I think you guys have officially convinced me to get a cat!! I think with my working long shifts- a cat would be much more practical than a dog!
I'm going to go to the shelter today!
Kristin

That's awesome, Kristin! Their personalities are quite varied, so try to hang out with it for a while before taking one home. Just to make sure it is a good fit. :)

I like dogs, too. But cats are great - you don't have to take them out, they are easy to leave at home for a weekend, and they are very cuddly (and warm!). Of course, warm is probably not as necessary in California!

Keep in mind that we have two of the friendlier and more well-adjusted cats you'll ever meet. Rusty is practically a dog, he's such a happy guy.

Make sure you're getting a pet you can really get along with.

There are definitely a lot of nice cats out there, but there are also a lot of shy ones too. My mom's cat sleeps on top of a Mastiff, so you never know. :) If you end up buying/getting a kitten, make sure it has 6-7 weeks with the mom. We have always had great luck. How the kitty acts when you first meet him/her is a good indication. Let us know how it goes!

Kristin - While we are spewing advice for you, here is some more! I asked my mom about your Azalea, and here is what she said:

"As for the azalea. Tell Kristin to (preferrable) put it under a tree (if there is one) or give it an eastern exposure. She may want to repot it to give it some room to expand and get extra moisture. If she does, have her losen the roots and give it some plant starter. Azaleas also need an acid base fertilizer but not to do that if she repots at least until the plant has recovered from being disturbed, If she brings it in it will not do as well as outside - ie, never bloom. If it's blooming now, she can leave it inside until it stops then move it out."

So, there it is. Hopefully, it helps!

Hey Stacy,
Thanks for the advice- now when i repot a plant- to loosen the roots- do i actually move it to a new bigger pot and break up the dirt a bit or keep it in the same one? sorry- i'm so clueless on this subject....i just moved my plant to a bit more shady area but still outside- it doesn't look very good at all- but we'll work with it!

Some cats, however, are crazy.
That does not mean that I don't lover her, er, them.

If you repot it, you want to move it to a bigger pot with fresh dirt. That way the dirt will hold more moisture. Gently move the roots around until they aren't in a big clump and you knock a lot of dirt off of them. Put some dirt in the bottom of the new pot - enough so that where the roots end and the plant begins is just below the top of the pot. You can probably find some sites online that explain (with pictures) good methods of repotting. Here is one I found quickly:

http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/garden/mg/indoor/containers.html

Good luck!

Okay, back to cats -
is anyone else's cat(s) going nuts lately? I always find the change in seasons makes my kitty get hyperactive and goofy. Running up and down the halls while meowing, sitting in the bathtub and meowing, attacking my ankles for no reason...
Anyone else?

Pixie did try to jump on the pictures I was framing last night. I had to lock her in our bedroom until I was done. Of course, that is par for the course for her. Overall, I think they have been slightly more active than usual.