Virgil spent Christmas Day curled up in the cats’ bed, because his hip was clearly hurting him pretty badly. We’ve since made two visits to the vet, though, and have been assured that it’s totally on the mend - he’s already moving around much more easily.  

WHEN TO SEE A VET

- If your pet has been hit by a car (even if you don’t think the wheels touched him), go directly to the nearest vet or emergency clinic

- If you suspect your pet has eaten a toxin (for dogs, toxins include chocolate, onions, alcohol, many plants, and Tylenol)

Woot!

This was actually a gift from Kendrick and I to my dad, but we had selfish motivations - we are planning on stealing borrowing the game in the near future, and spent the entirety of Christmas Day planted in front of the Wii. The game is great for Mario purists - I recognized a lot of elements from earlier side-scrolling versions, like the classic soundtrack, Yoshi rides, and flagpole-jumping at the end of a level - but there are also cool additions like Ice Flowers and Propeller Suits (!). Basically, there’s a lot here that will feel familiar and exciting for those of us who grew up with Mario, Luigi, the Princess, and Toad. 

The New Super Mario Bros for Wii also allows up to four people to play simultaneously. This is fantastic, because I hate waiting my turn and have a tendency to wander off, making my husband furious. Also, I discovered that one player can pick up another player and hurl him into an enemy or over a cliff (sorry, darling).