What a day. Walked five miles with the pooch, then went to the farmer’s market and picked up some goodies. Cut down two trees (that was fun), watered and weeded the garden, cleaned the kitchen and bathroom, and just finished a capreze salad and a nice grilled steak, both seasoned with home made herbs.
Top that!
*** Update ***
By request:
She is super pooped. I took her everywhere today, and then as a treat gave her a couple little pieces of steak. She inhaled it.
*** Update #2 ***
Check out this pic I just snapped while we were taking a walk.
Get a gander at that tail, and if you look close, you can see a smile and a big pink tongue sticking out.
God, I am such a softy, and any pretenses of being a tough guy are shot to hell. I just love this dog. Best decision I ever made (except for Tunch, who is hitting my hand as I speak).
cofeegirl
…we still have some day in front of us here on the left coast. Just sayin’ we *could* top your day, but it’s not likely.
Comrade Stuck
I managed to clean out the toilet bowl today. Out here, there’s so much calcium in the water it binds with the turdmatter into a pesky crust. So you have to use industrial acid to dissolve it . So much fun.
Now it’s time for dinner and a baseball game.
CynDee
But . . . but . . . where’s our picture of Lily ? ?
AhabTRuler
Won’t even try. I did f-all today.
Death By Mosquito Truck
Wow John, you always accomplish so many things in a day, you must be such a hard worker. Your dog is beautiful and you are going to heaven for having such a giant heart and good karma will come your way because you always do the right thing and have such a glorious existence that I fantasize living.
kommrade reproductive vigor
Oh yeah? Well I had to get up at 10 o’clock at night, half an hour before I went to bed and drink a cup of acid!
Robertdsc-iphone
Whither the Tunchinator?
John Cole
@Death By Mosquito Truck: DIAF.
By the way, when I was at the grocery store, I saw some salmon filets and was going to make your salmon sandwiches but I could not remember the ingredients, and now I can’t find the thread. What was the recipe again. All I really remember is that you scooped out some of the bread so it did not squirt out.
Jim
Wild rumpus with the grandbabies – ages 1 and 4. Splashing in the baby pool, races in the wagon, constant hugs ( we call the little guy Squeezer). We’re tired (but happy) – two more hours ’til bedtime. We’ll lay down with them, and probably fall asleep before they do.
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
I went on a bike ride with 100 naked people. Then I came home and had a shower. Note the sequence.
freelancer
Going to a birthday party later for a girl I work with who, while she is completely smitten with me and has a huge crush, she refuses to ask me out because I’m a heathen and she’s a Young Earth Creationist. It doesn’t stop her from flirting and acting all ‘come hither’, but she can’t not date a Christian. It’s gonna be a fun night.
John Cole
Tunch is in the window staring at the neighbor kids, Lily is on the futon. Lily is pooped. I took her everywhere today and she is just plain worn out. I also gave her some steak cut up in teeny tiny pieces, and she inhaled it.
freelancer
Also, Sullivan just posted about the Iranian Election mess, and concluded it with “Allahu Ackbar!” I wonder if the wingnuts will let that pitch sail right by.
Comrade Stuck
@Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse:
You Canadians have much more fun.
Martin
Errands this morning, cleaned the house some around lunch, took a nice nap while watching Le Mans (last year for Corvette), off now for some yard work, going to take the kids to watch Mrs. Martin sing in a concert after dinner.
A relatively productive day considering how tired I am from the week. CA budget is killing me at work.
Keith G
Well, I made two batches of hand dipped truffles and helped a wonderful woman with an all chocolate box in which she will put a ring to present to the woman in her life. Quite fun. Oh, I am a chocolateer by profession.
Now home, I get to “Advantage” my two kittehs. Not so much fun as they can hear the container being opened in the next room and seem to be able to smell the concoction when I hold it behind my back.
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
@Comrade Stuck: You don’t have to be Canadian. Or naked, even. I had no idea this was going on until I wound up on Yonge St. with them this afternoon, so I tagged along for half an hour just to watch the crowd reactions. Priceless.
** Atanarjuat **
I watched Coraline on the plasma and took my 3.5-year-old son out for a walk in the rain — waterproof jackets and all — and eventually got on a public bus with no set destination because he likes to sing, “the wheels on the bus go round and round…”
As to Coraline, my son was too young to understand it but I think it’s creepy as hell. I’m convinced the makers of Coraline have a Tim Burton fixation as well, and not in a good way.
-A
Keith G
Lily is on Tunch’s futon?
El Tiburon
JC-
Just curious: did you do all of this farmers market and stuff back when you were a Republican?
Serious question. Or did your get into the lifestyle when you converted?
Elroy's Lunch
@Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse:
What a hoot! I hope that you were wearing nice bike shoes.
We cleaned up the balcony, potted some plants, went to the farmer’s market and now we’re drinking some chilled wine on our nice clean balcony. A lazy day.
Max
An afternoon nap and now making Arroz Con Pollo!
John Cole
@El Tiburon: Yes. I grew up in a small town where you would go to the butcher and ask for a steak, and he would pull a big hunk of cow out on a meathook and cut off a slap, run it throw the saw, and then trim the fat, wrap it up in wax paper and write the price in marker on it. It was the best beef in the world.
There is no other place to get beef like that than at the farmer’s market, so I always go. Plus, all the roadside stands that sell veggies just buy the shit anymore, so you have to go to the farmer’s market to get fresh tomatoes until yours come in.
Bey
Solar lights in the front yard installed. Flars and tomatos watered and fertilized. Catboxes scooped and flung litter disposed of. $500 check written to Handyman Connection for stuff I could do, if I only knew how (/sob).
1554 in the snuggie. Critters fed.
Ahhhhhh.
Celtic
Worried all day about how to feed us on $20 for the next week, went thru things to try and sell on Ebay and prayed that we can make the mortgage at the end of the month, because if we don’t, we’ll be foreclosed on. Fun day.
Elroy's Lunch
We have a weekend home in a very rural area of the country and there is an old country store nearby. We get our steaks there. When the butcher behind the counter asks us how thick we say 1″ and he uses the joints of his finger to figure out the right cut.
Perfect.
And don’t get me started on the homemade sausage.
Brachiator
I feel like a lazy bum in comparison to all of you. After a tough week, I decided to indulge myself my not doing much of anything. Finally managed to leave the house around 3pm and walked to a local sandwich shop for lunch. I was in a fish and chips mood. Nothing fancy, but the place also has great homemade spicy pickled carrots, peppers, and of course, pickles.
Listening to tech talk on the radio, I was amused to find how many people didn’t think through all the ramifications of the switch to digital TV. One caller was shocked to find that the TV band on her walkman no longer worked. Another caller, who otherwise made the transition OK, wondered when he would get Channel 11 back, instead of 11.1 (uh, never).
And sure enough, even though I hadn’t really paid attention before, the TV at the sandwich shop was analog, connected to an indoor antenna. And it was off and dead because the owner hadn’t kept up on information about the changeover. He mentioned a church up the street and several other businesses that were in the same boat.
Ah, technological change. Never quite as seamless as projected.
That seems like a considerable workout for Lily. I hope she wasn’t too tired out.
CynDee
It is certainly not my place to question your judgment, but just wondering — if Lily Dog has been in the shelter or relatively confined for a long time — wondering if five miles is too much for her at this point in time. I say this because I once overstressed my doggie thinking she was up to the distance I had in mind, and have heard of others doing so.
Thank you for the picture.
JL
John, How does Lily react when you get the leash in preparation for a walk?
Steve Balboni
Got caught up on some Phish summer tour listening. They destroyed Bonnaroo last night btw. Drinking some of Colorado’s finest micro brew (Odell’s Levity amber) with my feet up in front of the hi-fi right now.
smiley
Well, I did something good today. A student called me and said that she thought her rat was about to die. I said to her, “Whoa now, these rats only live, at most, three years and your rat has had a very good life.” She said, ” Please save it!” So all I could say was, ” Okay.” The big boy is here. A real sweetheart.
kommrade reproductive vigor
@freelancer: We all know how this story is going to end.
That’s ‘cos Selick directed a Nightmare before Christmas (and a couple of other stop motion movies). Nb4C was written by Burton. I read an interview where Selick laughs off the fact that Burton gets credit for Nightmare and was getting credit for Coraline.
Yutsano
You know, some of us still have to work for a living on the weekends! Just kidding, I happen to like my schedule even with two weddings and my parents’ 40th coming up requiring me to use up a mess of vacay time. Still going to go play with cowboys in Wyoming next month though. :)
John Cole
@JL: She doesn’t, really. Her ears perk up, but I have to pick her up or drag her out from underneath the desk and put the harness on, and then once we start to walk, she acts normal as can be.
I’m telling you, she simply does not know how to be a dog.
John Cole
BTW- we made it official and got her dog tag today after we hit the car wash.
AhabTRuler
You got gay-married to your dog? Who knew that the republicans were right?
Picking up ID tags was the right thing to do, tho.
amidreaming
From Yeats:
A speckled cat and a tame hare
Eat at my hearthstone
And sleep there;
And both look up to me alone
For learning and defence
As I look up to Providence.
I start out of my sleep to think
Some day I may forget
Their food and drink;
Or, the house door left unshut,
The hare may run till it’s found
The horn’s sweet note and the tooth of the hound.
I bear a burden that might well try
Men that do all by rule,
And what can I
That am a wandering witted fool
But pray to God that He ease
My great responsibilities?
Punchy
Went to a dog demo (“Paws in the Park!” or some such cheesy name) today, it was full of vendors. Did you know there are companies that will: 1) pick up your shit for you in your own backyard, 2) come to your house to dogsit your dogs, 3) provide doggie daycare.
There’s some lazy m’effers out there with dogs, that’s fo shiz.
Martin
One of the things I most miss in SoCal is the lack of local foods. There’s some, but even the farmers markets tend to be loaded with produce trucked up from Mexico. There’s virtually no such thing as a local butcher. There’s some seafood, but it can be a bit dodgy.
If you are willing to drive you can pull it all together, but grocery shopping would take a full day.
Max
@Punchy: I hope you’re not saying that doggie daycare = lazy. My Max is at daycare 1 day/week, has a dogwalker 3 days per week and comes to work with me on Fridays. It’s not that I’m lazy, its just that I don’t like the idea of leaving him at home for 9 or 10 hours per day.
I don’t think that makes me lazy… wasteful of money, perhaps, but not lazy. It’s not like I don’t walk him when I get home or on the weekends.
FTR – I do pick up the poop in my yard, but if the landscaping people would do it, I’d pay an extra $5.
JenJen
Best pic of our little Lily yet! Oh, John, she looks so chill and relaxed. You’re doing an amazing job of healing this little Lily-girl’s heart!
Mmmmm… steak. Known to bust through many a canine’s bout with temporary anorexia. :-) Good choice!!
By the way, for years now, my #1 Internet Dog Crush has been on Buddy, Cityrag’s irrepressible adopted mutt. Lily reminds me so much of that perfect little guy, looks and all.
Sorry, Cityrag. I think you and Buddy have some competition in this late interloper, Lily.
The Saff
I noticed the name tag in the pix. She is just so cute! As is Tunch. Sounds like everyone is settling in which is quite excellent.
Scrubbed out all 3 litterboxes and put in fresh litter. Did laundry and lost at Scrabble to husband (Saturday and Sunday mornings are Breakfast Scrabble — I had a 10 game winning streak going until today). Came back from dinner (Bloody Mary, arugla salad, and margarhita pizza). Movie is next (“Atonement”).
Our life is way to exciting for words but it works for us.
Death By Mosquito Truck
@John Cole:
If Laura was around, she could find it pdq. She’s a good finder.
Beat an egg, add kosher salt, pepper, some green spice like lemon grass or dill, let the salmon filet soak in the egg for a while. Then take it out and coat it with flour, fry it in bacon grease. Serve it on a sandwich roll with spinach leaves, red onion slices and a sauce made from mayo, horseradish, lemon juice and a fuckton of paprika. You may want to carve out some of the roll to allow the filet to set better, otherwise it will squirt around while yer trying to eat it but you knew that part.
Punchy
@Max: My lazy comment was directed at the peeps who cant pick up their own dogcrap. The daycare thing I understand.
Comrade Stuck
Christ, Lily is a sweetheart!
jl
I am waiting eagerly for pics of Tunch-Lily interaction. Even if that never gets beyond the Tuncher walking by, egregiously and ostentatiously oblivious, in Lily’s general vicinity.
cleek
sat around till 1. got a hair cut. drank a couple beers. cooked a pork roast, made some celery root soup. now we’re drinking Spanish wine; listening to Rochester’s hidden gem, Nod. then we’re gonna watch some Sopranos. while we make the room cloudy.
jnfr
I spent my morning pulling bindweed out in the garden. Not exciting, exactly, but useful anyway.
The garden is looking good, though we’d all be happier if it warmed up a bit and rained a little less. This June isn’t much like a normal Colorado June. I swear you can see the basil and peppers shivering in their beds.
BettyPageisaBlonde
@smiley: That rat is crazy cute! Good on you.
And yes, Lily rocks. Um, Tunch photo too?
Death By Mosquito Truck
@cleek: I plan to make the room cloudy tonight as well.
I put a fence around my eight vegetable garden beds because the fucking dog keeps molesting my plantings. And I did it one-handed, which makes it ten times as hard via some weird mathematical anomaly.
JenJen
@cleek: FTW. I’m working on getting the room cloudy, too! And about to watch “Nurse Jackie” on Showtime, starring Edie Falco; haven’t seen it yet.
AhabTRuler
@Death By Mosquito Truck: Well, partially is because yer learnin’ a new skill, and it will get easier. Can’t help you learn to grab your pants while holding your pecker, tho.
Montysano
I spent the last two days putting a new blower motor in a vintage Volvo 240. A couple of times I was on the verge of whimpering for my mama, but I prevailed in the end.
Tonight? Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which I’ve wanted to see for years.
Max
For those of you with Showtime – “Into The Wild” is on tonight. 9pm Eastern / 6pm Pacific (satellite) etc.
Great movie! Great book! Great soundtrack by Eddie Vedder! Great cinematography! Great direction by Sean Penn!
Great background to those of you in “cloudy” rooms.
John Cole
@JenJen: re: Edie Falco
When I first came to grips with the fact that I was completly unsophisticated white trash with no sense of aesthetic or artistic values was during the Sopranos, when I would read reviews that talked about how wonderful Edie Falco was, and what a great actress she was, and how she stole scenes, and all I could think was that half the time she drove me insane.
I was always a bigger fan of the job done by Spider (his sopranos name escapes me atm). I always thought he was the best character and was totally underrated for his acting in that show.
Also a fan of Big Pussy, who can’t act at all, but I guess I am a sucker for the hooker with a heart of gold schtick, which I sort of think his character had.
replicnt6
Thanks for making me feel like a complete slug. It’s made my day.
Comrade Stuck
@Max:
I saw that on Dish pay per view a while back and it was great, but awfully sad being a true story. Couldn’t help thinking as crazy as I was in my youth, I wouldn’t have done something that stupid.
Just got Showtime and Weeds rocks!!
Think I’ll cue up The Spanish Prisoner on Netflix instant tonight. Watched Defiance last night and loved it.
Martin
John,
You mentioned her hesitance to poop. Dogs are carnivores, so they have a short digestive system. Not only do they process food fast, there’s not a lot of place to store the byproduct – stick food in the front and it’s quickly going to start pushing something out the back.
Our dog needs to hit the yard within 10 minutes of eating, so you might want to followup mealtime with at least a brief trip to the outdoors. Might help.
Death By Mosquito Truck
@John Cole: I thought Aida Turturro was easily the best actor on the show. She made Janice despicable, hateworthy. Incredible.
burnspbesq
Trying to decide whether to buy digital boxes for the four cruddy old analog TVs scattered around the house (how old, you ask? three of them are TV/VCR combos) or replace them with new flat-screens. Any suggestions? Would go for 19″ or smaller LCDs.
Max
@Comrade Stuck: My father was very much Christopher. He was a solo arctic adventurer, who lived his life in the wild as he wanted, but died at 61, in part by living that way.
The movie sparked some heated conversations amongst my friends about narcissism and was it selfish to take off and not think about the impact to your loved ones, or is our only responsibility to ourselves.
MikeJ
About to throw yukon river salmon on the grill, have a strawberry spinach salad ready to go with it. Mmmmm.
The recipe for good salmon: grab your kitchen pliers. Pull out some bones. Fire up the grill. Put fish on grill. Three minutes later, eat.
Notorious P.A.T.
What a cute doggie )
bystander
Five miles is a long hike for a pooch not acclimated to distance. You may be an athlete of sorts, John, but after hanging out in the pound Lily likely needs to come up to speed in measured doses. Not unlike for humans, taking on too much too soon quickly stresses the musculoskeletal and immune systems. Failing to follow a reasonable training program often results in medical bills. Just sayin’.
Comrade Stuck
@Max:
I would tend more toward doing what you need to do for yourself, but be responsible in making sure you no the limits and are prepared. A Valley Boy heading into the Alaskan Wilderness on a whim is highly reckless imo.
LarryB
Dog: it’s not just a pet, it’s an exercise program! I’d be in real trouble without mine.
Notorious P.A.T.
@smiley:
Cute rat, too )
John Cole
@Death By Mosquito Truck: Yes.
At the same time, Janice was a character who I often felt sorry for, because I sometimes sensed she wanted out of it all. Was she trying to break out, or was she just trying to fool herself.
Edie Falco’s character, on the other hand, was a more insidious type of despicable. She reminds me of the beltway media insiders in the village who tut tut about little bullshit but keep the game going. She acted like she was above it all as she and the girls drank Pellegrino and ate Vito’s spinach salads and lamb medallions and donated to the right causes and clutched to the Catholic church because it gave her a patina of decency, but when she looked in the mirror, she knew what her husband did. She knew where the stack of 50’s came from and what paid for that luxury vehicle and why Tony had guns stashed all over the house. She had blood on her hands and wanted to pretend otherwise. At least Tony and the gang were honest with themselves.
And as I write this, I begin to understand the reviews, and realize I was conflating her character with her acting.
John Cole
A funnier sentence has never been written on this blog.
Comrade Stuck
@John Cole:
A funnier sentence has never been written on this blog.
Oh, I think saying we’ve reached Peak Wingnut is a contender.
Punchy
@JenJen: Everyone’s got a fog machine? Cool……
Death By Mosquito Truck
@John Cole: I think they were an amazing ensemble, all of ’em except Christopher. Never thought he was a very good actor and his story arcs bored me.
Edit: Anthony Jr. kinda sucked too.
gex
@Death By Mosquito Truck: Not half as despicable as Livia. Man did that lady (forget her name) act the hell out of that role.
Death By Mosquito Truck
I think the mosquitoes may get me before the truck does. It started as a beautiful sunny and cool morning. Then at noon, a storm rolled through and left us with Louisiana the rest of the day.
JenJen
@John Cole: @John Cole: Halfway through your first reply, I was thinking, “He’s blaming the writers for Edie Falco’s work?” I’m awful when it comes to critiquing acting, because I can never find the words. But I always felt Carmela Soprano was one of the great TV characters, in the way she was written and acted. Carmela had, like, ten different layers. One day she’s actually contemplating banging her priest, the next she’s the perfect business wife during a dinner. Day after that, she’s (vaguely but effectively) threatening a school administrator over Meadow’s looming admission; then, she’s giving Adriana marital advice. It was so compellingly played through the years.
God, Edie Falco was great in that role. I’m through the first episode of “Nurse Jackie” and it’s thrilling to see she’s found a real character again!
burnspbesq
Listening to the new Gomez album. Liking it quite a bit.
CynDee
Please, John, make sure Lily gets enought water tonight and let her rest tomorrow. I’m looking at her pic again — she looks ill. That little heart and those little legs have to do a lot to keep up with a human.
John Cole
@burnspbesq: I’m listening to Magos Herrera- Distancia again. I don’t understand a word of it, but it makes me feel good.
pika
Don’t stop the Lily pictures–please don’t.
bystander
Okay… amending… please accept the edit:
You may be an athlete, John…
Zuzu's Petals
I attended a Bat Mitzvah. A beautiful ceremony, even if I did have to go out and buy a skirt for the occasion.*
I have the feeling everything about me shouted: “Not Jewish!” Turning the pages the wrong way, for instance.
*Yep, I’m all pants all the time, even when I was working – oh, except for the Queen Mum outfit I wore to my son’s wedding.
schrodinger's cat
Shorter Tunch:
Oh noez she be taking mah futon.
Zuzu's Petals
@JenJen:
You’re in for a treat!
Krista
I was nowhere near as productive as you today. Lazed around all morning, then swept and scrubbed the kitchen and dining room floors. Then took a load of garbage to the dump and ran some errands. Came back, grilled up some tasty pork chops for supper, and after supper, sat out on the front porch with my husband, put my feet up, and looked out onto the river, where we saw a bald eagle, a loon and a harbour seal (we’re on an estuary, needless to say.) The hummingbirds were visiting the feeder we just put up, and it was nice and warm, with a breeze rustling the tops of the trees.
All in all, a lovely day.
wonkie
Well, top this: I’m treating myself for head lice. I do in-home care for disabled people and I got the lice from my client’s grandchildren who will never be allowed to sit next to me on the couch for bedtime stories again.
burnspbesq
@John Cole:
Will have to check that out.
Zuzu's Petals
@John Cole:
I think I’ve mentioned this before …
There was a time when Oz and the Sopranos were both playing on HBO. I can’t tell you how long it took me to figure out that the actress playing Carmella Soprano was the same one playing the mousy prison guard on Oz.
She’s great in Nurse Jackie, by the way.
South of I-10
It was indoor activities until about 6 for us. It’s almost 8:30 and the heat index is still 90. It is not supposed to be this hot and humid until August. Little South and I made some jewelry and Mr. South BBQed some ribs. I just started The Great Influenza by John Barry, loved Rising Tide, so I thought I would give it a shot.
South of I-10
@Wonkie: Little one had a bout of lice about a year ago if you would like my tips and pointers.
Zuzu's Petals
@Death By Mosquito Truck:
For some reason I don’t think I’ve seen Gandolfini do anywhere near the acting he did on the Sopranos. With the exception of “The Mexican,” he seems to just come off as a squinty-eyed, one dimensional ham.
I concede I may be missing a few of his movies.
demkat620
@Krista: Hmmm, having a bit of the second trimester energy burst? Sounds like you had a busy day.
demkat620
@Zuzu’s Petals: He was great in True Romance too.
debit
@wonkie: I don’t know if this tops head lice, but I attempted to express my cat’s anal glands today.
Zuzu's Petals
@demkat620:
Thanks. I’d say I’d check it out, but it sounded so perverted or something.
donnah
I’m exhausted, both physically and emotionally. My oldest son graduated from college today. It’s a two hour drive there, so we had to get up at 6 am and dress for it, then drive to the university. We allowed extra time for the huge crowds, but not enough. We just barely made it inside after sitting in traffic and then walking forty miles to the Convocation center. Okay, it was less than a mile.
I heard the opening notes of “Pomp and Circumstance” and started to choke up. I couldn’t help it; the day was SO great and my son worked so hard at school. He earned a BS in journalism. Stop laughing! He likes to believe he can actually get a job!
Then the cleaning and packing of his apartment, when my tears of joy turned to tears of, “Oh, my aching arms, back, feet and legs!” We had underestimated the amount of crap in his apartment and had to ride back in a van so jammed with stuff that if we were to hit a bump in the road, I feared we would explode and stuff would fly everywhere like shrapnel.
We made it back, and then had to unload all the crap and find a place for it so we could actually drive the van elsewhere.
I’m really tired.
JenJen
@Zuzu’s Petals: “Treat” is an understatement. Episode 2 is even better.
It’s fun to have a new show to watch until “Mad Men” comes back.
Glocksman
@burnspbesq:
I’ve mentioned this on GOS, but I’ll repeat it here.
The best CECB (coupon eligible converter box) is the LG-manufactured Zenith DTT-901.
It’s also marketed by Best Buy under their Insignia label.
The LG/Zenith will pick up and tune in signals when lesser boxen totally fail.
There are other boxes that work better if reception isn’t an issue (Dish Networks makes one that uses a TVGuide supplied channel guide), but the LG is the best for tuning in dodgy signals.
kommrade reproductive vigor
The Hola Fruta posts did that a loooong time ago.
demkat620
Why do you think we keep coming back here?
Krista
Seeing as I’m actually in my third trimester now, not really. The floors needed mopping, and Himself was downstairs trying to organize the chaos that is our basement. Everything else was easy — a bit of banking, some groceries — nothing strenuous by any stretch of the imagination. I did have a bit of nesting fit, however, and re-organized the junk drawer in the kitchen AND my computer desk.
By the way, does anybody else find it kind of freaky how even the woman’s heart gets shoved out of the way during late pregnancy? I read that today, and it freaked me right the hell out.
Ked
@burnspbesq:
This is a frighteningly complex question, and the answer is an emphatic “it depends”.
My father has an old (like, 1983-old) 15-inch tube which has sat in his living room for most of my lifetime. He originally bought it to use as a monitor with a Timex-Sinclair 2068, and once he got a real computer it became the main family TV. As I’ve gone through progressively larger and larger sets (currently have a 61″ LED DLP by Samsung – best TV ever) I kept bothering him to replace it and he’d just say there wasn’t any reason to. He got his coupon in the mail last fall, plugged the set-top box in, wired it to a slightly-altered rabit-ears rig. I laughed, and told him he should have just upgraded, and then he turned it on. I swear, this TV NEVER looked as good as it does on the signal from the converter box.
And this seems to be the experience of a lot of people – the digital signal is so much cleaner, that you’ll just LOVE the way it looks, even on your really crappy old TV.
Of course, it’s not HD. You will need a new TV for that, and while I’m not one of those nitwits who will tell you that you won’t be able to tell the difference between standard def and HD on less than a 40″ screen (I mean seriously, are these people blind?), there is a point at which you’re cramming the pixels into a small enough space that unless you’re sitting at, say, computer-monitor distance, it won’t be worth buying the new TV. I’d recommend looking at the 27″ widescreens as the starting point.
I’d say buy one good new TV and converter boxes for the rest. But… YMMV. A lot of new LCD TV’s have VGA and DVI inputs, so buying one that can double as a kickass computer monitor might make sense.
That’s just considering broadcast. If you have cable or sat, there’s a whole extra dimension of considerations, though most of them (for the moment) trend against upgrading TVs.
Krista
Another walk? Or was that from the earlier one? Poor little fart’s going to be worn out. At any rate, it’s delightful to see her tail sticking up merrily like that.
beabea
Pic of Tunch? Please? Even if he is not doing anything, it’s okay. Pics of Tunch not doing anything, are like snowflakes–no two are alike.
Lily looks very content to me. Almost as if she knows what it means that she has a tag now.
Once again, Mr. Cole’s list of accomplishments puts me to shame. Let’s see, I walked my dog, ran the dishwasher, read about the Iranian elections, expressed my contempt for CNN several times on another thread, and decided to accept the free loveseat my neighbors who are moving offered me…um, let’s see, what else can I come up with to pad this meager list…uh, I guess that’s it.
wonkie
Tips would be appreciated. mostly i want to know: if my head still itches does that mean the treatment didn’t work? I have waist legnth hair and I used the entire bottle of bug killer, a bottle that was labeled “family size.” I am traumatized by this.
I am so happy for you and Lily, John. I wish every dog had a person like you.
Punchy
Please, please no more talk about the Sopranos. I havent seen past season…….christ…..5?..4? and have dilegently and manifestly avoided all discussions about how it ends, who if any dies, etc. PLEASE DONT RUIN IT FOR ME.
thx
Punchy +5
Glocksman
Goddamn, I remember Jonesing for one of those back in high school as my first ‘computer’ was a T/S 1000 complete with ‘receipt printer’ and 16k expansion pack.
It was useful for my computer math class (printing out BASIC programs that I wrote) if nothing else.
demkat620
@Krista: Wow! I didn’t realize you were that far along. Nesting’s fun too. I think I redecorated our house three times before our son was born.
Zuzu's Petals
@John Cole:
I suppose you’ve considered the chip as well?
linda
awwww; i had no doubt she’d take to her new home, but i honestly didn’t think it’d happen this quickly. esp after those first photos of her you posted. look at her curled tail…. but, i am wondering if her little feetsies aren’t a bit tender.
what a mensch, mr cole.
geg6
Well, I had quite the adventure today. Was in the convertible with the top down, heading to pick up some fresh veggies at the farmer’s market and perhaps some steaks at a local market that carries local organic meats. The meats there are fabulous and they just moved into a new building which I’ve been dying to check out. It’s a bit of a drive into the countryside (about 15 miles roundtrip) but the product is well worth it. Tooling down the winding, hilly road with the new Green Day blasting, I suddenly saw my dash light up and my brake pedal hit the floor. Broken brake line. I was going about 50 and just shifted to low until I got to an uncline and got slow enough to use the emergency brake. I was shaking. Thankfully, my brother-in-law who owns a body shop was available and came and rescued me. The car is being repaired, but that was about enough for me today. I came home and made a burger and, coincidentally enough, am sitting in a foggy living room watching “The Dark Knight” on HBO. Never got to see the new store I almost did die trying to see.
John Cole
@Krista: I’m trying to wear her out, plus, when we walk it is one of the times where I can sense she is very happy. She still is not exploring the apt. much and relaxes the whole time we are home and looks timid. When we walk, her tail comes out, she smiles, she looks at me and is confident, and WE ARE GOING SOMEWHERE AND DOING SOMETHING AND EVERYTHING IS OK. We went to the rails trails this morning, and did everything together all day, but if you counted walks it would be six (two at rails trails, and four around the apt.).
I’ve always had dogs in my life, and I got along with them fine, and this is corny, but I swear I really understand Lily. The first time she looked at me she had me. Here is where I mentioned her in the comments first.
You know the funniest thing? I almost forgot her name was Missy, she is so thoroughly Lily to me now. I’m probably still the big clumsy guy who feeds me, walks me, and tries not to fall on me to her.
Ked
John, not sure if you’re still reading this thread, but…
Seriously? You walked that poor dog five miles?
If it were, you know, a trained sporting dog, or you’d been working her up to that over some months or years, sure. But this little girl was apparently something of a house dog, or maybe a yard dog before. It probably hasn’t walked two miles in a day in its whole life. And then it spent some amount of time in a kennel setting, where it almost certainly got even less exercise.
I’m not going to call this animal cruelty, because it’s not. But you’re pushing that poor thing incredibly hard, and if you continue at that pace she could get hurt.
burnspbesq
@Ked:
Thanks. You too, Glocksman.
Laura W
According to my OCD hourly calculations as pertain to John’s official care-taking-over of Lily, this tail-in-the-air, smiley-tongue, happy dawg cadence occurred at the precise 100-Hour Mark.
My statistics are irrefutable and not up for dispute.
Comrade Stuck
Stammering is always a sign of true love, or being drunk. Or both. Or nevermind.
Big City Mary
Went to the matinee performance of the new musical Rock of Ages. It was absolutely wonderful. Ignore the reviews, this is a keeper.
Then to some fancee smancee restaurant on Restaurant Row. Not a foodie, so wasted on me, but walking to the restaurant from the theater, another restaurant was growing tomatoes in the boxes by the door instead of flowers-and the plants looked so healthy-amazing considering the air quality in NYC.
Ked
@Glocksman:
Oh, man, those memory bricks were the nastiest expansion components ever. You couldn’t do anything with the TS1000 if you didn’t have one, but once it was plugged into the back, the whole unit would crash if you breathed on them funny.
JL
@John Cole: I’m still waiting for the day when you jingle the leash, and her 17+ pounds knocks you over trying to get to the door. The time will come soon. Tunch owns your place and she is just being polite. She is a beauty.
CynDee
We gave away our monster TeeVee three years ago. So glad to be away from the endlessly agitating, crazy, ugly nonsequitur images and talking heads. Our impression is that most of TV exists as a medium for greedy people to get money from stupid people. I’m not saying that you’re stupid if you have/watch/enjoy TV, but that’s “their” opinion of you.
We used to love TV, but something in us shifted.
We like the peace and quiet, and absence of a big machine. We like our animals, the beauty of light changing in the room, our books and music, our conversation, our Netflix, and all the info and broadcasts we can select from the internet at any time.
What I did today: nothing I didn’t want to. Saturday’s my day for that.
Face
@Ked: Dogs can walk 5 miles. Unless it’s a toy breed, or very old dog, 5 miles is fine.
John Cole
@Ked: Yes, I know it sounds like a lot, but that was two trips to rails trails today. I walked her a little past the mile mark and then back twice. I agree with you it is a lot of exercise for her, but I bring water, and we take breaks to sniff and drink and mess around. I am very sensitive to overworking her, but I am being really careful, and the only thing I can say is that I know she is happy. If she looked traumatized, or in danger, or any of that, I would recognize it immediately. She has the most expressive eyes and other than the few hours a day I am at the office in the summer, I have spent every minute with her by my side learning her and figuring her out. She does not bark, so I don’t even use my ipod when we walk just so I know her sounds and what her breathing sounds like. I’m getting to the point I know when she is going to sneeze before she sneezes.
I will keep it in mind, but I am being careful and the vet said what I was doing is ok.
Glocksman
Ked:
That’s why God made rubber bands….
Back in 1983 my T/S 1000 was the cat’s meow. :)
At least the school’s Apple II gearhead thought so after the T/S beat his Apple completing a program.
The Z80A wasn’t a slow chip for the time and you could ‘speed up’ the T/S by shutting off the video display while it was computing.
That’s how I won $5 from the Apple gearhead.
Krista
Heh — yeah, “Missy” just doesn’t seem to suit her. She just looks like a Lily.
I see that some people are concerned that you’re over-exerting her. Was the 5 miles all in one go, or were you puttering, stopping, letting her sniff, giving her water, and just basically letting her take her sweet time about it? (I’m guessing the latter, so I just wanted to get that out there before more people get worried that you’re wearing her our more than is healthy.)
Edit: never mind — I see you already addressed that. I have to say, I’ve never seen a new dog owner dote on their dog so much. It’s really pretty sweet. Cats are awesome, and I’ll always like them, but it’s SO easy to fall in love with a dog, isn’t it?
YellowJournalism
Quiet morning with the family, then ran some errands. On the way, we bought the little guy his first tricycle. Got a ton of cute pictures of him grinning up at me from it. If I don’t send those to my family in the next 24 hours, I’m probably going to be in big trouble.
And it’s way too hot in our house. I have probably a ton of things I should be doing, but the heat and this pregnancy have made my feet swell up.
JL
There is nothing quite as satisfying as seeing a dog smile.
LD50
@Punchy:
Meadow goes berserk and shoots everyone. She then becomes the boss of the Family.
Face
@John Cole: Now you’re getting a little weird on us.
Glocksman
I have a ‘flashy’ boxer, and she’s as loving a dog as you’d ever meet.
In fact, the only problem she ’causes’ is that when I take her out for walks, the females she attracts to pet her are young enough to be my granddaughters.
I was walking her one evening and a toddler ran up to pet Haley.
While she was petting my dog, her mother yelled ‘get away from that animal’, and the girl said ‘I’m just petting the cute doggie’.
I’d have loved it if the girl had been 25 instead of 5. :)
That said, I tell my more ‘defensive oriented’ friends that all Haley has to do is delay the intruder enough for me to grab the Colt .45 in the nightstand.
Once I have the Colt in hand, the dog is the least of an intruder’s worries.
Krista
Yours too, huh? My feet are absurd-looking right now. They’re not too bad on weekends, when I can move around more and put my feet up more. But during the week, I’m stuck behind my desk, and it’s pretty much impossible to work while keeping my feet elevated higher than my heart, so by the end of the day, they’re HUGE.
Punchy
@LD50: I hope to freakin god you’re joking.
You have no idea what lengths I go to avoid peeps who insist on talking about the show. I know it ends “odd”, but I dont know anything else past the moment Tony offs the guy from The Fugitive and the Italian guy goes back to Italy. I plan on renting all the remaining episodes in one big weekend orgy of Tony and Meadow and Chris’tofah.
Until then……sssshhhhhh.
grassyass
Mnemosyne
I turn 40 on Monday and have been feeling very old, so I bought myself a bicycle today. It’s pretty and purple and I love it.
The downside is that you don’t realize how out of shape you really are until you ride a mile or two on a bicycle. Yeesh.
Dracula
@Glocksman: Bullshit story. Libtards dont own guns. Rush Limbaugh told me so.
South of I-10
@wonkie: Okay, you asked, so here goes. This is the South of I-10 and two of her friends’ regimen. First of all, go click on John’s Amazon linkie and get yourself one of these. The combs that come with the medicine suck. A metal flea comb will do in a pinch. You have already done the medicine, so that is good. Tomorrow, you need to get a friend, put some conditioner/olive oil in your hair and have them start picking nits. This is not fun, but the beasties are getting immune to the medicine. Pick and comb every day for the next week (yes it sucks). Lice are supposed to not like Tea Tree Oil, so I got some of that for all of our shampoo. My husband and I never got them. If nothing else, it will soothe your head if it is itchy. Anyway, the picking and combing is the thing – here is a good description. I am sorry this happened to you, but vigilance is key. I have a niece who had them for months – I threw everything at them up front and there was no sign after the initial infestation. Sorry to everyone else, but this would have been very helpful to me when little one had them. Off to scratch head in sympathy. . .
Yutsano
Just for information’s sake, is there a BJ baby boom?
Glocksman
Dracula:
You’re being snarky, but I’d welcome Rush or one of his acolytes with the same .45 ‘greeting’ I’d give to any other uninvited intruder.
All kidding aside, I’m a recent convert to ‘liberalism’ and I thank GWB for ‘showing me the light’. :)
That said, while I despise Mitch Daniels on several levels, he’s called it right WRT the RKBA in this state.
Max
@wonkie: You have my sympathy. I recently got thru having scabies and I swear sometimes the itch was so bad that I would break out in tears.
Tea Tree Oil helped sooth the itch while the prescription cream did its job.
Pure Tea Tree Oil is cheapest at Target, in the vitamin section, but Trader Joe’s also has it. Just don’t get it in your mouth or near your pets.
Good luck. Try a sleeping pill or some benedryl.
debit
@Mnemosyne: Oh, pretty!! Some advice, if you don’t mind: don’t push it too hard. A mile or two every other day for the first week or so should be fine. Accept that your butt is going to hurt for at least two weeks as you continue riding. Always bring water. Do not trust your new beauty to a cable lock.
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
@Mnemosyne: Ohhh, pretty! I have a Trek 7300 I call the armchair because of the relatively upright and comfy nature of it, but it’s just boring silver, not purple.
One thing that helps a lot when you’re getting started is learning how to shift gears effectively. This little video tutorial (and the complete script you can read below it) was what gave me my “Aha!” moment and made hills manageable. The whole bicycletutor.com site is great if you are just getting started with bike maintenance, too.
JL
Krista, My children are probably older than you and experts probably have better advice but I used to sleep with my feet on a pillow when I was pregnant. Towards the end of my pregnancies when my back hurt, I would sleep on my side with the pillow between my legs.
Big City Mary
End of pregnancy ladies-take it easy-if your feet are swelling, that is not good. Your kidneys are working for two so slow it down. Drink more water and try to avoid sodium. Keep your feet up. I know sleeping is difficult but resting is important. The whole urge to stay busy-nesting-is your heart yearning to see the result, but listen to your head. You are going to need all your stamina for a focused healthy medically unassisted birth, so save your energy.
OK, I’ll shut up now and I just love you and all your family JC. But JC, try to remember that dogs try to please, unlike the cat family who do no give a …..
Krista
@JL: Yes, I’ve definitely been sleeping on my side, with my feet on a pillow, which helps. I also have a pillow between my knees, and another small pillow supporting my belly. My poor husband is relegated to about 1/8th of the bed now.
JL
John, One thing that I have learned from my little mutt is that she eats more in the summer time. It’s the only dog that I have had that I have to feed more in the summer. She definitely burns more calories so it makes sense but my goldens and sharpei consumed the same amount year round.
Glocksman
@JL:
I have heart problems (leaky aortic valve) and my doc advised pretty much the same thing despite my being a male. :)
IIRC, it all has to do with keeping the fluid buildup down to a level that your body can deal with.
At the risk of revealing too much about myself, when I witnessed my best friend giving his wife a foot massage, I experienced a ‘ I wish that was me’ moment. :)
JL
@Krista: Wait until the baby comes and he only has 1/16th. lol
Zuzu's Petals
@Yutsano:
Do grandbabies count?
Krista
I’ve always had piss-poor circulation in my legs. My left foot swells worse than my right, and I also (probably not coincidentally) have a small varicose vein in that leg. I know my MIL was really worried when she saw my feet, as she had had a bad case of preeclampsia when she had my husband. But with me, it really is just crappy leg circulation. My blood pressure is actually on the low side (last visit, it was 96/68). And my rings still all fit, strangely enough.
Death By Mosquito Truck
@Glocksman:
You need to join a Brethren church. They’re all over that foot shit.
JL
@Krista: Maybe John will have a blog for baby pictures. It seems that there are more than a few pregnant commenters and RJud recently had a babyl
Rosali
@Krista:
I was cleaning today and saw a spot on the wall where my 4 y.o. wrote his name with a marker. Regular soap and water did not take it off and I’ll have to buy the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. I recommend that product for all sorts of marks on the walls. But I may just leave his name on the wall because it’s so cute. You’ll come to understand what I mean very quickly.
gbear
The St. Paul paper had a story today about the explosion of cat births and cat abandonments in the Twin Cities. Really sad.
Pictures of kitties at the link. My two cats came from the St. Paul Humane Society. I feel sorry for how overloaded they are.
My day: Abandoned all chores until tomorrow and took my scooter for a ride up to wonderful Interstate Park on the MN/WI border. Great ride but too many detours due to road repairs (’tis the season in MN).
South of I-10
@Krista: I had very swollen feet in the 3rd trimester, same as you, blood pressure was fine. Origins had some cooling foot/leg gel at the time, I don’t know that it did any good, but it definitely felt good. Go get yourself a pedicure!
burnspbesq
According to espn.com, UConn men’s basketball coach Jim Calhoun was doing a 50-mile charity bike ride, fell with 15 miles to go, got back on and finished the ride. It was later discovered that he broke five ribs in the fall.
I still don’t like him, but that’s impressive.
Ked
Beer + Monster is driving some fantastically disturbing mental imagery here, involving roiling seas, George Clooney, and a sky full of siamese.
Brachiator
@burnspbesq:
A couple of additional considerations. Because analog is now dead, defunct, kaput, an analog VCR cannot record broadcast TV unless the converter box signal runs into the VCR and the VCR is set to Channel 3 or 4. This means that you cannot timeshift the VCR to record to a channel not already selected on the converter.
Some people I know are simply retiring their VCRs and moving on to DVRs with digital tuners.
I hope I explained this simply enough.
Also, if you are not using an outside antenna, you may have to replace or re-orient your antenna to get the best digital broadcast signal. This is the case whether you use a converter box or get new TVs. Digital broadcast TV signals are much more directional than analog broadcast. With analog you might still get a snowy picture. With digital, you tend to get either a very good picture or nothing at all.
Bottom line: if your old TVs provide a good picture and are not too old, a converter box will do fine, and the resultant picture will will fine. And you will get extra digital channels.
Aside from this, it comes down to how much money you want to spend for TV.
By the way, some think that digital broadcast TV is superior to cable because there is less compression.
CaseyL
Today I watched other people work :)
Some of you might remember I mentioned local raccoons had been using one of my house’s balconies as a bathroom, and that I’d found out the only company willing and capable of cleaning up that kind of biohazard is Crime Scene Cleaners, a locally owned member of a national franchise that specializes in cleaning up after homicides, suicides, and accidental deaths – and also willing, apparently, to do any other kind of clean-up no one else can or will do.
Well, today’s the day they came and cleaned off the balcony. I’d shoveled up the crap (masked, gloved, and bootied, BTW); they did the rest. Including stapling chicken wire along the rails to keep the little masked critters off the balcony from now on. It took them 5 hours, which is a long time, because they didn’t use a pressure washer – which would only spread the biohazard to the porch below – so they had to rinse everything down the hard way, with hand scrubbers and pails emptied into the toilet.
They’re really nice people, in the 3rd(?) year of paying off the franchise, hoping to finish paying it off in 2 more years. The main business owners/cleanup crew are a husband and wife team, with a couple employees. The husband was in a motorcycle accident not quite 4 weeks ago: he worked even though he’s on crutches, in a lot of pain, has had multiple surgeries to pin his pelvis together and will need a couple more for ancillary injuries.
I’m really impressed with their fast response, honesty, and work ethic. So, if you live in the Seattle area, and ever need a specialty cleanup service that will clean really nasty stuff up, allow me to recommend Crime Scene Cleaners, Inc. (I’ve added them to Angie’s List.)
Brick Oven Bill
The bottom of the can of chicken noodle soup says August 2007. I’m going to go for it.
Steeplejack
@Celtic:
You have my deepest sympathy. I have been as close to the edge as you are now, and it is terrifying. Try to focus on abundance–all that you have, not what you lack–and trust that a better day will come. And keep doing what you need to do.
Yutsano
Yup!
Comrade Stuck
@South of I-10:
I don’t know how you ladies carry those kicking parasites. You have my admiration.
burnspbesq
@Brick Oven Bill:
Been nice knowin’ ya.
AhabTRuler
Paprazzi have captured a photo more scandalous than Berlusconi’s Villa! Everyone has to see! !
Comrade Stuck
@Steeplejack:
Same here. The despair is just a feeling, and those too shall pass. Just put one foot in front of the other and take it day to day Celtic. Good luck!
Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse
Tunch has learned how to hover. We’re doomed.
gbear
@Brick Oven Bill: A couple weeks ago I went thru the pantry and checked dates. I decided I’d better throw away an unopened box of Bisquick that had coupons on the box that had expired in 1998. I kept a few canned items that were almost as old as your soup. They didn’t kill me. Go for it.
slag
Love the happy tail.
Also, pet blogging much more interesting than baby blogging. Pets look unique in their own ways. Babies not so much.
AhabTRuler
Hey, it could have been Dick Cheney’s, err…head, so consider yourself lucky!
Big City Mary
Krista,
I always had abnormally low blood pressure, but my second went over due and I had to leave my job because my legs were so swollen that I looked like I had elaphantitis (sp?). My last day of work, my panty hose were killing me, so I just took them off mid morning. I wished I hadn’t. The fluid just settled down and I no longer had ankles or for that matter, shapely legs. The pain was unbelievable but secondary to the humiliation. My body just plain did not belong to me. It went away completely after giving birth.
South of I-10
@Comrade Stuck: They tell me the ladies have been doing it for a long time. I’m off to bed, Mr. South is going shrimping/crabbing with friends, which means I’m going to have a little girl waking me up around 7. Night y’all!
AhabTRuler
@South of I-10: Mr. South will rise again?
NonWonderDog
BWAHHAHAHAHAHHHAHAHH!!
Mike Huckabee invited the “Young Cons” to perform their rap music on his show. He referred to them as an “internet sensation,” and asked them if they were “overwhelmed” with the number of people who watched their video.
Papa Tony
The reason why she’s so happy (and will only get MUCH HAPPIER) is because she has been without an Alpha or even a pack. For a pack animal, that’s sheer hell.
Now, she has a good Alpha, so she can r-e-l-a-x. Tunch and Lily will work it out very soon, for sure.
I had a Border Collie that was a mess (we were her fifth owners). As soon as she figured out that I was the Boss Dog, she mellowed right out, lived a blissful, spoiled life and died a very happy old dog at fifteen.
I guess we should expect to see a lot of doggy smiling pictures from here on out.
Keith G
@donnah: Congrats. You done good!
xyzzy
Damn, John, you win x ∞. You’re really making me want to go down to the pound and look for a lost dog now. Lily is a treasure!
asiangrrlMN
@gbear: Aw, that is very sad. My two came from a Minneapolis shelter. Sniff sniff.
@Celtic: Sorry to hear that you are having a rough go of it. I hope that your house doesn’t get foreclosed. :(
John Cole, you are the sweetest guy, evah! Even if you are a seventy-plus year old British woman. Lily looks so happy and much more confident now. She definitely is a Lily and not a Missy. Some things are meant to be…..
@AhabTRuler:
Funnnnny!
I had my taiji class today. I fumed at my new Tivo-like recorder for not having two channels, and then I fixed it in time to see most of the baseball game. Then, I took a nap. Now, I want to go to bed. This sleep thing is hard.
Comrade Luke
I originally came to this blog because I thought it would be interesting to follow a “convert” from the right. It’s really been everything I’d hoped for, but the addition of the Tunch and now Lily posts, combined with what I honestly think is the best comment section around, puts it over the top. It’s a worthy waste of time :)
And btw, regarding Edie Falco, I never really liked her character but I know that meant she was doing a good job with it. There’s one scene – I believe it’s a season finale that takes place between her and Tony in their guest house, where she just GOES OFF, for like a minute or longer, and it was just amazing. It’s one of only two times I’ve ever rewound a scene in the middle of a broadcast because it was so good.
For those of you that are fans of Mad Men, the “Carousel” scene was the other time. That scene gives me goosebumps every time I watch it.
asiangrrlMN
@donnah: Congratulations. You must be sooo proud of your son.
@Keith G: Do you have a website? Where do you live? The insane chocolate lover in me DEMANDS to know.
Anne Laurie
Happy tail Lily, yay! You’re a good man, Mr. Cole.
She may be a little stiff tomorrow, though. Seems like you’re being careful not to push her too hard, but of course like a good little doggy she’s also desperate to keep up with you!
From the look of your photos, at least the crazy-cat-lady saw that Lily got some exercise — her flank & legs look reasonably muscled. Did you get a chance to ask the vet about her patellas?
asiangrrlMN
And now, even though I presume our host has gone to bed, I demand:
TUNCH TUNCH TUNCH TUNCH TUNCH!
Keith G
@asiangrrlMN: I live in downtown Houston and work here. http://www.theoriginalchocolatebar.com Used to teach Gov in a public h.s. Chocolate and baking has returned me to sanity.
Cain
Speaking of animals, we saved a finch today who was water logged. Our one cat is now wandering around room for room thinking ” I smell bird.. I smell bird” Poor thing, it was hopping around in the ground trying to make itself look small.
It flew around a bit in teh house, and our one cat has been falling teh scent trail. hehe. My other one is a total sweetheart and just wants to go out and sniff flowers.
cain
BethanyAnne
Today I spent 7 hours in Naxx25, in a pug no less. Um, that’s Warcraft-ese, and in English I think that translates to “Noooo! Don’t do that! …. OK, run back everyone”
asiangrrlMN
@Keith G: Houston, eh? (Ponders making a run to Houston for chocolate). You don’t ship. Damn. Those look scrumptious. Yes, I think baking chocolate is much better for your sanity than teaching government.
@Cain: Aw, that’s a very sweet story.
asiangrrlMN
@BethanyAnne: Wow. I think I need to be drunk to understand what you just wrote! Heh.
I don’t play WoW, if that weren’t screamingly obvious.
Tattoosydney
@asiangrrlMN:
Hello. How you?
Death By Mosquito Truck
I spent a good portion of the day pronouncing UFO like a real word (“ewfo”) hoping I can get it accepted into common usage and eventually added to the official scrabble dictionary.
Keith G
@asiangrrlMN: ahh, but we do. Anything to please an affectionado, or an addict.
BethanyAnne
@asiangrrlMN: Heh. Don’t start – it eats yer life. :-)
BethanyAnne
and Keith… omg, that looks awesome. I might have to make the trek in from Katy some day soon :-)
Tattoosydney
@asiangrrlMN:
What I am listening to (not that anyone asked).
Thinking about the Iran thing, I thought first of this performance of Beethoven’s 9th symphony – Leonard Bernstein conducting in Berlin in 1989, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and exchanging “Freedom” for the word “Joy”. This one makes me tear up each time I hear it.
From there, I segued into something a little sadder and darker (and probably more apt in relation to Iran), the Sanctus from Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem”.
asiangrrlMN
@Tattoosydney: Tired as hell. How about you?
AhabTRuler
@Keith G: Dear Christ, I would give you a kidney for one of those cakes! The Aunt Etta’s looks like it could actually cause one’s head to collapse into a chocularity.
Calming Influence
I think Tunch and Lily lucked out on steroids when they crossed paths with you, John.
Keith G
@AhabTRuler: I apprenticed as an asst to a pastry chef at a catering co. Since working here, a have added a few lbs. Now , I run 30 – 45 min early every morn. Took a slice of Aunt Etta’s home for my b-day. Slowly snacked for 5 hrs – so chocolately (is that a word?)
Tattoosydney
@asiangrrlMN:
Not bad. Rainy Sunday afternoon here. Trying to read a book (Pratchett, sadly) in Portuguese – with many returns to the dictionary and the verb book to work out what the hell is happening. It takes me about half an hour a page, because he uses so many words I have never seen before.
Keith G
@BethanyAnne: Some of our counter staff are great kids from the Katy area. Fun crew.
AhabTRuler
@Keith G: I’ve never said this before: I want to go to Texas!
Keith G
@AhabTRuler: Wait til late autumn now. Moved here from Ohio (near Toledo) many moons ago. Humidity + heat in Houston will make you cry. But you are always welcome.
asiangrrlMN
@Tattoosydney: Am listening to the first piece. Gorgeous.
Now, I am sampling the second piece.
The Iran situation makes me despair and be hopeful all at once. Despair because of the outcome, hopeful because of the commitment of the youth.
@BethanyAnne: I will not start. I would become obsessed, and that would be a bad thing. You live in Texas so you can actually make it into Houston? I am jealous!
@Keith G: Wait, do you deliver out of state???????? And, do you ever get below sixty degrees? I can’t take anything over sixty.
fake hubby, you read Portuguese? I am impressed. I like the first piece better than the second. More evocative to me.
AhabTRuler, road trip to Houston! It’s a fifteen hour drive for me on I-35.
mvr
Don’t let the fact that your a nice guy (and it does seem to be a fact so far) go to your head.
Puppies bring out the best in people . . .
Tattoosydney
@AhabTRuler:
I liked the Goldfrapp remix you linked to the other day.
I’m all about the Röyksopp at the moment. Much of it is pretty and vaguely wallpapery, but it’s good pretty wallpaper, dammit.
AhabTRuler
@Tattoosydney: I’m intrigued by the Röyksopp. In addition to the links you have posted I have also picked up Melody A.M. Some of it is good, some doesn’t really seem to commit to being anything other than pretty, but I’ll probably pick up more along the way.
Just got an album by Takkyu Ishino, one of the members of Denki Groove. He does more hardcore/acid/German minimalist on his own, although this album is a little more expressive than some of his previous efforts.
And speaking of German, Hardfloor.
@asiangrrlMN: I’d fly if i could get a cheap ticket.
Tattoosydney
@asiangrrlMN:
Don’t be. I read it slowly and falteringly and it takes forever. Speaking it is even harder – my brain freezes. 18 months of lessons and it’s only just starting barely to stick, and I want to learn it so I can live in Portugal.
It’s an odd language that sounds like Spanish spoken by a Russian with an adenoid problem. Fortunately, it’s spoken in some of the most beautiful cities in the world.
Lesley
Lilly is SO cute. She looks like she might have some chihuahua in her. (The name suits her. But I’d add a second name, maybe “Rose”. )
She also reminds me a little of the famous Chuck Armstrong.
Be prepared for a lot of women stopping you on your daily walks.
I hope you will be giving us videos of Tunch and Lilly.
Tattoosydney
@AhabTRuler:
At least half of Junior fits into that category, but the grinding bass in Vision One, the mix of odd noises in the beats in True to Life, and the vocal in Robot all work for me. I’ll be on the lookout for remixes – other people seem to be able to turn their “pretty” into wonderful…
asiangrrlMN
@Tattoosydney: Still, to be able to read in another language is really cool. You have your heart set on moving to Portugal, eh?
Tattoosydney
@Tattoosydney:
ETA: by some of the friendliest people in the world.
asiangrrlMN
Bedtime! Night, all. See ya on the flip side.
Tattoosydney
@asiangrrlMN:
Yep. I fell in love with Lisbon after about two days. Two trips since then haven’t tarnished my love for Portugal the slightest bit.
Keith G
@asiangrrlMN: Below 60? Dec, Jan & Feb. Now below 70 is Oct – March. But we are now in the days of death. The carbon foot print of Houston now is unimaginable.
We ship. Recently, one hundred of my truffles went to Florida.
Zuzu's Petals
@Celtic:
So sorry to hear how tough it is right now. I sincerely hope this is just a temporary setback and things will improve soon.
I thought of all sorts of suggestions – like the mortgage re-negotiation program, etc. – but realized you most likely have explored them and it just comes off as condescending.
So am just sending every good thought.
Mnemosyne
@debit:
Shamefully, I did use only a cable lock when I went into the Coffee Bean for some iced tea, but I sat where I could keep an eye on it at all times. I also bought one of those U-shaped locks to supplement it, but right now the bike is living in our dining room because I can’t figure out a secure place to lock it up in our apartment’s carport. The “bike rack” isn’t secured to anything and only has two slots left.
For some reason, one of our cats has become completely fascinated by the bike. It is her new best friend and she’s started napping under it. Hopefully a stray earthquake (or her klutzy brother) won’t knock it over and ruin the budding relationship.
@Comrade Mary, Would-Be Minion Of Bad Horse:
Thanks for the video — that was really helpful! I haven’t had a bike with gears since my old Schwinn 10-speed and shifting on that was very different. I think I mostly did it right today.
I’m going to try for another short ride tomorrow to build up some endurance. I’m hoping I’ll be able to ride it to work (about 3 miles one way) within a few weeks, but we’ll see how it goes.
cliff
@Celtic:
they can’t foreclose on you if they don’t have the paper.
MAKE THEM PROVE that they own the note on your mortgage before you leave the house with out being dragged out.
odds are they don’t have a damm clue who really owns your house … and if they can’t prove it they can’t kick you out.
good luck.
http://news.google.com/news?&q=Produce%20the%20note%20mortgage&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn
Max Peck
@Death By Mosquito Truck:
That sounds very XKCD. :)
LiberalTarian
I officially adopted the used-to-be-someone’s cat and am feeding her and keeping her inside.
I would like to say she is happy about it, but no, she isn’t.
She used to be kind of fat, only half adult, but in the last 6 weeks or so she has gotten really thin. Our neighbor’s house was repossessed, and we think she was left behind. We have been feeding her for the last 6 weeks, and also the feral cat who lives nearby (I see him now kind of regularly since we started putting food out). She is happy to play, but she wants to go out NOW. But, outside there are feral cats, cars, diseases, and animal control officers. I just don’t feel like it is safe for her out there.
I’ve named her Gris, fitting for a dark gray cat. Her full name is Gris Oscura de Quierda, because even though she has only eaten our food and flirted with us, we love her.
So, we are starting with cat door (with magnetic closure) and cat box. Please wish us luck. She is lovely, long haired and just wants to be with someone who feeds her and plays with her (although born free yadda yadda like Elsa, I am reigning her into the life of the indoor only cat).
She is irritated though, and she does want to bite me for keeping her indoors. Forgive me Gris, it is for your own good.
Lesley
@Death By Mosquito Truck:
I agree about the daughter. She was almost as horrifying as Livia, her mother, played by Laila Robins.
My favourite male character was Johnny Sack played masterfully by Vince Curatola. He was understated, intelligent and wry. His affection for his hapless wife was both touching and amusing.
That guy could convey a message just by shifting his eyes slightly. He shares that skill with Ian McShane, one of my favourite actors.
cliff
@Death By Mosquito Truck:
What a wonderful to the point expression of the power of derivatives:)
http://www.calculatedriskblog.com/2009/05/regulatory-reform-for-derivatives.html
Fulcanelli
@John Cole: You had me at woof!
@Brick Oven Bill: Re: Your chicken noodle soup… You should punch a hole in the top of the can and let it age about a week before eating. Aging improves the consistency and taste, like when they age beef. I love the taste of taste. It’s tasty!
Watched “Doubt” with Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Both are fantastic, but Meryl Streep is untouchable. A chameleon with vocal accents.
Then watched “Gran Torino”. Not Eastwood’s best but still good. Unusual ending for a Clint Eastwood movie.
@ John Cole: Raised tails and smiles = Good Stuff! Really happy. It’s a good sign with dogs, too.
Finished renovating our living room today. Hung the wall sconces, painted the last of the trim moldings.
Cleaned house, vacuuming, finished doing laundry, picked up dry cleaning, went to dog food store, spent too much money as usual. Wife cut my hair.
Went to my youngest daughter’s voice lesson recital. She sang “Let it Be”. It was neat. I was the only one waving my lighter back and forth in the audience, though.
Picked up dog poop in the back yard after days and days of rain. No fun…
Good thing I decided to fuck off and rest today.
@ Tattoo Sidney and AhabTRuler: If you’re into Royskopp you may want to check out ‘Bent’, two guys from the UK. Quirky ambient stuff.
Fulcanelli
Are the moderation gods sober? WTF.
Fulcanelli
@Lesley: McShane’s voice alone is Oscar worthy.
Brachiator
I wasn’t familar with this artist, so I went down to the YouTubes, and there is a nice longish performance piece, mixed with an interview in which she discusses (in English with Spanish subtitles) this album.
And oddly or unexpectedly, two of the most popular videos are the 8 minute piece in which David Letterman talks about the Sarah Palin flap.
And the other? A totally batshit crazy Jon Voight, talking to some Republican dim bulbs about “the false prophet Obama.”
Voight’s rant is 10 minutes long, but what is most sad and astounding is that this again reinforces the degree to which a feverish insanity is now mainstream conservative thinking.
Fulcanelli
@Tattoosydney: Many Portuguese here in RI/MA. Beautiful ladies. Ugly language. Sounds like Armenian with a mouth full of chunky peanut butter. Did I mention beautiful ladies?
Tattoosydney
Mid afternoon, and nothing to do… so a plug for some photographers.
I’m a member of deviantart, an art sharing website. These are the images that have caught my attention today:
Nun and dog.
Cat.
Egypt.
AhabTRuler
@Fulcanelli: you used a word to describe an etherial style of music. Within that name is a product that assists in enhancing drowsiness.
AhabTRuler
Ambient!
Yep, that does it.
Tattoosydney
A few more:
Hunting mussels.
Sea.
CSI Motherfucker.
Tattoosydney
@Fulcanelli:
Definitely. Everywhere you go in Portugal, there are short, compact, dark men with the smiles of corrupted Botticelli angels and short, lithe, dark women who look like Venus’ older wiser sister. All of them friendly.
Superimpose them on ancient slightly crumbling cities, wide river vistas, tiny streets with tinier shops, the odd towering aqueduct, and the best coffee in Europe, and you start to get the idea why I like Portugal.
Tattoosydney
@Fulcanelli:
One of my favourite songs. 2am, just home, nice.
ETA: Changed link to remove disturbing zombie video.
Phoebe
1. Hooray for smiley and hooray for Cain.
2. I want to see a picture of Lily and Tunch together. They don’t have to be spooning, just in the same frame.
Thank you.
sab
That pooch is going to have sore paws in the morning. Her pads aren’t adjusted to that mileage yet. But I bet she loved every minute of it.
Fulcanelli
@Tattoosydney:
I’m sure it’s beautiful to visit, and I love a great cup of coffee, but FWIW, two American born Portuguese friends went to visit family for 10 days. They went to Lisbon, the Azores, various beaches and one other city, the name which escapes me, and they too claimed it was beautiful, but they were bored out of their minds after 5 days. Yanks, eh?
Lesley
@Phoebe:
AhabTRuler posted a hilarious totally photoshopped pic of T&L.
Someday they’ll be cuddling.
Beauzeaux
No one’s going to see this because it’s so late, but I’ll post it anyway. The BEST farmer’s market in SoCal takes place in Hollywood every Sunday morning, 8:00 to noon. The produce is unbeatable. I’ve gotten to know several of the vendors and I have no doubt their stuff is all grown not far from Los Angeles.
The Hollywood farmer’s market is ironically centered at Selma and Ivar, two streets named for the daughters of the businessman (Mr. Wilcox) who turned that area from productive farmland into a real estate development.
JenJen
@donnah: The reaction to John OMGZ! walking his OMGZ! dog OMGZ! five whole OMGZ NFW!! miles really lends donnah’s son’s college graduation story some much needed perspective.
I hereby nominate and cast my ballot for donnah, for Best Weekend Ever. Congratulations to both of you!!
Runner-up? Wonkie, of course. Best of luck, darling! And I’m sure you’ve earned every sympathy-itch you receive for sharing your story!
Tattoosydney
I just can’t imagine being bored. Every day I spend in Lisbon I find something new and exciting – great food, lovely people, character out the wazoo.
freelancer
So, yeah, that went about as expected:
heard from all her friends how cute she thought I was and how much she had mentioned me to them
so I’m getting ready to leave, and I give her a hug and she keeps me in the hug, arms wrapped around my shoulders, and I’m like, well we’ll hang out more, when you’re more sober. and I kiss her on the cheek and hug her again
and then she looks at me with those bedroom eyes, like GODDAMNIT, KISS ME ALREADY, but before I can even process it, the words coming out of her mouth are “I can’t date an atheist. Wait. Shit. I’m sorry. I didn’t really, crap, I’ve been drinking and you’ve been so awesome. I just didn’t want you to think anything.”
and I say, yeah, uhhh, that’s fine. And I’m still kinda gobsmacked, even though it’s totally obvious to me. Not hurt though, just looking forward to the next girl who I assure you will not be a bigot.
JenJen
@freelancer: So did you kiss her, for real, or what?
burnspbesq
@Brachiator:
Somebody needs to tell Voight that his season of playing the deranged head of a Xe-like government contractor on “24” is over, and his character got blown to bits in episode 21.
bob h
Two solid weeks of rain in the NE have kept me from similar pursuits in my garden.
“Somebody needs to tell Voight that his season of playing the deranged head of a Xe-like government contractor on “24” is over, and his character got blown to bits in episode 21.”
How about his daughter, Angelina Jolie?
debit
@LiberalTarian: You said she used to be fat, but suddenly became thin? Is there any chance she had a litter a kittens? It would explain the “outside NOW!” attitude she has.
asiangrrlMN
@freelancer: Wait, so she can get drunk, but she can’t date an atheist? WTF? Man, at least it’s an ego-boost, eh? Yes, go for a nice, atheist girl next time around. Or a Unitarian.
fake hubby, I like the pics, especially the one of the cat. I don’t think I would be bored visiting any part of the world. There is just so much to see. Ooooh, the first link of Lisbon you posted–that’s the one I said I really liked. It’s amazing. (The skulls).
@Keith G: You probably won’t see this here, so I’m going to stalk you on other threads. I want to put in an order.
pika
I have two shelter dogs, and I clearly recognize the expression in the last picture of Lily. I would recognize it even if her tail weren’t up. That expression clearly says, “Ha! This is great! Heh!” You get that within a week, and you definitely know you’ve done something right.
Skepticat
LiberalTarian, you’re doing precisely the right, sensible thing. My cats were strays who had to be converted to indoor-only. It takes a while (and they often will take off for a while if the door’s left open too long) but they adapt before too long. Extra toys use up some of the extra energy.
Woody
Uber-doggishness
donnah
Jen Jen and all, thanks for the congrats for my son’s college graduation. It seemed so surreal to me, this kid who had leukemia when he was three and survived to be this most awesome young man. Everyone gets emotional at big events like these; me even more so.
Thanks!
Steeplejack
@Tattoosydney:
I’m not as deep into the amb!ient/techno/trance stuff as you guys–I had a near-death experience involving Tangerine Dream back in the day and still have nightmares about “beeping krauts”–but here’s a nice Lemongrass piece I ran across: “Sunrise on Fujiyama.”
Dog is My Co-Pilot
I’m late to the party here, but I wanted to tell you, John, that it warms my heart that you adopted Lily. It will take her a few months to realize she’s a dog. We have an adopted Pomeranian who was rescued from a puppy mill (and two rescued golden retrievers, as well). It took Millie the Pom a few months to start acting like a dog. She still shows signs of whatever trauma she went through, but she has come a long, long way since that first day we picked her up. Lily will come around – if she is already showing signs of improvement, it will only get better from here. Maybe you already know all this, but I’m sure it’s nice to hear stories from others who have been there? Keep the pictures of Tunch and Lily coming.
Svensker
@Krista:
Yeah, my kid was born in August in NJ, a particularly hot and humid summer. The only shoes I could get on my pudgy feet were sneakers without laces. I wore my lace-less sneakers to the hospital and when it was time to come home we had to find some rubber bands to keep the sneakers from falling off.
Svensker
Oh crums, I said the word s h o e s in my post. Cheeeez.
Glad to see Lily with tail up and tongue lolling. Sounds like everyone’s on the way to a happy family. And Tunch is handling all of it OK?
Svensker
@Celtic:
Celtic, so sorry to hear you are scraping so close to the bone. Any way we can help?
Barbara
Celtic, sending you good thoughts. If you find something to sell on E-bay, let us know.
I don’t know how many people you have to feed, but since my daughter became a vegan I am appreciating the frugality of the lifestyle change. When I was a graduate student, I had no money and lived many a night on sweet potatoes and lime for good measure, and a glass of milk.
Hang in there and hope for the best.
Notorious P.A.T.
Don’t worry, John–we never thought you were a tough guy.
; )
Mnemosyne
@freelancer:
At least she told you up front and didn’t announce a year or two into a full-blown relationship that you had to convert or it was all over. So, you know, small blessings.
Phoebe
freelancer, the proper response to all of that is “OK we don’t have to go on any dates.”
Jill
Wow…and all I did today was clean the house in an effort to find my checkbook. I did make my cat happy, but I do that every day. You are saving a life and a soul.
Showoff. :-)
Jennifer
REALLY late to the thread here, but RE: head lice:
Get a jar of mayonnaise, slather all over your hair (if you have long hair, make sure it’s all coated and pile on top of your head) then put on a plastic shower cap or wrap your head/hair in saran wrap, put a towel or other protective covering on your pillow, and leave the mess on overnight.
It smothers the beasties and they can’t develop resistance to being smothered. It contains nothing toxic to your body; mayo is way cheaper than head lice shampoo; and mayo is actually good for your hair.
You will have to have someone very thoroughly comb your hair with a nit comb after washing out the mayo the next morning, but you’ll have to do that with any treatment.
Back when my niece was elementary-school aged, my sister went through multiple battles with the head lice and always complained about the cost of the shampoo – I heard about the mayo treatment from a friend in nursing and passed it on – it absolutely works as well or better than the chemical crap.
Death By Mosquito Truck
Don’t forget the lettuce cap.
shelley matheis
Keep up with the Lily posts, they’re wonderful.
My Katie was a shelter dog. The day she came home, she had her one and only ‘accident.’ Over two weeks she chewed the covers off two paperbacks. And that was it. It’s amazing how fast they settle in.
Wayne T
I’ve been reading this blog for the last few years (and enjoy it more by the week) but I have recently come to the disturbing realization that I know more about your pets than I do about you – ah the internet age.
Celtic
Thanks to everyone, the thoughts are appreciated. Yesterday was just a tough one. Hopefully tomorrow will be better.