Elizabeth

I was handling slices of hot potato (in prep for potato bake) and a few days later had the little tiny white dots, the soreness, the itchyness, etc... But that was literally WEEKS ago, probably months ago actually, and yet they still haven't healed. The skin is all raw and calloused, it's still peeling and it's just really annoying... I keep accidentally cutting them, or catching the half-peeled skin on stuff which then increases the irritation because the new skin isn't ready yet!

How long do fingertip burns take to heal, anyway? I'm guessing I've given myself 2nd or 3rd degree burns, because I've never had anything take this long before. I have aloe vera, I did burn care (once I noticed haha) but it's still not better. Will I ever have fingerprints again lol?

I'm just curious as to if and when our household pets pick up on our illnesses. I've noticed that every time I get sick my cat makes a beeline for me, often before I've even realised I'm starting to get sick. He insists (as cats will) that I not only spend time with him but spend time with him lying down in bed, he gets very invested in trying to distract me from my laptop and spends more time inside.

Is it just my cat who seems to instinctively know when I'm getting unwell, and appears to be trying to "take care" of me or do other pets do it as well? Am I maybe just projecting and then reading back my own subconscious thoughts into my cat's head lol, as many "animals are simple" folk like to say; or is this for real? Does your pet notice when you're unwell and try to make you feel better?

I have insomnia, but some days I have to do stuff. I'm just wondering if it's worth it to get 3-5hrs sleep rather than just stay awake and "reset" my sleep cycle the next day? Is it even worth it to only catch a few hours sleep? Usually I feel more tired when I try and get up after a short sleep than I would have if I just stayed awake! So if I have to be somewhere that is not my bed at 8-10am, is there really any point in sleeping if it's already 4-6am anyway? Does my body actually get any benefits from such a short sleep?

As winter starts to end (I live in Australia) and spring starts to begin, I've been noticing that not only is my cat becoming a lot more playful with me but he's also going out in the daytime again. I first noticed him getting playful when he was warm in front of the heater, and I know cats don't have the circadian (sp?) rhythems that we do so I was just wondering how temperature affects their behaviour/routines?

Ever since I moved into my new place (around the end of summer) my cat's been very indoors-y. Btw, my cat is an ex-stray who followed me home and trust me, not only would it be cruel to keep him inside but he wouldn't stand for it. Anyway, he's only been going outside for short periods of time, half an hour to an hour maybe - enough time to go to the toilet and run around a little - but suddenly the last few days he's been going outside around 5am and not coming back until just after dark. I'm not sure if it's because suddenly there's sunshine outside, or if it's because he's finally getting used to the place. Anyone got any ideas? Or even just info on how cats react behaviourally to different temperatures, etc?

I made some scrambled egg yesterday, along with rice and vegies, but I made too much. I put half in a container and after waiting about an hour for it to cool down I shoved the container in the fridge. I'm just wondering if it's still good to eat? I also mixed some cheese and onion through the egg, does that change anything?

I am aware that it's lame, but I sing to my cat lol. His name is SkittyKitty, or Skitty the Kitty lol. Skits the kits haha.. He's a stray that followed me home once, he seems to get all calm and happy when I sing lol. I did say I know I'm lame haha. Anyway...

I already have a mockingbird one, and an Itsy Bitsy Spider parody (Itsy Bitsy Skitsy) altho the lyrics are a bit off.. Anyone wanna make up some more SkittySongs for me, to basic tunes like Star Bright, Star Light or whatever?

I'm thinking of switching from sugar to honey, just wondering the exchange rate, so to speak..

I'm serious, how do you tell if your cat is smart?? My cat is a fruitloop, I already know that. He's scared of people and sudden movement and smoke and loud noises and fans and heaters and wind and rain and so many other things.. But seriously, how do I tell if he's got a brain in there beneath all the quirks? Are there tests you can do on a cat's intelligence?

And as to his breed, I don't know. He followed me home one day, he kinda looks like a grey maine coon only he's not big enough I don't think.

I live in a slightly cold area that's just hitting winter, some years we can get down to -15c or colder, at the moment it's still around 8-10 degrees at night but I was just wondering how cold it can get before I need to bring my aloe vera inside at night? Naturally it's also raining a fair bit, being winter, should I be bringing the aloe inside sometimes so its roots don't get soaked or something?

uh, yeah, my fingertips on my left hand are peeling, mostly on the first two fingers... Its like the skin is renewing itself or something, and that would be fine, albeit gross, if it wasn't for the little tiny spots that look like blisters (but aren't) and sort of tingle like pins and needles when I touch them. I keep moisturising them cos that at least stops them peeling but yiiah, anyone know what's up with this? It doesn't hurt but it's a bit uncomfortable.

What do you think of #IfIStartSmugglingDrugs as a hashtag? Personally I think it's funny and would have some funny responses. Btw if you don't know what a hashtag is, it's anything with a # in front of it on Twitter, it creates a link to anyone else that's said the same thing.

I accidentally burnt myself on the foot with about/almost half a cup of hot oil and it's healing well, I treated it correctly (warm then tepid then cold water, burn cream, etc.) but it's just really itchy, I was wondering how long until it stops itching? The blisters are almost all gone, it's just slightly brown and red, the skin is still rough-ish to the touch but yiiah, how long until it stops itching? It's so hard not to scratch!! Are there any easy, cheap, at-home remedies to stop it itching? Help please!

It's a hashtag on twitter (#floodzombie) and I'm confused at to wtf it is, obviously it's to do with the QLD floods and etc. but what is it supposed to be?

I've just moved into a new place across town with just myself and my cat. He followed me home (to my old house) one day about two years ago and never left. Staying outside at first and eventually coming inside, He never became an inside cat, he has always and still is very skittish. But he's also very independent, kind of like a feral cat - he only comes inside for food, some cuddles and occasionally for a day or two in bad weather.

In my old house he kind of called the shots on when he came inside, and went outside. But now that I've moved, everyone says I have to keep him inside for awhile - different people suggest different lengths of time, anything from 3-14 days - and with most cats that's an option.

But not with my cat. Or at least, not easily. He wants to go outside, and I've never confined him like this. He was smart enough to follow me home and now leave, surely he's smart enough to realise we live here now? It's only our second night and I don't think I can keep him inside much longer. What are the chances that he returns to our old home? It's about 2km across town..

Or do they? I don't know. I'm out at my dad's place and I just saw a spider wander down from the wall an pass straight on over some kind of web that looks more like a mosquito net than a web but anyway... I don't think it spun that web, but it didn't get caught in it.

You'd think spiders would catch one another and eat them just like any other insect..?

I'm REALLY bad at cooking, like frozen-food-to-oven but I remember growing up potato bake was one of my favourite dishes. I know the washing up is painful but I can always throw out whatever I cook it in... Anyway, I was hoping for some really easy to follow step-by-step-by-step-by-step potato bake recipes. I don't just want a list of ingredients and to be told to "combine them in a casserole dish and bake for __mins" because that doesn't help.

I need to know whether I slice the potatos or dice them and if so how? And how do I put the potato in the dish? Leave "healthy" out of it. I want potato, and cheese, and potato, and cheese. Maybe some peas. Maybe...

Basically I want an idiot-proof guide to simple, traditional potato bake also with no meat as I'm a lacto-ovo vegetarian. I live in Australia so metric measurements would be useful =]

i know it was offscreen but according to wiki both sides told the story later. I don't want to wait until then, tell me now?

Kevin Rudd just announced his new election year budged and I was

Kevin Rudd just announced his new election year budged and I was wondering what the new "crackdowns" on disability pensioners really are. All the news coverage will say is that they're proving disabled people really are disabled. . . but what does that mean? What are the new restrictions for obtaining and/or retaining a disability pension? What areas are they cracking down on? Someone, anyone, trawl through that budget and let me know what I'm in for!

I'm trying to answer it on WikiAnswers and too lazy to go look myself! You do it?