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I forgot to mention that we got a Cat-It Drinking Fountain last weekend. Snookums had noticed that Professor Death liked playing with his water bowl, so we figured he might prefer running water. The pet store at Broadway was out of stock but had an ex-display model they offered us for $50, so we snapped it up. As expected, both cats were pretty wary at first. Petey’s come to like it a lot though, and he often drinks from the water spilling out over the dome. We’ve heard that urinary issues in male cats are both life-threatening and expensive, so anything that keeps him drinkin’ water is a good thing!

I’ve heard from a few non-Australians who want to know where/how they can donate to the Bush Fire Appeal. Here are some campaigns that I know about:

• Australian Red Cross Online Donation. If you want to straight up give some cash to help the victims, this is where you go. Anyone with a credit card can donate.
• Knitters’ Charity Raffle. Jacqueline has amassed a huge collection of knitting-related items (wool, books, gift certificates) that will be raffled off. Every $10 you donate to the Red Cross Appeal earns you a ticket. So if you need any more motivation, check it out.
• Wildlife Victoria Online Donation. If you specifically want to direct your money to help with the native wildlife that have been threatened by this crisis, that’s where you go.
• If you want to help the animals and you’re crafty, consider making a possum/joey pouch. Juvenile marsupials are placed in these pouches to keep them warm and safe while they’re recovering. You can knit pouches or sew linings; both are needed.
• Advance.org will be hosting a number of fund-raising events in cities around the US, including Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. (Check their calendar for more.)

I was really happy to hear that my new company donated $10,000 to the Appeal. I hope we can all do even more.

Edited to add: I’ve had an enquiry about using American credit cards to donate Aussie Dollars. It’s cool; your credit card company will handle the exchange. (I use my Aussie card to buy stuff internationally all the time.) Your statement will show the exchange rate they used, and IIRC credit card companies/banks usually give you a pretty decent rate.