Stayed home today because roofer called yesterday afternoon and said they would try to do garage roof. "It's supposed to rain," said I. "Oh, we're going to try to get it in," said roofer.

So, I got m'self out of bed this a.m., pulled Kuro and Harrison out to the curb. Took King for a walk--thought I might meet the roofers on the way in, but didn't. Checked the radar. Saw the line of showers coming in. Phoned the roofer at 845am. "Are you coming out today?"

"No--it's gonna rain." Beat. "I was going to call you, but I figured you'd know..."

Here's the thing--I knew. But it's like when someone breaks up with you. You know what's happening, and you could just let it go, but you want to hear it from them. Just to kick that 1% of uncertainty to the curb so you can get on with your life.

They'll be here Monday. So will I.

Storms passed through, but were gone by the time I went in to work this afternoon. I feel much better--I have about 80% of my taste back, and no longer feel sick. I hope I have all my taste back by the time my truffle order from Polidori Chocolates arrives. I am sooo looking forward.

King ate his dinner last night, then slept for almost four hours, so no hangover from the earlier snack-a-log. He's a little befuddled by the fact that I put him on the long lead every time he goes outside, but even so, he tries to grab wood when he finds it. Tomorrow, I rake the backyard and remove as much wood as possible. Sunday is Lava Rock Replacement Day. The basket muzzle has been ordered. Here's hoping I can get my arms around this.

A small study has linked the bugs residing in one's gut with a desire, or lack of desire, for chocolate.

Still to be determined is if the bacteria cause the craving, or if early in life people's diets changed the bacteria, which then reinforced food choices.

If I can blame gut bugs for my yen for warm, crusty bread, I'll have it made.

In other news, this is the type of article I was thinking of when I asked about research like the lactose study cited in this post. It was all an offshoot of some things I pondered as I wrote the Jani books, that living on a new world, even a terraformed world, would start to alter you on a genetic/gut bug level and that gradually, over a very long period of time, those changes would alter you. Yes, it was a handwavy justification for hybridization, albeit at a glacial pace, and with a bucketload of assumptions.