I'm home, but not alone. I have my cold (and my cats) to keep me company (cough, cough, KOUPHPH!). Not to mention Wheeze, Sneeze and Sniffle. My best friend is my box of tissues.

Ah-ah-ah-chooo!

The cats are highly affronted at being sneezed upon. I tell them it's payback for fluff, cat hair and kitty sneezes I have endured--also and not forgetting cleaning the cat box.

I have one of those new-fangled automatic kitty litter boxes and it works like a charm. No fuss, no odor. The mechanism waits 20 minutes after usage before activating, so neither cat has made the connection between the two events.

Callie is fascinated by it and sits, waiting, for the arm to go back and forth. She'll approach, sniff (yes, same one), then sit back and wait. To no avail.

Misty couldn't care less. She does her business, hops out and is gone to distant corners on her neverending mouse patrol. But Callie--ah, Callie--is patient. And every once in a while her patience is rewarded, as the box scrapes back and forth 20 minutes after use.

Meanwhile, I'm home from work with a bad case of the miserables. I'm trying licorice root (root, not candy) for the cough, hoping it won't turn into pneumonia this time, the way it did a year ago.

Ora pro me.