Selling out

In the next few days, you might notice something different about our blog: ads.

I resisted for a long time because I post for friends and family (and their friends, family, colleagues, pets and assorted other associates) and because I hate ads. Hate ads. Especially the ones that use key words from the site as though the person were actively promoting that item.

But, word has it that a lot of people read this blog; people that I've never met but who hopefully now feel like they know us a little. And we now have twins. And between diapers, formula, childcare and medical costs, the budget is running pretty tight for the foreseeable future. And I do offer some semblance of entertainment for you, yes? (Just say yes. I don't need to know the truth.)

So, I gave in. Maybe the ads will force me to be more interesting/humorous/blog-a-riffic so you're more likely to visit our site regularly. Maybe that will mean that you'll pass us along to your other friends. Who knows? Maybe we'll earn 13 cents a month and I'll take it down because my integrity is worth more than that. How much is my integrity worth, you might ask? Well, AdSense won't disclose how much I can expect to see, so right now it's on a sliding scale.

Either way, don't be alarmed by the links you'll see soon. Just click on them and consider it a small way you can keep the girls and Roscoe fed and clothed. Well, we don't actually clothe Roscoe except for his Seahawks jersey and the uber-hilarious paw protectors for when he's around barnacles, but you get the idea.

And now for my next assignment for you: Who reads this thing, anyway? I'm super curious. If you get a chance, could you either add yourself as a "follower" (there is a section on the left side here called "Followers" where you can click "Follow this blog") or write me a comment to this post to let me know who you are? Perhaps something like, "I don't want to give my name, but I'm a friend of your mother and I check the blog weekly. I want more pictures, you slacker." Or maybe, "I work with your friend, (name here), and I only check this blog because she always leaves it up on our shared work computer. But I guess that counts." You get the idea.

And, for those who want me to bring back Cooter's biography, I'll have to decline for awhile. Cooter (oh crap, I'm starting to cry just writing this because I haven't fully admitted this until now) isn't with us any longer. One day about a month ago he just didn't come back home. He's not a roamer and he's neutered and microchipped, so we don't think he's off gathering new material for his book. There is a large greenbelt in our neighborhood and there have been coyotes spotted and heard howling. We think that he's gone for good. It breaks my heart because he was the coolest cat ever and only 2 years old and he deserved to pass away in his sleep 20 years from now on top of his scratching post perch, dreaming about catching the heron that eats all the goldfish in our neighbor's pond. Instead, I picture him surprised and scared and in pain and it hurts me to think I couldn't be there for him. We miss him so much that Sean and I both have dreams that he comes back and waits for us in the house, but then we wake up and know that he's not really coming back. So, Cooter's entries are probably retired, but rest assured that I'll eventually come up with another regular entry for your reading pleasure.