Leone, we don't care how many typos there are in George's posts - we will figure them out, rest assured. Of course, we always love to hear from you, too! After all, you can give us the real skinny on George. As to the cat - yep, they do have a sense of humor. We use to have a big old grey-blue boy that would hide behind the door in the summer and when you came in he would jump out and just fall over right in front of you. Of course, you would nearly fall trying to either stop to avoid stepping on him or trying to step over him. Then he would jump up and run like mad to the far end of the house to the front door, turn and run back to you just as fast as he could. Then, he would stop and sit down so nicely and wait until he was petted. It's amazing how many times we would start through the door and forget what was going to happen! One of our guinea fowls brought up 15 baby keets this evening (counted 5 this a.m. and 15 this p.m.) and our big old male cat just laid there and looked at the babies. I think he has tangled with the cock before and knows better than to move toward those babies....LOL. Now, he may have been licking his chops and trying to figure out a way to get them, but I don't think he is that dumb! Hugs to you both. Mary

That's a good set-up, Macky77. I wish I had a dedicated space. DH had to build the shelf in the bedroom so I wouldn't have to have the light hanging in the living room(we're in a rental). To keep cats off of your type of shelving, I would attach chicken wire or fencing on the sides and hang a separate piece on the front with maybe S-hooks so it could easily be removed for working with the plants. I'd also make sure the shelving was secured to the wall. It's nice your DD wants to grow things! If your toms get too leggy, you could always take cuttings to keep them going until spring. Ann71, the cats are indeed individual. One ignores the plants, two like to be near the light for heat and one will rattle the chain to wake me up in the morning(at the risk of being squirted with water). He's the same one that knocked everything over on the range...he's just a rascal that knows how to push our buttons. Once the weather is nice enough for them to go outside, they don't really bother with the plants. I keep a container of wheat grass growing for them all winter to chew on too, instead of chewing on my few houseplants.

Cloud Swift - I think your bread looks great! It may be what you are using to score the tops (or how deep), but there looks to be really excellent ovenspring as well. Scoring is another huge debate item. Angeled (30°) cut, use a lame or a blade, using scissors or a knife - the experts spend a lot of time on the subject... I also think the "poke test" for dough should go the way of wearing hats and gloves in church! I might also add thumping the bread to test it for doneness should also get a second look. I prefer to actually KNOW if it's done by using an instant read thermometer. Some breads really need that extra 5-10°F to BE done, and a "thump" doesn't give that information. It's brown, doesn't cut it either. I use agave nectar, and honey gives the same false "brown enough to be done" look. Both contribute to early browning - much sooner than the loaf is actually done. A dough rising bucket will help new/infrequent/hesitant bread bakers make better bread because they can actually tell when the dough has doubled - NO GUESSING. An important part of successful breadmaking. I also set a timer to check the dough in the dough rising bucket. When I bake I WEAR a Polder Timer around my neck (I've been known to wander outside and get distracted while waiting for dough to rise...;-) These may seem like piddly details for the experienced bread bakers, but there are more questions about "WHAT HAPPENED TO MY BREAD - AND HOW CAN I FIX IT" than details about successes on this site. If an inexpensive plastic tub with a lid can make a failed breadmaker a successful breadmaker, WOOO HOOO! As far as the final proofing goes (panned or free-formed) - it takes all five senses to make good bread and our eyes have to be our guide at this point. Over- or Under-Proofing Panned Breads: 1. An incorrect amount of dough placed in the pan to begin with is a prime suspect for over- or under-proofing panned breads. It's the fear-of-the-scale problem. A standard loaf pan (1-1.5# dough) and a 9x5-inch loaf pan (designed for quick breads) are not the same volume. If you put 1-1.5 pounds in a 9x5-inch loaf pan (which can accomodate 2#+), you may allow it to rise way OVER double to fill the space. If you put 2# of dough in a standard size bread pan it will be easy to under-proof it, or you can end with a mushroom and a lot of shredding on the sides. If I place more than 1# of dough in my Pullman pan, as soon as the dough hits the oven and I get a good amount of ovenspring, the additional dough will quickly seep out any crack in the Pullman pan lid. This is a "MUST SCALE THE DOUGH" loaf. I also scale dough amounts so that I have equal amounts in each pan that bake in approximately the same amount of time to nearly the same size. I scale the dough for hot dog buns, hamburger buns, dinner rolls, etc. The scale is my friend! 2. The next mistake comes when people think they need to allow the dough to rise to the size of the finished loaf - this is over-proofing. The little rule-of-thumb: The dough log is approx. 1/3 the size of the finished loaf. You allow that amount of dough to rise until it's approximately "double" the dough log size - which accounts for 2/3 the size of the finished loaf. The ovenspring (the amount the dough continues to rise after it's in the oven) accounts for the last 1/3 of the size of the finished loaf. After you are familiar with a certain recipe, you'll know when the dome of the rising dough is about 1-inch over the edge of the pan, it's doubled. You'll use little signs like that to guide you, but that doesn't work all the time on all recipes.... With formed loaves it's a little trickier - hydration and human error play into this, as well as the type of bread. Many aren't supposed to "double". -Grainlady

Thanks for all the help. I am going to try using one of those steraline tubs and cut a hole in the side for easy entry. I cant really move the box, the bathroom is to small and this box is in the only room that does not have carpet, there are several more down here in the basement but he does not come down here much. My two female cats stay down here most of the time (my office is down here) they do pick on him (they have claws) he outweighs them by a ton but he's kinda a wimp. So the 3 other cats use mostly the boxes down here but will also use "his" box upstairs. He does at times come down here and wee outside the boxes. It's a sealed concrete floor that slopes to a drain I can just wash down with water Yes we have seen him actually do the deed however he does often wee over the top of the box too. I noticed the health food store in town has that feliway and I will try that as well. I am laughing at the Prozac, maybe just give it to hubby instead LOL, seriously though will talk to the vet about it! Honestly this is hubbys favorite cat and the only one of the 4 HE brought home. .Abby is safe till spring at least, it is 0 outside now and the ground is frozen solid, I heard him tell Abby he better "get it together before he can dig him a hole" he calls him Junior so he really does love his cat.I have told hubby he will have to make that decision because I will not, his response was "you want me to make the decision so you can hate me forever for killing the cat" UUUGGGGG I wish the cat had a 401K, pension and SS......we would have no problem.