$9.99 [Aerobie Superdisc]

I know this little dog named Betelgeuse who cannot live without a 10" Aerobie Superdisc in her life.

My better, saner half has always wanted a dog who can catch a Frisbee.  Betel may never realize his vision, but she will give it her best shot and will also fetch that darn Frisbee over and over until she collapses from exhaustion.  I could have put any number of videos of her with her Frisbee, but I just chose the most recent.  I've written a post in the past about her love of balls, but the Frisbee is the real deal, numero uno, her soul mate in toy form.

She is attracted to most Frisbees, but the standard-sized Frisbee is a little too big for her.  It's both too heavy (give her a break -- she only weighs 11 lbs.) and too tall (it can get caught on the ground when she is running with it in her mouth).  But the 10" Aerobie Superdisc is a perfect size and so lightweight.  It's one of the easiest Frisbees I've ever thrown, and the plastic is resistant to sharp little teeth, even after a good, loving chew.

The disc costs approximately $9.99, but we've gone through several of these in the last few years.  (The first one was a birthday gift from K to me because we love playing Frisbee, which is the equivalent of monkey in the middle for Betel.)  I think we "accidentally" left one of them in Chicago -- Ahem, Icarus, do you know anything about this?*

And one got "lost" in Pennsylvania -- we're looking at you for this one, Abby.

But I guess that just goes to show what a big hit this Frisbee is for the pups in our life.  Highly recommended for the humans, too!

* Photo by CPE, cribbed from her Flickr

$98.00 [Yarn Ball Urn]

Natural Burial Company Yarn Ball Urn. 

This beautiful urn will be Kitty's final resting place, selected by my brother, W, who spent several years with Kitty when we lived in Chicago.  It's perfect for her.  It's tasteful, the company is socially responsible, and I can put her little Kitty tags on it.  It's also 100% biodegradable so that I can bury her in an appropriate place years from now when it becomes awkward to still have my dead three-legged cat's ashes.

$98.00 with free U.S. shipping - although I hope you never need to buy this for your cat because he or she beats all odds and lives forever.

$2.60 [Fat Cat]

She keeps saying it's just her "winter weight" and that she'll work it off by hunting house centipedes, but the proof is in the pudding, folks.  Lola is only getting bigger.

She now officially weighs more than twice what Betelgeuse and Lulu weigh when put together.  We're proud of you, Lola, but it's time for you to go on a diet.

Our local pet store recommended feeding her the high-protein, low-carb Abady Complete Beef-Based FAT CAT Formula according to the specifications on the can.  It's a good thing Lola can't read English, or she might take offense to the formula name.  Can you imagine a human diet food being called "FAT PEOPLE FOOD" with a subtitle that reads "helps bring about the best condition possible for ADULT FAT PEOPLE"?  I'm sure it would be flying off the shelves.

A 13.2 oz. can costs approximately $2.60 when purchased individually.  It's a little pricey, and Lola still constantly cries for her dry food.  If we don't keep an eye on her, she'll sneak dog food, too.  (The pups just lay down and watch her do it, occasionally letting out a tiny whine.)

If anyone has any recommendations outside of the Abady Fat Cat formula for a good weight management wet or dry cat food, please leave a comment.  I'm all ears.  And Lola is all blob.  Well, mostly blob.  She still has a tiny head.

$13.69 [Money Pit]

Well, this happened.

This is a ripped up pile of twenty dollar bills.  Four of them, to be exact.

Let it soak in.

The circumstances under which this financial crime was perpetrated are unclear.  My purse, with $80 in cash inside of it, was sitting on the living room floor.  I was in the back bedroom.  I am 99.9% sure that Betelgeuse was the ultimate destructive force, as she has a history of chewing up paper when she's in a good mood.  But these bills came from my purse, and she's never been a bag forager.  So that means either Lulu or Kira, or maybe even both, helped steal the $80 from my purse before Betel thoroughly ripped it to shreds.  I say thoroughly because she even pulled out some of the security threads.

So why is this post not entitled $80.00?  Because it turns out that the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing will redeem damaged or mutilated currency.  So the net loss hopefully is just $13.69 for the cost of registered mail postage with return receipt requested.  Unless the U.S. Treasury will not redeem it, in which case I will be out a whopping $93.69.  Thanks, pups.

$103.95 [OllyDog Hugger]

OllyDog Hugger (in hunter green)

One of the many (many) carriers in our arsenal.  We purchased this carrier - designed by Ollydog Inc., a small company in Berkeley, California - for our cross-country roadtrip with Betelgeuse to bypass the "no dogs on trails" rule of many of our country's amazing national parks.  It comes in orange (pictured below) and green (which is the one we purchased from our local pet boutique).

This thing is great, and I have not found another carrier like it on the market.  Throwing a dog in a tote bag or sling for a subway ride or part of a hike is one thing, but hiking for miles with an 11 lbs. dog on your back is quite another.  That's where the support and comfort offered by the chest straps and wide shoulder straps on this carrier really stand out.  The hard bottom also seemed to be more stable and comfortable for Betelgeuse than some of our other bags that hug her body and can make her hot.  Bonus:  the dimensions are 15" x 7" x 17", which also make it carry-on friendly on most major airlines.

Only two complaints:  (1) for all the reasons that make this a great carrier when you must carry your dog (e.g., on a no-dogs-allowed hiking trail or in the airport), it is not the most convenient carrier to bring with you just in case you might want to carry your dog - it's just too big and bulky to carry while the pup walks on the ground; a collapsible tote bag is going to win that battle every time - and (2) I had some trouble making the straps tight enough for my smaller frame.  This second complaint was not one shared by my better half, who carried Betelgeuse in our OllyDog Hugger for most of our hot desert trek to the Delicate Arch in Arches National Park.

She was a great park citizen to ride in this backpack all day.  To make it up to her, we also took her to Dead Horse Point State Park, which is a dog-friendly state park right down the road, where she could run up and down the trails and drink out of craters to her heart's content.

The OllyDog Hugger is $103.95 on sale at the linked online retailer, and even to the author of a blog called (over)budget pet, this is no small sum.  On a cost-per-use basis, we're not getting a great deal with this carrier, which we rarely use because the pups prefer to hit the trails with their paws, but when we did need it, it was a stand out.  It's extremely high quality for a pet product (which unfortunately are often made like crap), and I like supporting small businesses making quality products like OllyDog.

$140.00 [Anti-Fur Campaign]

Summer cuts for the pups at a local doggy spa, coming in at $140.00 total -- $60.00 for each cut, plus $10.00 gratuity for each cut.  The somewhat high (but mostly reasonable because this is New York) price tag gets you, from the doggy spa's website, "nail clipping, ear cleaning, anal gland expression, a rejuvenating bath with all natural shampoos and conditioner, and hair cut to your specifications." 

I am pleased overall with the haircuts because, duh, these are the cutest dogs ever -- they are much cooler and super cuddly sans fur, and plus I really hate trimming nails.  But while Betelgeuse's hair was definitely cut to our specifications, I cannot really say the same for Lulu.  We requested a lion cut, and she ended up looking sort of like a monkey.  A really really cute monkey, but still, a monkey is not a lion and I wish they had left more of her mane on her chest and neck.  But enough words.  It's time for pictures.

The full photo set is available here. 

$3.99 [SPOT Skinneeez for cats]

SPOT Skinneeez for cats, Exotic Series, Ostrich

Impulse buy from the drugstore for my overweight tabby, Lola, who loves to play. It is filled with catnip and reminds me of an almost-dead mouse, which is exactly how Lola likes her mice.

Also, the toy (pictured above on the right) is a miniature replica of one of Betelgeuse's favorite toys (pictured below): SPOT Mini Skinneeez stuffing-free dog toy, Exotic Series, 12.5" Ostrich. And I have a deep love for anything out-of-scale, whether miniature or disproportionately large.

The new cat toy is a big hit, with both Lola (who was batting it around under the kitchen table) and Betelgeuse (who I caught carrying it out to the backyard just now). $3.99 for loads of animal clan fun!

I highly recommend any and all of the Skinneeez dog toys, by the way. They squeak, which is a prerequisite for any plush dog toy I buy, but the best part (and the primary selling point) is that they are stuffing free. This is perfect for dogs who, like Betel, methodically destroy plush toys and eat the stuffing. (After she dismembered her triceratops and ingested its insides, she had an all-stuffing bowel movement on the sidewalk. It resembled a cloud more than a poop.) The Skinneeez toys really can't be destroyed. They're nice and floppy -- good for shaking or tug o' war -- and they come in a range of sizes to suit all dogs' jaws, from mini to large, and in lots of different "animals." My favorites are the fox, the hen, and the jungle cats!

$20.99 [Tidy Cat]

Purina Tidy Cats Scoop for Multiple Cats clumpable litter (in Instant Action or 24/7 Performance or certain of the Premium Scoop Varieties), 27 lbs. recyclable plastic pail

Lola is very particular about her bathroom habits.  For awhile I wasn't sure she pooped or peed at all because she was so secretive about it that I never saw her do it.  She prefers a large, uncovered, open (but preferably not top-entry) litter box.  And it's got to be impeccably clean and filled with an ample amount of Purina Tidy Cats Scoop for Multiple Cats clumpable litter.

I did not know how committed Lola was to this litter, or how particular she really was about her bathroom habits, until the clan and I moved to our second floor Brooklyn apartment.

 

$0.02 [Wag.com]

All of my dreams have come true today.  Wag.com has officially launched.  Free 1-2 day shipping on orders $49.00 or more.  A large variety of products, and most importantly, Lola's favorite cat litter at a competitive price and delivered right to my door for free.  Living in Brooklyn, I've paid a lot more and dragged it a lot further.

It's too bad that I have to work today and cannot spend all day browsing this website and buying presents for the animals.  Presents quite unlike this aardvark, which Lola hates.

$10.00 [The Great Outdoors]

Parking at Stokes State Forest on July 4, 2011 for a day of mostly dog-friendly hiking along the Kittatinny Mountain ridge.

I say "mostly dog-friendly" because the bugs were in no short supply, but I'm not sure these two really cared:

Betelgeuse is an excellent hiker, no matter what the terrain.  She is reminiscent of a little mountain goat, often climbing up and down rocks along the side of the trail just for the sake of climbing. 

Lulu holds her own, but she tires easily and is quite clumsy, so we throw her in Betelgeuse's old puppy sling every now and then (Outward Hound Pet Sling, $15.00) when she starts slowing down or when the terrain gets difficult.

$10.00 for a full day of fun and two dogs tired enough to sleep through the next twenty-four hours (including Independence Day fireworks).  Worth the money and the bugs.

$47.25 [SmartCat Multi-Level Cat Climber]

The SmartCat Multi-Level Cat Climber, a gift from Santa to Lola for Christmas 2010. 

Lola is the alpha animal of the clan.  She rules the roost.  And her second favorite pastime -- her first being eating all the food -- is sitting on a cat tree or cat condo, sharpening her razor claws and surveying her vast empire.

If you have a multiple animal household, giving the cat(s) a means to demonstrate the hierarchy will enable everyone to live in relative peace.  A cat tree allows for this:  the dominant cat will always be on top, and the dogs can't climb it.  And it's also a great way for indoor cats to get exercise and to get their scratchin' on someplace other than your furniture or rugs.  This amazing "customer photo" from Amazon obviously taken by a crazy person features 5 of the customer's 17 cats in a clear hierarchy:

$0.02 [Sad Post]

A poem in rememberence of Kitty, who my dear friend Charlotte knew to give the nomen, The Duchess.

The Naming Of Cats by T. S. Eliot

The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn't just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there's the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey--
All of them sensible everyday names.
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter--
But all of them sensible everyday names.
But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular,
A name that's peculiar, and more dignified,
Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular,
Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride?
Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum,
Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat,
Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum-
Names that never belong to more than one cat.
But above and beyond there's still one name left over,
And that is the name that you never will guess;
The name that no human research can discover--
But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess.
When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular Name.

*****

I dreamt she was in my bed last night.  My enthusiasm for this blog, which was supposed to be lighthearted and fun, has waned since Kitty's death.  I am picking up her ashes from the veterinarian this week.  I'd like to take the time to mourn her -- to properly write about her and get together some photos -- so that I can go back to writing sunnily about dog ice cube trays and cat stairs here.  My two cents for now is that I would give a million dollars just to hold her and kiss her boney little head again.

*****

$0.02 [Tick]

I was sitting on the couch early this morning, finishing up something for work and absentmindedly petting Betelgeuse. And then I made a discovery under her arm.

A tick.

Yes, a tick.

In Brooklyn.

First stop, Google.com. Confirmed the tick is indeed a tick. Learned the basics of tick removal. Learned the horrors of leaving behind the head and also the symptoms of Lyme disease. Oh, the Internet, with its image search results, wiki hows, wiki how nots, youtube videos, pet MD, my-dog-had-a-tick-and-then-died message boards, etc.

Close laptop. Back to reality. My dog has a parasite the size of a pencil eraser on her armpit. I need to remove it and then I need to go to work.

I texted my veterinarian (a pro of being pals with your vet). Should I bring her in or just remove it with tweezers? "You can do it. Grab it as close to the head as possible and pull slowly." Do I need to keep the tick or anything? "Nope. Just make sure it's dead."

I sanitized a pair of tweezers and prepared a cup of soapy water. Pulled the tick off (along with his stupid little tick head) and drowned him. We went to the park for a celebratory game of fetch, and I was only ever so slightly late for work, mostly because of the fetch.

My two cents: Flea and tick medicine every month, even in Brooklyn, folks!

$12.22 [Dog Breath]

Tropiclean Fresh Breath Clean Teeth Gel

Lulu smiles constantly. She has the most perfect little teeth, but her breath is kickin'. A look deep into the recesses of her mouth reveals plaque and tartar build-up on the back molars, which my veterinarian speculates is the most likely wellspring of stink.

I tried dental chews. She loved them, but they did nothing for her breath, and the dental chews themselves stink in their own right.

The toothbrush was also a no-go. She will let you grab her tongue and touch her teeth, but tooth-brushing crosses the threshold of allowable time in Lulu's mouth.

So with strikes one and two, the Tropiclean Fresh Breath Clean Teeth Gel seemed like a good option. I just apply the gel directly to the icky secret back teeth once in the evening and go on my merry way. It's only been a few days, but I think it's starting to work. Her breath, while still not "fresh," no longer makes me scrunch up my face in disgust. And I like that it's holistic and natural while still effective. I'll update this post in a few weeks with a breath progress report.

$12.22 for a smile that smells as good as it looks.

(Please disregard my terrible voice. Yes, it always sounds like that.)

$17.99 [Freezy Pups Kit]

Freezy Pups Kit for Dogs.  I bought this glorified ice cube tray from a local pet store on May 6 to celebrate our Cinco de Mayo adoption of Lulu.  I know what you're thinking, but I was overcome with celebratory impulses and my love of things shaped like bones.

It makes frozen treats (or just ice) shaped like little bones.  The kit comes with four sample flavors: White Cheddar Cheese, Banana Honey, Sweet Potato 'n Maple, and Chicken Soup.  You can buy replacement mixes or just make your own.

During Brooklyn's recent heat wave, Betelgeuse and Lulu cooled off with Chicken Soup-flavored freezy pups, which went over pretty well.  The downside is that both dogs kept taking the freezy pups from their bowls and bringing them up on the couch, which, like most things the dogs do, is gross. 

$17.99 for a delicious, frozen treat for your doggie friends.  But unless you're swayed by the whole bone-shape thing, save your money and just use chicken stock and your regular ice-cube tray.

$10.17 [Safari Cat Shedding Comb]

Safari Cat Shedding Comb, Wood Handle.  This comb comes highly recommended by my brother, W, the cat whisperer, as tested and appoved by Future Cat.  Future Cat is a sweet, big, and nervous long-haired male cat.  His fur is super soft but often can be oily, which leads to occasional matting.

Enter the Safari Cat Shedding Comb (pictured above).  W reports that Future Cat loves this comb.  It breaks up and removes mats, but the smooth, rounded teeth massage him and are gentle on the skin.  "He will let you brush him for as long as you want with this thing."

I may look into it for Lola.  The Safari Cat Shedding Comb experience sounds almost spa-like, which would definitely beat chasing Lola around the apartment with the Furminator, and at 1/3 of the cost.

$10.17 for soft de-matted fur, a kitty massage for a nervous cat and fewer hairballs.

$250.00 [Cremation]

Cremation - Individual 0-24 lbs., June 6, 2011

This is a difficult post to write, but Kitty passed away early Monday morning, June 6, 2011.  Cause of death unknown.  She died in my arms on the way to the emergency vet.  Kitty is, and will continue to be, missed.  She's in kitty heaven now, eating pizza and popcorn, and probably cuddling with my grandmother.  She was the best Kitty.  I'm going to miss her signature cuddles and those muppet feet.

$250.00 so that she will be cremated alone, instead of in a group, and so that her remains will be returned to me.  If you think this is over the top, please also know that I'm still considering having a funeral service at the Regency Forest Pet Funeral Home.  These are hard times.

$35.00 [Tri-Core Pillow]

Tri-Core Pillow, Standard Size. I bought this pillow at the advice of my physical therapist for my pain in the neck.

About the product, from the vendor website: "The unique, trapezoid center gently cradles your head and supports the neck in its natural position."

About the product, from my real life: "The unique, trapezoid center gently cradles your cat in their favorite ball-like sleeping position."  In fact, there has not been a night in recent memory when I have not awoken with my head on the outer rim of the Tri-Core Pillow and Lola or Kitty curled up in the trapezoid center.  And fur balls further reveal that Kitty has been taking naps in the pillow when I'm at work.

I sort of love this, of course, but $35.00 was for a pillow, not a cat bed.

June 13, 2011 update:  Woke up to Lulu in the trapezoid center.  This is getting ridiculous.

$452.00 [The Dentist]

Really, Betelgeuse?  Anesthesia and extraction of two broken teeth after only two short years on the planet. Apparently Betelgeuse has "weak teeth." That's an official diagnosis. Or she's been chewing on rocks. That's a speculation.

$382.00 for the teeth extraction (and accompanying anesthesia, antibiotics, catheter and IV fluids). And another $70.00 on top of that for a leptosporosis vaccine and bordetella injection booster because -- might as well -- she was due for them and already knocked out.

And can you believe I didn't even get to keep the teeth?

$29.00 [Wiggles Wags & Whiskers Harness]

Wiggles Wags & Whiskers Freedom No Pull Training Harness.

After a year and a half in pink and grey, Betelgeuse is on her second Wiggles Wags & Whiskers harness in orange and brown. Her first harness didn't break or wear out, it just got a little ratty, and (duh) I love buying presents for the animals.  [Update:  I re-gifted Beeb's old harness to Cheska.]

This is the best harness around. It's got two options for attaching the leash, a top ring and a front ring. When Betel is being a good little walker, we use the top ring. When she's pulling us toward to dog park to play fetch, we use the front ring. (If she pulls on the front ring, she ends up turned around facing us. Mwahahah.) It has a velvet strap on the underside, which prevents rubbing or irritation under her legs. And it comes in tons of colors.

Betelgeuse is too fluffy to see her harness when she's wearing it, but this dog is wearing it well:

Only downside is that Lulu is too small for even the smallest size. But I'm in the market for a reflective harness for her anyway since we almost lost her in the dark when we were camping.

$29.00 for a cute and long-lasting harness that keeps pulling at bay. More expensive than some other harnesses on the market, but totally worth it.

$0.00 [Cardboard Box]

Free with any online purchase: A Cardboard Box, which just so happens to be one of Lola's favorite things in the whole world.

Jump in and out. Scratch the bottom. Sleep in it. Stalk Kitty from it. Scare Betelgeuse just by having it around. Pee in it when you're done.  

$0.00 for a happy cat, which is priceless.

$14.99 [Chicken Feet]

Only slightly more awkward than feeding your pet a dehydrated bull penis, I present to you Aunt Jeni's Chicken Feet, 20 of them in fact, and dehydrated to perfection. Even Kitty enjoys crunching on the toes.

Also enjoyed in the past: frozen chicken feet. It really is so funny to me (and sort of terrifying to my boyfriend) to find one of those thawing in the bed or next to your magic mouse.

I love feeding my pets gnarly animal parts -- we have not even discussed tendons, tracheas, or hooves yet, but we'll get there. I was vegetarian for 16 years until approximately one year ago. Because I now eat the animals' meat, I appreciate that my pets will eat their bones, feet, snouts, ears, tendons, organs, etc. -- all parts that might otherwise go to waste. And really, if I was truly grossed out by animal parts, I shouldn't be eating animals.

$14.99 for hours of chewing fun for dogs and cats, creeping out your friends, and, most importantly, "using the whole buffalo."

$27.29 [New Grass]

Dogs do a lot of damage to a small backyard. And when I say dogs, I mean Kira, who we often dog sit, with a small amount of help from Betelgeuse and Lulu. For more information, watch this video:

The solution? Scotts 3 lbs. "Pure Premium" High Traffic grass seed mixture:

We hand-tilled the dirt pit of a backyard featured in the above video and planted the grass seed in early April. We got a lot of rain this spring and only one or two visits from Kira. (Note that we did not put down straw or enforce a stay-off rule, which were both recommended by most grass-growing resources.) A month or so later, we have a seriously lush grass-filled backyard. I have not taken a photo, so you will just have to imagine it for now. $27.29 (which includes shipping) for shiny, thick dog-proof grass! Amazing!

$64.55 [Fountain]

This stainless steel Drinkwell 360 Pet Fountain was a very generous birthday gift from my brother, straight off my wishlist. A replacement for my Drinkwell Original Pet Fountain, which does not get a link or my endorsement because it's a nasty loud eyesore that needs constant refilling. My stainless steel Drinkwell 360 Pet Fountain, however, gets a link, an endorsement, and a photo:

Oh yes, this fountain. It is shiny and beautiful, blending in perfectly amongst the stainless steel refrigerator and sink with which it shares the kitchen. It has five interchangeable spout rings depending on how many streams your animal companions prefer, and you can easily adjust the flow. (Lola prefers a steady stream to splash with her paws, and Kitty doesn't care. About anything.) The pump is virtually silent. It holds one gallon of water, which is perfect since I have four animals drinking from it. Strike that -- only three.

Which brings me to my only complaint about this fountain, which is really a complaint about my dog: Betelgeuse is terrified of the stainless steel Drinkwell 360 Pet Fountain. You should see her even try to walk by the thing -- it's pathetic -- so she drinks from a glass bowl sitting close, but not too close, to the majestic fountain. Should we do the math? $63.55 to have a small unsightly dish of water on the floor anyways? Nope, not okay. I will spend an additional dollar on the delicious hot dog that I'm going to put in the fountain; her love of hot dogs will conquer all her fears. Either that, or my brother and I have together spent $64.55 to watch a soggy weiner float in a beautiful pet fountain.

Update:  Betelgeuse now drinks from the fountain!  All is well in water world.

$24.24 [Balls]

Betelgeuse's favorite past-time is fetch. You don't even have to command "fetch," just throw a ball, frisbee, or toy, or even shoot a dart from a Nerf gun, and she will bring it back to you. That is not to say that she doesn't have favorite items to fetch, including a favorite Frisbee (because she does -- a 10" Aerobie Superdisc -- the subject of a future post) and favorite types of balls. This particular post is about balls.



Two in particular:
(1) Kong Squeaker Balls, size small (2" diameter), which are soft tennis balls with a squeaker inside. These are her ultimate favorites -- great for catching (bet you didn't know Betelgeuse could catch a 2" ball!), playing fetch inside, or even just for hanging out and squeaking; and
(2) Chuckit! Ultra Balls, size small (2" diameter), which is a hard rubber, high bounce ball. These are great for playing fetch in the open expanses of grass in McGolrick and McCarren Parks because they bounce and keep traveling and don't get waterlogged like the Kong Squeakers.

Today, $24.24 to expand the second category of the Betelgeuse ball arsenal with two goals in mind: (A) preventing ball loss when playing in the parks after nightfall (we've had many a casualty) and (B) throwing the ball even farther with less effort.  In two days (thx, Amazon Prime), Betelgeuse will get her mind blown upon the arrival of two new Chuckit! Max Glow Balls, two new Chuckit! Whistler Balls, and her very own Chuckit! Mini Launcher! I'm not sure which ball choice will result in fewer lost balls: the glow-in-the-dark ball, which she can presumably see, or the whistler ball, which she can hear. Maybe neither because I will be launching them so far that they will land outside of the park and bounce away.

In any event, this will not be the last of my dollars spent on balls -- at least as long as the ball-stealing dogs are alive and well (Roxy, I'm looking at you on this one) and we haven't solved the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle of balls that is the couch's dark underbelly.

$267.99 [Hypothyrodism]

Vet appointment for Kitty, who has been exceedingly grumpy and peeing on the floor as of late. I scheduled the appointment for Kitty's 13th birthday on Friday the 13th because I was expecting bad news and wanted to blame the calendar and not myself. Turns out that Kitty's hyperthyrodism medicine resulted in a case of hypothyrodism. How very American of us: $195.00 to treat good ol' fashioned Western overmedication, plus $72.99 for the new transdermal medication in the correct dosage.

Let there be no question, though: Kitty is worth every penny. I'm just happy to have her around. But I hope that we can get her thyroid levels to stabilize so that she feels better, stops being so grumpy, and starts using the litter box again, which are all symptoms of hypothyrodism. Unfortunately, these are also symptoms of feline senility -- which would not be an entirely surprising development but I pray is not the case for our dear tripod of a Kitty.