Peeping S-Jay

The spouse got the finger before 9:00 A.M. this morning. Not behind his back, either. Not a real good sign, huh? People can get upset by the strangest things, can't they? I know I do. I think (oh, gee, do you think, Serena?) all those "little things" are more than likely indicative of bigger underlying issues -- bigger than sharks, bigger than whales, bigger than friggin' cruise ships. Don't tell Dr. Freud I said that.

I have a new novel and a box of Peeps and I'd love to spend the day (which is chilly) laid up with Robert B. Parker. Alas, there's stuff I absolutely have to do. Since I have no fairy godmother and no legions of dwarves and elves at my beck and call, I guess I'd be the one who has to do it. Blech. I guess I'd best get at it. The sooner I get it done, the sooner I can crack open my book and rip the heads off a few Peeps. Actually, I have two boxes of the little buggers, one pink and one yellow. Maybe I'll mix them up and get them running scared before the massacre. Might as well keep it interesting.

4There are news reports, with varying degrees of credibility, that some dry pet foods are now suspect with regard to contamination.

Note: According to its Web site, Menu Foods manufactures no dry foods. As far as I know, no actual recalls have been effectuated, but it's another concern to keep an eye on. There are reports of animals that eat only dry food getting sick.

The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it has issued a warning letter to Iams that says some of its diet pet foods contain an unapproved substance. Eukanuba Veterinary Diets Optimum Weight Control/Canine dry, Optimum Weight Control/Feline dry, Restricted-Calorie/Canine dry and canned, and Restricted-Calorie/Feline dry and canned contain chromium tripicolinate, which is not an approved food supplement, the FDA said.

All we can do until all these issues are resolved is be vigilant, be very cautious about what we feed our pets, and keep an eye on them for any symptoms of illness.

=UPDATE, 7:00 P.M.

One brand of Dry Cat food recalled.

Hill's Pet Nutrition has recalled Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry cat food made with contaminated wheat gluten.

Also, it's being reported that the contaminate in the gluten was not rat poison but melamine, which is used in making plastic.

The Food and Drug Administration said it found melamine in samples of the Menu Foods pet food involved in the original recall and in imported wheat gluten used as an ingredient in the company's wet-style products. Cornell University scientists also found melamine in the urine of sick cats, as well as in the kidney of one cat that died after eating some of the recalled food. Meanwhile, Hill's Pet Nutrition recalled its Prescription Diet m/d Feline dry cat food. The food included wheat gluten from the same supplier that Menu Foods used. The recall didn't involve any other Prescription Diet or Science Diet products, said the company, a division of Colgate-Palmolive Co. FDA was working to rule out the possibility that the contaminated wheat gluten could have made it into any human food. However, melamine is toxic only in high doses, experts said, leaving its role in the pet deaths unclear.

By the way, does anyone know where March went? Didn't this month just start? How can it be gone already? It can't possibly be the next to the last day of the month, can it? This is some premature April Fool's joke, that's what it is.

Here's an interesting Word Gone Wild I happened across: prostpective. What is that? Possibly a potential prosthesis? Some new kind of prospectus? Would a pirate with a wooden leg be a good candidate to buy what they're selling? Ah, geez, I'm rambling. That was not my intensions, to quote another word abuser I met along the way.

I'm not actually radiating a black aura today. What color is yours?

Your Psyche is Blue

You are deeply emotional and very connected to everything (and everyone) around you. By simply understanding other people, you are able to help them heal and let go. While you are a very deep and thoughtful person, you do have a very silly, superficial side. When you are too blue: the weight of the world's problems hangs over you When you don't have enough blue: you lack perspective and understanding

What Color Is Your Psyche?