For a while now, we've been having a problem with one or both of the cats peeing outside the litterbox. I called the vet, who said it was most likely a behavioral issue, so we didn't bring them in. It seemed to get a little worse though, so we took them both in to get tested.

Turns out Q*Bert had a urinary tract infection, poor thing. We gave him a week's worth of antibiotics, and this morning I took him back to the vet for a followup to see if he's better.

Now, I'm sure most of you reading this have had to give a urine sample at the doctor's at one time or another. No big deal. But you can't ask a cat to pee in a cup--so they extract it straight out of the bladder. Ugh. Unfortunately, Q*Bert didn't have anything in his this morning, so I had to leave him there. I'm actually more worried about Max--last time I took Q*Bert to the vet and left him alone, he freaked out a bit.

We haven't noticed any peeing outside the box since we finished the antibiotics, so we're crossing our fingers. However, the vet said even if this solved the medical issue, behavioral patterns may still have been established, and they're tough to break. The vet I saw this morning said this infection is very rare--usually when cats are peeing outside the box, it's behavioral, not medical.

Poor kitty!

Last night we were watching Ebert & Roeper, and they gave two thumbs up to The Terminal. I was surprised, because I'd recently read some negative reviews. Anyway, we decided to go see it right then and there. I figure, if and when we ever have kids, we'll be sitting around moaning "Remember when we didn't have kids and we could go out ANY TIME WE WANTED? Even on a TUESDAY? Why didn't we do that?" So we went.

It's fantastic being able to leave 30 minutes before the movie starts and still have enough time to get good seats. Although by the time the movie actually started, the theater was pretty full. What is with people who walk in after all the previews and right before the movie credits start? They have to "excuse me" their way over lots of people who have already settled in. Come late, sit in the front! That's what I say. But I'm kinda mean. I also think people who answer cell phone calls during the movie (happened a couple of weeks ago during Harry Potter) should be taken outside and shot. Well, with some of those foam-rubber bullets at least.

Anyway, I enjoyed the movie. Has the typical Speilberg Schmaltz, but I was successfully sucked in.

For those who like Star Wars, and Boba Fett... Fett's Vette. (Thanks StickyC.)

On Friday we went to the horse races at Bay Meadows. I've never been to the horse races before. We bet on all eight races; I won one race. After spending 20 dollars on bets, we ended up with 40 cents. Four shiny dimes.

We bet pretty much based on which names we liked. Each race was about 6 furlongs (less than a mile). Interestingly, the starting gates are portable and were moved to different places around the track for different races (the races all end at the same place).

One of the horses was injured during his race and had to be taken away in the horse van. Another horse bolted and ran around the track riderless, going the wrong way.

All in all an enjoyable evening. I'd like to go back next season.