I'm sure you're familiar with all-important Ren & Stimpy episode "Space Madness" -- and if you're not, please, put down that Plato and let me be your guide to high culture.  (This is Martin, BTW, filling in for Larissa.)

In the surreal ending, the spaceship's mad Captain Hoek assigns Cadet Stimpy to march around a small round console, guarding the button at its center: the History Eraser Button.

Stimpy's not supposed to touch the button of course. But who can resist pressing such a big beautiful button, a "jolly candy-like button"?  Not to mention the maddening urge to eradicate history?  [spoiler...] Not Stimpy!

Binx has a high-tech toy that's a lot like the history eraser console. It's so secret I can only show you this night-goggle spy-cam shot of it.  Binx has been blithely pounding away at that jolly lighted button the whole time Larissa's been away.  After 6 days of this I think Binx has managed to erase all patterns of our previous relationship.

I notice his wants more now, instead of just his needs.  (For example: drums and didgeridoo music, good, Sibelius violin concerto, bad.) I'm less of a food, diaper and nap coordinator and more of a dormitory R.A.  Not exactly cool, but more sympathetic to shenanigans than the Dean.  In turn Binx is more satisfied just to be with me and try things my way.  He'll sit calmly on my leg watching things around us for as much as 10 minutes.  That's an eternity in his world.

Just to clarify: before Larissa's vacation I was already spending a lot of time taking care of him, at least 3 days a week.  But it felt hectic, 'cause I always had so many other things on my mind. This week I let some of those other things slide, and just chilled with the man.  I'm glad I did.  After a year of rarely being apart, we're finally starting to be friends.

Larissa should be back tomorrow.