Laurel has refrained from asking for a little sister again since my last post, but I had a Frappucino anyway. It was quite satisfying, although I couldn't taste much. We're all on the mend from the cold now, although how long it will take for everyone to reach their usual values of normal again remains to be seen.

While recuperating, I've been amusing myself by browsing household products at target.com and bed/bath/kitchen places. It's much more pleasant than actually going in those stores, plus some of the web-only offers crack me up, like a doormat that reads "Come back with a warrant." On the other hand, I am now lusting after a Tablecraft straw dispenser and a dry food dispenser for cereal.

We have two new residents in the bedroom's freshwater tank after Vogon spotted an aisle end cap full of bettas in little plastic tubs at Wal-Mart. They seem to be settling in well, though they have yet to be named -- one's red and one's (mostly) blue, so a Dr. Seuss reference might be in order.

File under 'Look, it's Captain Obvious!': Mountain Living More Heart-Friendly, Study Suggests.