One more thingummy:

[fr_defenestrato]

Today is the 10th day of Lent and so my 10th day of teetolaling. By far the oddest and most unexpected effect of this drying-out—and I'm theorizing here, but I have no other explanation for the phenomenon*—is that my cats are suddenly treating me differently: they're noticeably stand-offish, aloof, pretty much refusing to curl up next to me on the couch or accept petting for more than a minute or so. This is new, starkly different from previous behavior, and so far as I can see not attributable to any other causative factor. I'm assuming that an alcohol-free Gourd smells so distinctly different from my besotted self that the cats are freaked out, wondering who this bizarre new version of their househuman is, and don't trust me in the least.

Cain't say as I blame them.

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* doo doo de doo doo