Just dropped Leo back off at his dorm. When I came to my door, I realized it was unlocked.

Not sure if I had left it unlocked (highly probable) or if someone was/had been inside my apartment, I flicked open my VW key, because frankly, keys can do a lot of harm. After establishing that the kitchen was clear, I grabbed the two largest knives, loudly announced that if someone was in my apartment, I was armed and didn't want any trouble. No response. I checked my bedroom, grabbed my revolver, announced that I now had a gun and would not hesitate to shoot, so please, if someone is in my apartment, come out, leave, and there won't be trouble. Again no response. So I checked under the bed, the closets, the bathroom, and finally the scary guest room with no windows that I still haven't finished unpacking.

I established that no one was in my apartment.

This is what happens when you live alone and come back late at night to find the lock open.

Or at least, that's what I do.

Duel-wielding a revolver and a cooking knife is sure to scare the shit out of home invaders who want to rape you, right?

I need to go to bed and stop being so paranoid. But man, having a gun makes me feel better. Not that I like guns in the sense that I have the power to quickly take a life; I am with Don Quixote in wishing guns hadn't been invented (so at least fights would require skill, and those who choose not to own guns would be at such a disadvantage in home protection).

It'll require a huge cultural shift before I would willingly disarm. At least in this country. Maybe in a more socialist place, since crime seems to be less of a problem over there.

...

Took the cats to the vet today after I picked a crusted booger from Mario's nose that was blocking his breathing, and, quite literally, a volcano of bright green mucus shot out of his little nose in several bursts. I have never seen anything like it. His breathing has been horrible the past few days. Luigi is doing a bit better, but they're still coughing a lot.

Looks like feline pneumonia. The bill could be as high as $1600 for both, at the most liberal estimate. It appears that my insurance will pay for up to $500 each, and the total bill could also be as low as $1000, or maybe even $800, before insurance. Mario is severely dehydrated and malnourished, as he wouldn't touch any of the wet or dry food I've given him in the past few days. He's had me really scared, and it might be up to 48 hours before he can come home. His bronchial tubes are swollen and he needs to be nebulized every 4 hours and kept on a regimen of intravenous antibiotics and fluids.

Luigi, on the other hand, only has to spent perhaps 12 hours at the vet's hospital area, and should be home tomorrow. I don't feel as sorry for him. Today he was even more of an attention whore than usual, and decided to plant himself on my keyboard. It would be one thing if he planted himself on my desk in general, and didn't smell like poo. But he chose the keyboard, and he smelled like poo.

I offered him this choice, "Luigi, either you go wash yourself and come back to sit on the keyboard, get off my desk or you're getting a bath."

He got a bath.

And he smells so much nicer.

I only got a few little scratches on my right wrist from when I tried putting him in water. I learned that it's easier to put him on the edge of the tub and pour water over him than to make him stand in it.

I also took Mario on a little walk outside the apartment with a leash and harness I got today. Even though he was really sick, he seemed to enjoy wandering around and adapted to following the leash pretty quickly. Luigi, who was still very upset about the bathing experience, wanted nothing to do with the leash. Hopefully that will change, but at least I feel like I can take Mario on trips outdoors with me. I don't like keeping them cooped up indoors all the time, and the exercise should be good for him when he's ready.

Oh, and by the way, today was beautiful. Very few clouds, a nice breeze, and as I walked from the six-pack toward my bike on the east mall, I could smell all the flowers on the trees blooming. I listened to 90's music on my iPod as I rode my bike back home under a canopy of trees that traced an elaborate web of shadows on the pavement around me.