So I guess we can't trade off with each other, because I don't like those, either. My designated dishwasher emptier leaves for college tomorrow, so I suppose I'll have to do it myself from now on.

Didn't I just dust you?

Happy update! Fireplace Kitty emerged sometime last night (you guys were absolutely right about just leaving her alone). At 5:30 this morning she was sitting on the couch, looking sheepish. The fireplace is now blocked with pillows and math books. Thanks, all. Your advice and hidden cat stories helped enormously. :)

Don't think we haven't considered it! :)

That's what we're hoping. We're all walking around nonchalantly, practically singing, "Doo de doo...nothing unusual here..perfectly ordinary evening...". Unfortunately, while she's not the brightest animal, she does have a powerful sense of About to Be Picked Up. The other cat is loving this, having been sprung from her carrier (as the sitter was a no-go today) and getting extra snacks, as we were hoping the sound of her eating them would incite jealousy in Fireplace Cat.

So she's still in there. I've completely scuttled tomorrow's plans so that IF she comes out I can get her to the sitter tomorrow. And if she still hasn't come out by then? No clue. I've got nothing past Plan C. *whimper* Thanks for the advice and good vibes, everybody.

Oh, gracious. I'm pretty sure she isn't stuck, at least. Just stubborn. She's lucky she's cute.

Tuna is worth a shot. She usually eschews all but kibble and these weird little treats (Greenies), but it couldn't hurt to try a classic. And good idea, Jean. I will see if we can do a later dropoff. Tell me I'll laugh about this someday. :)

So I was all set to take my cat to the sitter, which does intake only for the next hour and a half. Cat, not wanting to go, wedged herself through a fireplace vent and is now deep inside the fireplace (not accessible except through tiny, though evidently not too tiny for a determined cat, vents). I really need to get her out. I've tried ignoring. She's onto me. I've tried snacks, I've tried annoying her with noise and a spray bottle of water. I'm not even sure where, exactly, she is in the catacombs of my fireplace. I'm kind of desperate. Does anybody have any cat retrieval ideas I haven't thought of?

I hate being wishy-washy about it, but I think it really does depend on the particular circumstance. I don't imagine it's likely to make things worse, though (just possibly not significantly better). And here I thought you wanted to put a hit on somebody...

Oh, good suggestion. Nikita is a very girl-power kind of show, which is also a plus. And another vote for Orphan Black. Felix is on my Top Five Favorite Fictional Characters list.

If you like (almost) raw fish, salmon and tuna make a lovely ceviche. Otherwise, just grilled with really simple seasoning. Normally, I'm all over fancy sauces and complicated flavors. But I like my fish mostly unadorned. I'm not a fan of planking salmon. It just gives the fish a weird, to me, taste. Lots of people love it, though.

Marmite. I was a good sport and tried it once, despite my misgivings. Really, really should have trusted my misgivings. And Twiglets, which seem to be perfectly good pretzels ruined by Marmite.

Doesn't this thread make you wonder which of the foods we like (and consider perfectly normal and nutritious) will appall our grandchildren someday?

Gabrielle Zevin's trilogy that starts with All These Things I've Done is pretty interesting. It's mildly dystopian, but it's mostly about a young woman who has to deal with being part of an organized crime family dealing in contraband chocolate. Sounds kind of bonkers, but I liked it.