Blizzard of posts this morning, so here is an open thread for random babble.
I can just feel that spring is here. Woke up to the sun beaming through my window at 6 or so, had a good cup of coffee and a good walk (trying to walk some of the fat I’ve stored the last 5 months), did some stretching band exercises on my shoulder (which is feeling better every day), and I’m just feeling energetic and there is a spring in my step. Thank goodness. Seemed like a really long, brutal, and lethargic winter for me this year. I’m glad it looks like it is over.
R-Jud
I’m having my afternoon coffee, and some of it just came out my nose at seeing the tag “Massa Massage”. Ow.
Glad you’re feeling better, Cole. Keep healing!
jeffreyw
We havin fun yet?
jeffreyw
Never turn yer back on someone you just dissed.
tomvox1
MSNBC: Al-Qaida shifts tactics, marks success by ‘fear’
Therefore, Republicans aid Al-Qaeda’s success by stoking fear. End of story.
RedKitten
Looking forward to a good weekend. My sister is coming up for a visit, and we plan on spending Saturday night in our jammies, drinking wine and watching movies. She’s in the midst of breaking up with her live-in boyfriend and is stressed and tired-out, so a little R&R will be great for her.
jeffreyw
Some things are the same wherever you go.
Bill H
Everything is wierd in SoCal. Winter doesn’t really start here until February, and Spring doesn’t arrive until July.
April can be halfway nice, but chilly, but then we have “May Gray” and “June Gloom.”
jibeaux
I am starting some plants indoors with varying degrees of success — various varieties of tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, dill, purple tomatillos which I am most excited about, eggplant, etc. Won’t be long before the survivors can start to be hardened off and eventually planted outside in the sun and glory. Daylight savings time is coming up and I could actually take a walk or play basketball with my kids after work. Glory be.
On the down side, my stupid board of education (Wake County, NC) is making national news for its variety of stoopid. If you’re really bored, follow that issue a bit then blast out some emails targeted at the board majority. It won’t do any good, but a member of the board minority/sane people have advised me that it is appreciated.
Incertus (Brian)
If you’re looking for a little change of pace from politics, may I humbly suggest this piece Amy wrote on a Florida artist, Alice in Wonderland, mathematics and fiction. I think it’s really good.
Barry
It’s got to feel great; enjoy the healing side of things, John.
beltane
Now that you’re feeling better, you should go plant your End Times survival garden. The only plants that would matter during our extinction event are opium poppies.
I think I’ll go order some apple trees now.
GReynoldsCT00
Spring is coming here in CT too, my flower bulbs are spiking. Every year it’s like your friends coming back for a visit.
geg6
I, too, am feeling me some spring fevah!
Another sunny day today in the ‘Burgh with temps going into the mid-60s.
My John and I have started our first green pepper seedlings and will get going on some lettuce and other greens in the next couple of weeks. We checked out his greenhouse and there is only some slight damage from winter–one panel looks like a rock or something hit it or was thrown at it and it’s cracked with a small hole. Thankfully, he has a couple of extra glass panels and this will be easily mended.
I mentioned in a thread last night that we will be taking our first trip to John’s cottage in Titusville this weekend. Just a day trip to see how well it’s come through this horrible winter. But, man, it is such a beautiful place up there in the mountains. And there is a bar there with the best cheeseburgers I’ve ever had the pleasure of eating (though I’m sure they are made with the dreaded salt, I’m willing to chance it ;-)). As I said last night, when I am there in the PA wilderness, I remember why it is I love living in Pennsylvania.
Crashman
It’s nice to not wear a winter coat this week.
Hey John, did you finish Mass Effect 2 yet? I humbly request a review, or maybe even a weekend spoiler thread, when you do!
jrg
Is our Democrats learning?
Lord, I hope so…
kwAwk
I’m noticing that there many fewer Lily adoration posts since the shoulder injury. Don’t take it out on the dog John, its not her fault you didn’t salt your sidewalk.
:)
Brick Oven Bill
Dogs can be fun pets.
Fergus Wooster
@beltane:
Um, I could think of one more plant that would matter. It’s really easy to grow. In fact, one could say it grows like a – what’s that word? – weed.
Morbo
We had an extremely mild winter after a couple years going over 100″ of snow. Can’t wait for next Sunday.
WereBear
Announced we just got our car back from the dead, and the Internet cut out.
For all those who expressed good wishes during this month-long ordeal, thank you!
It must have worked.
NobodySpecial
52 and rain here in Northern Downstate Illinois. (Everything not in Chicago or the collar counties is, for some odd reason, Downstate. Anyways.) Of course, I was schlepping laundry, so it had to rain.
Bnut
My GD cat has a serious UTI for the second time in a month. Watching him suffer while I try to figure out how to pay for all this makes me want to get sterilized.
Max
I am very excited about Springing forward this weekend. I hate daylight savings or non-daylight savings, whichever one we are coming out of.
Betsy
It’s been sunny and in the low 50s the last 4 or 5 days, which has been glorious. Today it’s a little cloudier and cooler, but I can’t complain. I just can’t wait for spring. I did see some forsythia in bloom a few days ago, which is always the first sign of impending spring around here. Along with buds on the trees, which I also saw. Yay!!!
Betsy
@Max:
Oh, me too.
Molly
Someone broke into our neighbor’s place yesterday, then hopped our fence. I don’t know what the intent was, but my sweet baby of a Lab went absolutely insane and scared the crap out of them (I was home).
They jumped the fence next to us…and one of the guys dropped his backpack. They were not about to come back for it and try to deal with my dog. So, the police came and took it into evidence. Hoping the idiots had ID in there.
She got much love last night, and many, many treats. And now, every time he lets her out, the 4 year-old yells “Patrol the perimeter, Kira, and report back!”
Good girl.
Robin G
I HAVE FINAL FANTASY XIII.
You may all begin your jealous tears… now.
NobodySpecial
@Robin G:
Hell, I’m so far behind on the Final Fantasy stuff, I never finished Tactics. I think the last one I finished was VI. Which I own the soundtrack to. God, I’m such a nerd.
Crashman
@Robin G: Played it yet? I’ve heard some mixed reviews. X soured me on the series, so I’m not sure if I should approach this one.
RedKitten
@Molly: Good for your pooch!
Does that make her a crime lab?
RedKitten
The last FF I played was VII, which was quite awesome. I’ve heard that XIII is supposed to be great — I bet the graphics are just killer. Let us know if it’s any good.
PurpleGirl
@Brick Oven Bill: This is your lamest post ever.
jnfr
I started my garden seeds this week, too. Three kind of tomatoes, two eggplants, and some zinnias. I am going to just give in and buy peppers as plants this year. I’ve never been able to get them to germinate reliably. And I’ll sow the squash and beans directly once the soil is warm.
Am pondering whether to put some early greens in the Earthboxes. I know we’ll have more snow and hard freezes, but the Pak Choi can take it, don’t you think?
tesslibrarian
It is dreary and rainy here in Athens today (again), but it’s warmer–50 when the alarm went off at 7!–and the birds are going nuts with song. It’s loud, and raucous, and just Joyful. I don’t even care that my walk to the grocery store will be soggy, or that there’s a bit of thunder in the distance.
This weekend we are prepping the raised beds in the back for spring planting in a few weeks (herbs first, then tomatoes–I’m thinking of doing mostly tomatoes this year, a bunch of different varieties), painting my new window boxes and filling them with flowers, shopping for hiking boots before our mini-vacation, and having dinner with friends we haven’t seen in awhile.
I hope the birds keep on singing. It gives me so much hope that the world will come alive again.
WereBear
@Bnut: I’m so sorry to hear that. I have tips to help UTI’s in cats, ask here or email me.
Zoogz
@Robin G
I’m still trying to finish Dragon Age myself, as well as a Master’s degree. Guess which one gets more attention.
debit
@Bnut: Oh man, my sympathies. My cat had bladder stones and I was in a panic about what to do. Luckily for me, the U of M vet clinic was conducting a couple of trials on bladder issues in cats and my cat qualified for one. He got free treatment (and cured!) and is now up for a long term study on preventive care for stones. If your local college has a vet hospital, they may be taking part is these trials as well. Good luck.
debit
@Crashman: God, I hated X. Never finished it. Loved 12. Absolutely loved the story (no romance, yay!), loved the American voice acting (actually better than the Japanese), and flat out loved the combat system. A+, would play again.
Litlebritdifrnt
@jeffreyw:
Love the shots. It is my ambition this year to capture a “Cardinal Kiss” my attempts thus far have been pathetic but now Spring is here I am going to do my best to get a shot of my cardinals canoodling.
Sentient Puddle
Dear lord, you aren’t kidding about a flood of posts this morning. I’m a bit behind.
@Robin G et. all re: FF XIII: Based on what I’ve read about it, FF XIII sounds like exactly what would not appeal to me. Which is sort of unfortunate, because I’ve been out of the FF loop since about VI. From what I hear, the game stands pretty much solely on the battle system (never been a fan of JRPG battle systems except for The World Ends With You, which was pants-creaming awesome), and the story (eh…I think Heavy Rain spoiled me here).
But pleh, I need a good excuse to catch up. Got VII on the PSN and played it for an hour, but it just feels so hopelessly antiquated to me. Which I suppose is what I get for not playing it around release. XII sounded to me like it’d be more my speed, but of course, my PS3 is one of those with no backwards compatibility.
Chyron HR
@Robin G:
Does the black guy really have a Chocobo in his afro?
PurpleGirl
Can any of the gardeners here recommend a book or web site about growing food or plants on a terrace? I’m in NYC, on the 17th Floor, my terrace has a south/southwest exposure. It gets LOTS of bright sun. My first year in the apartment I tried some plants but they didn’t survive. Any advice would be welcomed.
Bnut
@WereBear
Since he got the first one I have been giving him only wet food, been doing newspaper in the litter box, and have been giving 1/2 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar orally once a day. I know male cat UTI re-infection rates are high, but after the last $1500 visit, I wonder if there is not a better option.
bemused
@debit:
One of our dogs had surgery at the U of M years ago. Excellent care & outcome. Definitely expensive.
Morbo
@Zoogz: Ditto, except for the Master’s part. But I still got FFXIII on Tuesday like a good nerd. I’ll be taking Friday afternoons off for the next 5 weeks, so that ought to get me over the edge.
beltane
@Bnut: Have you tried cranberry extract? It works for humans and is easily available at any natural food store.
Mike in NC
Orange Boehner and his posse are on TV demanding investigations into Massa-gate. Says he’s very concerned about blah blah blah. Can impeachment of That One be far behind?
p.a.
not the best weekend coming up here in southern new england, but i’m of the ‘it’s always nice weather when you’re not at work’ school of thought. just rather be able to do more yard work.
every spring i go into jackson browne mode- his first 3 albums get heavy rotation. don’t know why; his introspection doesn’t seem to fit with spring’s ‘renewal/rebirth’ theme…
beltane
@PurpleGirl: My friend’s mother in Greenwich Village used to grow tomatoes and lettuce on her fire escape. The only problem was with squirrels, which shouldn’t affect you being on the 17th floor.
some guy
Re: Final Fantasy
I’ve played 9, 10, 10-2, 12, and Tactics. I must be the only person in the world who never played 7.
I probably enjoyed 10-2 the most. It had fun gameplay and likeable characters (even the villians!) and didn’t take itself so deadly serious like every other FF game seems to.
12 bored me to tears. I stopped playing the game during the second-to-last dungeon– the really huge one that had something like 20 levels to it or something ridiculous like that– when I decided I didn’t feel like it was worth investing another dozen hours to see the outcome of the story. It didn’t help that the battle system eventually made combat almost completely non-interactive. Just run into an enemy (or, more likely, they run into you) and then watch your macros work. Meh.
WereBear
@Bnut: Wet food is good, but we’ve upped our cat drinking rate amazingly by installing a water fountain.
Most cats don’t drink enough water. How’s his habits? Does he hang out at faucets?
Molly
@RedKitten:
You just made my day. :)
WaterGirl
@WereBear: How often do you have to clean out the water fountain things? I assume cleanup is more complicated than just washing out a water bowl daily. Is that a fair assumption?
debit
@Sentient Puddle: Also loved TWEWY. Several cuts from the soundtrack are on my biking/workout playlist. I think I’ll pick up Heavy Rain this weekend. I held off when I heard there were freezing/glitch issues but have just been itching to play it.
@bemused: They gave our Cocker at least another year when she had cancer. They are expensive, but their service is excellent.
canuckistani
@RedKitten:
You bring shame on the internet.
Sentient Puddle
@debit: When I found out the soundtrack to TWEWT was on iTunes, it was an instant purchase for me. I don’t know how many video game soundtracks are up for digital sale, but really, you’d think they could pocket a few extra bucks if they did that for more games these days.
Glitching in Heavy Rain for me wasn’t as bad as some people made it out to be. I ran into a grand total of three problems: main character’s outfit flickering (thank FSM Scott Shelby didn’t have a nude model), a freeze, and action icons totally disappearing. Restart fixed all of these, and checkpoints are spread liberally enough that I didn’t lose much of any progress.
WereBear
@WaterGirl: We stick ours in the tub, close the door, and let it run with a cup of CLR added to the water. Then we scrub it up with a bit of dishwashing liquid, rinse it all off, and let it run with the tub faucet adding new water for a while.
This is every week or so. The CLR gets the nooks & crannies and keeps the pump clean.
Can’t use distilled water… leaches minerals from the cat.
Zoogz
@Morbo:
My ace in the hole: a terrible Detroit public-transportation system that takes one hour to get from point A to point B, and a laptop. I’ll get through it yet, hour by hour. Thank heaven for good batteries.
WaterGirl
With all this talk about kitty health expenses, I want to mention that I recently purchased pet insurance for my two new kitties. After spending 5 hours researching pet insurance on-line I concluded that PetPlan is head and shoulders above the rest. For my kitties, their least expensive plan is about $6 per month per kitty, and the most expensive plan is about $13 per month per kitty. If you get the insurance when they are young then there is no worry about pre-existing conditions. I don’t think I will ever go without pet insurance on new pets again.
bemused
@debit:
Our dog had a plate put in her knee at 4 yrs old. Otherwise she would have been totally crippled. She will be 11 in a couple of months & doing fine other than arthritis. She runs with her younger partner but going up stairs is a slow process & she avoids walking through deep snow. Last winter a son & his girlfriend went sliding with the dogs & decided to take a short cut through untraveled snow instead of the packed trail back to the house. Our dog thought that was a very bad idea so they finally put her (60# dog) on the sled & pulled her home. She loved it.
WaterGirl
@WereBear: Thanks for the info. That sounds like a lot of trouble, and I’m not great about stuff like that. I suppose it’s like humidifiers – if you’re not going to clean it regularly it’s worse to have one than not?
WereBear
@WaterGirl: I hear ya, but it’s not that bad; we let the CLR and the pump do most of the work.
We were always good about refilling the water bowl(s) and turning the faucet on for them, but we’re amazed that they drink so MUCH more water now.
I’m sold.
IndyLib
Yep, getting that spring feeling here in Southern Wisconsin. It’s all of 48 degrees, we haven’t seen the sun in 4 days and the rain is melting the last foot of snow on the ground, which will cause ground saturation and my basement will flood again, yipee.
Actually, I don’t mind the weather that much, it’s the basement flooding that is the pain. Somebody remind me the next time I rent a house not to rent one that was built in 1906.
Crashman
@Sentient Puddle: What’d you think about Heavy Rain? I don’t have a PS3, and don’t plan on getting one any time soon, but I’m curious as to whether the talk around the game is hype or something legit.
jeffreyw
@Litlebritdifrnt: I might steal your idea!
Macha Maguire
Has everyone seen this where the Tea Party lunatics are targetting 50 Dems and holding meetings to persuade them to vote no.
http://dailycaller.com/2010/03/10/tea-party-group-considers-rep-altmire-a-yes-vote-for-health-care-after-wednesday-meeting/
(if someone else knows how to make links work, you have 4 minutes to explain it to me)
They’ll go to Washington and hold meetings. Where’s the rational side’s answer to this?
geg6
@Robin G:
Umm. Why? ;-)
Can’t think of a single thing I’d be less jealous about. But I’m glad you’re happy about it.
Robin G
@Crashman: If you didn’t like X, I don’t know what to tell you. I think XIII is seriously old-school, though. Like, old-school in the “I just spent 45 min on this boss and STILL died, I hate you all” way. I love to hate that.
@RedKitten: The graphics are to die for, especially the gameplay. I’m loving the new battle system (Paradigm Shift FTW!), and it’s got fantastic pacing. It’s hard to know about the story yet, in that I’ve only played 15 hours so far, but so far, I’m a fan. The downside is that the music sucks this time.
@Zoogz: Don’t even get me started on Dragon Age. I told myself I would NOT buy FFXIII until I finished out my casteless dwarven rogue, but did I listen to myself? No. I’ll keep coming back to it, though, because the replay value is spectacular and I will happily run around in circles for an hour just to listen to the dialogue between the characters.
@Sentient Puddle: I’m liking the story, actually. I felt XII was pretty weak, plot-wise, which seemed to be a clear result of the storywriters getting cold feet at the last minute (Ashe was supposed to be the main character, but then they decided to make Vaan instead, and the whole thing wound up uneven). If you’re looking to jump back in, I still think that X is the strongest FF all around.
@Chyron HR: He DOES. I want a ‘fro just so I can have a baby chocobo live in it.
@some guy: You should try VIII, it was good too. X-2 was so ridiculous that I loved it. My husband and I were pretty nervous about there being a direct sequel to X (because what the hell does that look like?), but then after the opening musical number, we just stared at each other in silent appreciation of the AWESOME. And they had a massage side quest with faux-lesbianism! And the Charlie’s Angels poses! So. Much. Win. I’m with you on XII, btw. Finally cheated and watched the ending on YouTube.
Sentient Puddle
@Crashman: It’s a polarizing game. People either love it or hate it because it’s so not traditional. All the things I loved about it I could easily see someone else hating. I thought the controls really do transcend the notion that it’s just a QTE-fest, but it also makes movement feel unnecessarily awkward. I thought the story was incredible (and I love just how flexible it was), but I could also see how it would lack the emotional punch for others.
I guess the bottom line is that it really does accomplish what it sets out to do, but some people might not like what it’s trying to do in the first place.
ellaesther
@IndyLib: Hey are you by any chance in the Spring Green/Dodgeville area? I happen to have been there a lot lately (from the Chicago area) and was just struck anew by how beautiful it is up there.
SIA
@ bnut re uti infection. I’ve had success using organic apple cider vinegar. Worked much better than meds. Go to http://www.earthclinic.com and click on “pets”. If you do search on uti or ACV they’ll explain.
debit
@Crashman: FWIW, I played the demo and found it an unsettling experience. Once of the three scenarios places you in control of an older male character who winds up in a fight. I was inept at controlling him and he had the crap beaten out of him. During the fight I was genuinely upset, which surprised me. Not just that he was getting “hurt” but the blow to his ego such a beating must be, which is silly because he’s not real and I knew he wasn’t real and it still bothered me.
It sold me on the game, which before then had been a “possible buy.”
PTirebiter
Merlin Olsen has died. I grew up watching the L.A. Rams, so this was especially sad news for me. He was one of the all-time greats, and a genuinely nice guy. May he rest in peace.
gbear
March is the month that’s supposed to ‘come in like a lion, go out like a lamb’. The lion is clearly not doing it’s job.
It’s been raining lightly all week here in St. Paul. We just had a nice big thunderclap a few minutes ago. Rain in moderation is good. Hopefully it will soon wash away all the gunk that collects in the snow over the winter.
IndyLib
@ellaesther:
Nope, I’m in the really, really, southern part of Wisconsin. Pleasant Prairie. I used to think this area was an excerb of Chicago, but really the whole vibe here, even this close to the border (6 miles), is totally different. I love it, it’s a small town with good shopping, decent restaurants and we are an easy drive or train ride to 2 major airports and 2 major metro areas, all surrounded by miles of beautiful farmland, rivers and lakes.
I’m still working on getting my Navy hubby to agree to come back here when we retire.
Sentient Puddle
And just to expand on what @debit said, the game probably toyed with my emotions more than any game I’ve ever played. Yeah, mostly in the unsettling sense, but I came away very impressed at that achievement.
minachica
@gbear: Hey! We had a big thunderclap here in Madison WI a bit ago. Made me jump! (I’m the skittesh type.)
Clark
I’m not fond of people posting their blog’s stuff on other people’s blogs (except like, Daily Kos) but this seemed to be a particularly apt post from my home base.
It’s got some video of Obama explaining last night in particularly stark terms why we need to Pass the Damn Bill.
Clark
@PTirebiter:
I’m a bit younger, so I remember him from watching Fire in the Sky on some UHF channel on a Saturday afternoon as a kid. And I only remember who he is because my dad pointed out how great a football player he was every single time he appeared on the screen.
LuciaMia
Same here. I’ve read they need bottom heat to germinate. Easier to just buy them.
I’ll be starting my tom seeds soon. Ramapo, Rutgers, Brandywine. And my favorite cherry tomato, Orange Sungold.
Liz
@PTirebiter:
Wait, was he an actor too? he sounds vaguely familiar to me.
Either way RIP Merlin.
WereBear
@PurpleGirl: Terrace gardening is container gardening; start from that.
Your biggest problem with containers and lots of sun is that it will bake the moisture right out of the light fluffy soil you need for containers. Either go out there and water them every morning & evening, or get some water retention gel from a garden supply place.
Folderol and Ephemera
@LuciaMia:
Does “bottom heat” involve snorkeling?
(This thread is tagged “Massa Massage,” after all)
PurpleGirl
@WereBear: Thank you. That gives me a place to start. In my former apartment I had cacti and succulents but I would love to have some other plants (especially flowering ones) and maybe tomatoes.
PTirebiter
@Clark: I dig, and I’m sure you’re not alone. Probably not a national figure, but I just needed to acknowledge the event.
PTirebiter
@Liz: I doubt he ever considered himself as an actor, but he did play a recurring character on Little House on The Prairie. They didn’t get rich playing back in the day, even when you were a hall of fame guy.
PurpleGirl
re Merlin Olsen: I’m not a big sports fan but I do remember the Fearsome Foursome. I definitely remember his turn at acting. He was a big cuddlely bear of man. May he rest in peace.
Peter J
Been reading LGF a lot lately.
An interesting comment today from Charles Johnson, in a thread about the latest racist remark from Limbaugh:
some guy
I’m not a huge football guy, but Merlin Olsen played a bodyguard/butler in one of my favorite MST3K movies, Mitchell.
Liz
@PTirebiter:
Yeah that was it! he was a real gentle giant character.
SteveinSC
@Mike in NC: This and one other thing almost cost me a new television. It might not be spring, but the usual false equivalency and fatuousness is in full flower. The press is all agog over the Massa deal as being the Democrats’ Mark Foley. Massa groping some grown men is somehow being presented as equvalent to Mark Foley porking adolescents. If the guys were pissed, go file a sexual harrassment charge against Massa. That is soooo different from Mark Foley’s stautory rape deal. Yet we hear “what did Pelosi know and when did she know it?” This morning on “Stunningly Superfical Scarborough” there was the same shit. Jesus. And last night some skank on Couric’s smarmy “news” show again stated the Obama was “breaking with precedent” line. Goddamnit, they must be doing this shit on purpose. After it has been pointed out again and again the St. Ronnie, Roosevelt, etc., called out the court’s decisions, they still propagated the lie. It’s fucking hopeless.
freelancer
@some guy:
Mitchell!
@Clark:
Blogwhoring is alright when it’s relevant or cool. In this case, you’re dealing with a den of Obots, so this is right in our wheelhouse, thanks for the vid.
Clark
@PTirebiter:
I totally understand!
slag
@freelancer: Speaking of Obot-ness, we watched this video of the Obamas at Yellowstone last night (to cleanse our minds of Marc Thiessen Daily Show interview madness) and especially appreciated the ending: http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/mr-president-goes-yellowstone.
Also, have you seen this cat: http://defectiveyeti.com/2010/03/02/reward/? I laughed.
gbear
@PTirebiter:
Merlin Olsen helped me to realize I was gay. He was such a handsome bear.
Bnut
To anyone who gave me cat advice thanks. He started passing some blood, so to the vet we went. Nothing 3 days of a catheter, IV and my money can’t fix.
PTirebiter
@gbear: He was Mormon, but I’ve gotta believe that news would’ve made him smile. He just was a sweet guy. It’s funny the different ways in which someone can touch a person they’ve never met. Probably worth keeping in mind as we trudge along here in the temporal world.
The Golux
Regarding the seasons, one paradox of aging is that while the years keep getting shorter, the winters keep getting longer.
SGEW
@Bnut: Oh, that’s awful! Here’s hoping that it all turns out ok.
[Relatedly: I’ve been getting a little nervous, recently – I don’t have any insurance for my cat (let alone health insurance for myself, dammit!), and if anything were to happen to her health, I don’t know what I could do – I simply would not be able to afford the necessary medical treatment should something go seriously awry. I would go into bankruptcy, etc., should I, myself, get a serious illness . . . but would I go that far for my beloved kitteh? Would I even be able to? It’s a very disturbing worry for me; but not much I can do about it.]
Bnut
@SGEW
I feel your pain. I would have taken him to the ER vet last night, but they charge 300 bucks just to see them. I have never considered pet insurance. Maybe I will now. Yet another more expensive thing about NYC.
PTirebiter
@The Golux: What a great line, thanks. If I were a younger man, I’d consider using it on a “for future reference” tattoo.
asiangrrlMN
@Bnut: Sorry to hear about your cat. Please keep us updated!
I will be the lone voice to say, “Damn you, Spriiiiiiing!”
Linda Featheringill
To Purple Girl:
About terrace gardening.
You will probably have to become obsessive about checking for water. Stick your finger in the soil every morning and every evening. If you are doing veggies, you may have to really pour the water on while they are producing. Last time I did container tomatoes, I had to give them water when I got up, when I got home from work, and when I went to bed. And they were thirsty!
One other thing that is more important than you would think. Place the plants on the outer side of your terrace, away from the building. This is so that they can get breezes. If they don’t get those breezes, they will die. And some buildings create “dead air spots” next to themselves.
Good luck and happy gardening!