will fail again. It could be really bad. This time, at least, they are prepared, and people are taking warnings to leave seriously. Let's hope it's not the worst-case scenario.

I survived my first week of school. We have Surgery every Monday and often have Monday exams as well, meaning I won't be having a lot of weekend fun this semester. I'll get over it. Our first terminal surgery is a week from tomorrow. I'm eager for the surgery but nervous about how I will deal with ending an animal's life. Looking at it logically I tell myself these animals would be killed anyway and this way they are at least serving a purpose, but I won't feel that way when pushing the plunger.

The Pemberley Chronicles

This book was waiting at my door today in a DHL bag from a bookstore in Illinois. Nobody I've talked to sent it to me. I did not order it for myself. Apparently the Book Gods decided I need to know what happens after Pride & Prejudice. :)