Seeing as everyone else is posting pet pics with abandon, I thought I’d share the implications of living with a (fixed) tomcat with an attitude:
Tikka is a mammal with honor, which basically means he gives you fair warning before he takes your arm off at the elbow.
His usual targets/victims are those cat people who remain convinced, despite every signal to the contrary, that their charm and overflowing hogsheads of kitty love will somehow persuade the master of all he surveys to permit them to approach.
Wrong. We keep the neosporin ready.
(He does seem to tolerate me, and my wife to a lesser extent, while the sprout and His Highness’ representatives have worked out a more-than-paws-length co-existence regime.)
Oh — and on the evening of this Independence Day, I’ll be heading over to the Cambridge side of the river to catch the last of the 1812 Overture and then the fireworks above the Charles. Friends and a rolling pack of kids will be in tow.
So, on this open thread, speak out: what’s up on your Fourth?
jeffreyw
w00t! w00t! I’m just a simple pastor, nurturing my flock.
Phyllis
Oooh, pretty black and white kitty. I’ll take your word for keeping my distance.
Watching John Adams on HBO. Gonna smoke some ribs on the grill later, then head out to the fireworks. We used to be able to walk out in the back yard and see them; since we’ve moved, we’ll have to drive…a mile. Then we’ll come back and watch on the teevee what you’re getting to see in person.
SiubhanDuinne
Cookout with friends and fireworks this afternoon/evening. Unfortunately I didn’t wake up in time to watch the start of the Peachtree this morning, which is something I generally try to do on the Fourth. Ah well.
Edited to remove an ugly unintentional strikeout. Will post separately.
TheMightyTrowel
Over here in blighty I’m at work and can only dream of ribs and corn. At least the sun is out.
gnomedad
Teh stoopid is contagious: Biden channels William “Golden Fleece” Proxmire, Bobby “Volcano Monitoring” Jindal, and John “Bear DNA” McCain.
RossInDetroit
I have work to do today, having been away for 2 days.
Drove home 3 hours in the dark last night and were treated along the highway to small town fireworks in the distance all along the route. Also this seems to be the peak weekend for fireflies. The sides of the highway were spangled with a continuous band of twinkling bugs. It was surreal and beautiful.
SiubhanDuinne
FYWP with a thousand rusty steak knives.
So what I was trying to say before the tags went all kerflooey on me is that my 13-year-old Saturn SL-1 will hit the 200,000-mile mark some time today. I know, I know! Some people get all the excitement, right? But seriously, I love this car.
Tom, your cat is a very handsome fellow. (He would like ME, I’m sure of it.) And that’s funny, posing him on a Risk box. Saw what you did there….
HRA
Waiting for the 4th day of booming fireworks in the neighborhood setting of the wee bundle of fur into rapid beating body with panting and eyes popping looks. It has not been a good weekend at all. No matter what I did to calm him, it was futile. At least today G will be home to help.
First time in my life I hated this holiday.
SiubhanDuinne
Ross in Detroit #6:
I had that experience a few years ago of driving home on the Fourth after dark and seeing maybe ten different fireworks displays off in the distance. It was weird and wonderful.
You know, I can’t recall seeing fireflies/lightning bugs down here (Atlanta) in years, if ever. They are one of my favorite memories of a childhood in the Midwest, though.
RossInDetroit
We spent 2 days with me grandmother, who is 94 years old. Mostly hanging out and chatting, though she did need some help transplanting in the garden. The heavy shovel work is a bit much for her.
I could listen to this woman tell stories all day. There’s something fascinating every time. The family friend who flew a B-29 bomber under the Mackinac Bridge on a dare and never flew again. Stalking black bear in the UP in the ’70s (she still has the rug). ‘Scared shitless’ driving through a 100 mile hail storm in Nebraska that spun off 5 deadly tornadoes. Changes in climate through the decades – she’s lived in the same county since 1917 and has a faultless recall of weather. She’s known 7 generations of our family and is a keen observer with a sharp memory. Truly a treasure.
otto_
Does the cat like to attack through Kamchatka?
Judas Escargot
Came home Friday afternoon (after getting fitted for my wedding suit) to find a dead bird on the dining room floor, and all three cats sitting around the room, each looking casually in the other direction (wasn’t me… wasn’t me…. wasn’t me either).
The wood stove upstairs was open, apparently it had gotten in that way and nature had taken its course. Pretty sure our own tuxedo kitty was the culprit (telltale soot stains on the white paws), though I’m not sure how an 8lb cat took down a 5lb bird.
Fucen Pneumatic Fuck Wrench Tarmal
i am going to denounce stalin and drink beer, until i defend stalin and denounce beer.
Ben Cisco
Watching my grandnephew and wishing Papa Cisco a happy birthday. Taking life real casual today.
WereBear
Our Big Booms are tonight, and the ten month old kitten reacted very badly to the prelims last night, hiding under the bed and quivering.
So he gets a dose of chamomile tea as dusk starts to fall; it really helps. It also helps that he has a Big Brudder who determinedly models Ain’t no thang for him.
Carol
Was up until 2 am last night cooking ribs in a crockpot. (It is tasty and tender). Fireworks lasted as long, with displays going until 2 am in the neighborhood. Last year they did the same thing, and I figure that they feel they can because it’s a long weekend again, and nobody, or almost nobody-is going to care.
Kirby this year seems unaffected by the neighborhood fireworks. He snoozed through most of it upstairs on my bed, and even when he went downstairs to eat, and could hear it better away from the music, just ate and shambled back upstairs. No hurry or anything.
Parade today, but I wonder if they will have it now. We just had a big thunderstorm that dumped a bucket of rain, and it’s still drizzling. I mean, the show must go on, but I wonder if they want to perform on such a damp stage.
At least I won’t have to wonder about being too hot to watch anything.
WereBear
Tom, I suspect you and the spouse are suitably respectful and deferential. Even if the younger ones try to be, they will be damned for their age range alone.
Thoroughly Pizzled
I’ll be dressing my Xbox Live avatar as a Confederate soldier.
dmsilev
The Mass Ave bridge is the best place to be to watch the Boston fireworks, especially if you get there in the early evening and snag a front row spot. I’d recommend being about 80 or 100 Smoots from the Boston shore for optimal viewing angle. My parents and I will be there this evening, and I’ll have yet another go at fireworks photography. In the past couple of years, I’ve been averaging two or three really good shots, out of two or three hundred frames taken….
dr. bloor
Began plowing through Shelby Foote’s eleventy-gazillion page narrative about the Civil War. Firebaggers: have always been with us, and always will.
Cat Lady
Good on you Tom for making the trek to the shores of the Charles. I was next to the howitzers for the Bicentennial, and as close to the fireworks barge as it was possible to be in a canoe the next year. I’m lucky to still have some hearing. Husband’s going to sear some scallops with a tomato concasse. Either that, or take out fried clams. Win win.
OzarkHillbilly
Ross @10
Indeed. My father died last year and he was the last (and youngest) of 10 children. One of my favorite things to do as a child was to sit and listen to him and his siblings reminisce about “the good old days”… You know, like growing up in the Depression, hanging out in the alley and smelling things baking that they would never get to eat from the bakery down the way? Quiting school so there would be another income? My grandfather not letting my father join the army after Pearl Harbor because ONE of his children was going to be college educated. Of course, the old man got drafted anyway. Ended up flying a B-29 out of the Marianas where the highlight of the month for his crew was a care package from his sisters. They worked at a canning factory and were able to make cans to fit anything…. Cakes, cookies, poteca, salamis, soups… all of it as fresh as they day it was made. etc. I really miss listening to the stories.
Paula
Cats! I’ve never really liked them, but they like me! Maybe they don’t like me but are actually trying to irritate me or maybe they like me. I don’t know, but they always walk around my feet, or curl up in my lap, or sit by my head. It is really odd. I’ve never been mean to them, I just gently remove them from my lap.
I had a cat adopt me once. It was the only cat I’ve ever took care of. I was pulling weeds and he came up to me and put his head under my hand. So I pat him and went back to work. He sat by me and watched me. He follwed me around and he walked between my legs. My dad laughed. Eventually I got him some water. The next day, he was on the front porch, and everyday after that for a couple of months. He brought me “presents”, well that’s what my dad told me they were.
I actually came to like him. I named him Cat. He never came into the house – father decree. I made him a “cat house” where he would sleep. I would pet him on my way to school and when i returned. THen in the evening. I never called for him, he just seemed to know my schedule.
One day, he did not stir when I opened the door, he was dead. We had a proper funeral for him. He was the only Cat I’ve ever loved.
jwb
No fireworks here this year due to the drought. Even the city had to cancel its big show. That will make for a very different Fourth, since the neighborhood is usually like a war zone.
OzarkHillbilly
for my day: dodge thunderstorms, a little gardening, a little work on the new countertops I am making, then a couple of nice thick ribeyes on the grill. Doubt we will head into town for the fireworks as that is past my bedtime. No neighbors to scare the animals either. Just peace and quiet and the dance of the fireflies.
gogol's wife
Beautiful cat.
God I hate this holiday. I wish there were somewhere to go to get away from it.
Trollenschlongen (formerly Tim, Interrupted)
Tom, I live over in Jamaica Plain. Since I came to the area four years ago, every Fourth I consider heading out to the fireworks on the Charles, but then I consider the half a million other people headed in the same direction and change my mind.
Relaxing with the doggies, gardening and a light load of office/studio work today. Marinated pork chops on the grill this evening with the main squeeze. We’ll make our own fireworks later on. ;D
WereBear
It seems odd: unless we speak Cat. Then we discover how cat haters, all too often, do all the right things according to Cat Etiquette.
Why do cats love “cat haters”?
OzarkHillbilly
Canada? Mexico? Europe? (sorry GW, couln’t resist)
Amir_Khalid
I live a mile or so from the Petronas Towers, as the crow flies. I can just stand at my bedroom window and see the New Year’s and, on August 31, Merdeka (Independence) Day fireworks displays over the Towers, rather than having to join the big crowd at the park next to the Towers. Which is cool, at first, but after a while it’s no big deal.
Every cat has an attitude. However much they love us, their humans, cats just don’t regard us as the boss of them. In fact, mine expects me to come when she calls. She also expects me to snap to whenever she decides it’s time to give my scalp a tongue bath. If I am ever dilatory, Bianca is not above chastising me — or more precisely, my shins — with her claws.
harlana
jeffreyw: omigosh, all those beautiful little hummingbirds in one place! Do you live in heaven or something? I love those little critters and see them so rarely that I get all goofy when I see one.
Southern Beale
I’m about ready to see the members of anonymous rounded up and thrown in Gitmo. What a bunch of fucking loons:
harlana
And I have been working this weekend. Now that I have a job, I want to work all the time! lolz
harlana
Also, I know all about mean kitties, I had one who would lure her victims into trying to pet her (and subsequently being hissed at and bitten) by rubbing against their legs and looking all lovey-dovey up at them. Anyway, very handsome kitty there.
gocart mozart
The first funny cat video ever (1894)
http://gocart-mozart.blogspot.com/2011/07/thomas-edison-boxing-cats-boxing-babes.html
dr. bloor
@Paula:
Stop trying to ignore them. They’ll always head to the most gaze-avoidant person in the room.
ETA-beaten by Werebear.
General Stuck
Wonderful story!
Linda Featheringill
TheMightyTrowel #4
Have a good July 4 anyway.
Might I recommend some zydeco music? Indigenous, well liked.
Amanda in the South Bay
I might go with friends to picnic at Dolores Park in SF today; though TBH a part of me just wants to stay home. Not into loud noises or drunken roudy crowds.
Matthew Reid Krell
@24 Paula:
I don’t believe that’s actually your name. I accuse you of being Ernest Hemingway. As proof, I point to the way you wrote your story.
jeffreyw
@harlana: We live in Glorious Southern Illinois!
Valdivia
just woke up and saw this in my inbox. sorry if someone already posted it.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jwCegYmATIlWcl12PFGppoAeVgJg?docId=d2942d2f54a547daa96546b59d83e955
WTF?????
trixie larue
We have Niki. She tricked my husband into taking her in by rolling on her back and doing flippies. Actually, she was seeing if he could be tempted into touching her belly. Shwisshh, you lose.
We have adapted and have learned to sleep in 1/4 each of the bed; otherwise she’ll bite you during the nite. But she does make sweet mews when it’s time to eat and walk in and around our ankles.
She is a pretty girl.
Fireworks in Boston! We used to watch from the rooftop of our apt. on Boylston Street, across from the Pru when it was still the finish line for the Boston Marathon.
Southern Beale
@Valdivia:
I just posted that. Here’s my blog post on it.
It’s so not cool I don’t even know where to begin. You don’t joke about this shit, never ever. It’s not funny. It’s not even political commentary.
It’s stupid fucking kids thinking they’re being subversive when they’re just being idiots.
gelfling545
There is a cat in my house. Not that there weren’t cats in my house already: Ouch, a senile 17 year old with Maine Coon characteristics except the size; Mewtant, the prodigiously polydactyl 12 year old white short hair who only deigns to live here in the winter although he drops in for meals; and Clementine, a 5 year old “cow” cat who pretty much lives in the spare bedroom. Last night I saw the black & white markings streak by & wondered what was bothering Clem. Then I realized that the black & white were in the wrong places. So there is this (I think) male cat who looks to be adult & fairly well fed lurking at the moment in my basement. I’ve had the door propped open for hours & so far he declines to leave. If he doesn’t decide he wants to leave soon or if no one is looking for him I’m going to have to see how he responds to being picked up so we can visit the Vet. Between this strange cat & fireworks the dog is having a hissy fit. It’s going to be a long day.
Valdivia
@45 Southern Beale
thanks I am just flabbergasted and speechless about it.And angry. Soo angry.
Southern Beale
@Valdivia:
I know me too. What idiots. What the hell was the point?
scav
My brain instantly popped up with “Some cats require a simply prodigious amount of being ignored.” which is, I guess, another way of coming round to it. But, then, as I’m willing to ignore a cat for years and have done so, it’s not a technique for everyone. Not even sure if it (or I) should properly be classed in the cat-lovers or haters column. I rather like them exactly because we can cordially avoid each other for decades.
Valdivia
@ Southern Beale
I have no idea.
Violet
@Valdivia:
Wow, that is AWFUL. I can’t believe someone did that. I hope the Secret Service is on that so fast those idiots don’t know what hit them.
As for the Fourth, just hanging out. Probably going through some boxes and sorting stuff, then cooking out on the grill and then riding bikes to watch the fireworks. Nothing big, but hopefully relaxing.
All fireworks are banned here, except for the professionally done shows. I still expect to hear a few, because people are idiots, but I hope people stay safe. We are so dry here, the fire danger is extreme, and anything like fireworks could cause a big problem.
Etiquette question: The neighbors had a party last night, a lot of which was outside, and it went on until at least 1:00 a.m. when I finally fell asleep. They moved in last fall and this is the first time they’ve had a party, at least that I know of. I don’t know if this is going to become a thing, but a loud (and I mean LOUD) outside party that goes on after, say, midnight, in a generally quiet neighborhood seems a bit inconsiderate. The houses in our neighborhood are pretty close together and the loud music, singing, and yelling were pretty hard to avoid.
So the question is, should I say something to them, possibly asking them to maybe keep it down or move it inside after a certain time? Or just let it go this time and wait to see if it becomes a thing? I don’t see these guys very often. They’re not very neighborly, and outside of seeing them coming and going in their cars, I rarely see them at all.
Not quite sure what to do, but it was LOUD and if it hadn’t been summer and the a/c hadn’t been masking the sound, I’m not sure there would have been much sleep to be had.
Temporarily Max McGee (soon enough to be Andy K again)
Open thread? k3wl.
My most favoritest of all of the numbers in Yankee Doodle Dandy:
James Cagney Off The Record
gogol's wife
Violet #51: I say complain early and often. Sometimes it works. You won’t have a great relationship with them, but that’s their fault.
Temporarily #52: It’s on tonight on TCM, 8:00 PM Eastern. Love to see Cagney dance, it’s so weird.
OzarkHillbilly
For starters research the law in your locale. Understand that if you say something to them, and it happens again, and someone else calls the cops, YOU will be blamed.
As to whether you should confront them or not, it all depends on what type of person you are.
Valdivia
@51 Violet
yeah, not the way I thought I would start the 4th, raging at the idiocy of the world. Gah.
gelfling545
@ Violet re: etiquette
Wait & see. I have a neighbor who gives exactly 1 party every year that goes on until all hours with music, etc but it’s once a year. No big deal. Since this is the holiday weekend, you may be able to assume that it’s their holiday bash & not likely to be a regular thing. If you complain after one time you’re pretty much going to put paid to any chance of neighborly feeling ever developing (and any chance of getting invited to their party.)
WereBear
I would think it’s too early and it was only the first time. Maybe they had their once a year visit from their rowdy Uncle or something, and all his friends showed up.
Especially since they are not “friendly.” I agree with OzarkHillbilly; if you spotlight yourself in this way, you will be blamed for any neighborhood reaction.
TheMightyTrowel
@Linda #39
I’ve been listening to the Blues all day (fits my mood. goddamn mondays) but Zydeco is an intriguing and equally excellent suggestion.
(ps: in my mixed nationality decidely leftist household today is usually refered to as ‘traitor’s day’ for all sorts of reasons)
ruemara
Firing up the grill. just made the best damn batch of scones ever, lavender thyme, and will be adding some rub to a pork butt and tossing it on for some smoke love. Have friends coming over, we’re bringing the small tv out and a dvd player and loading up on all my cheeseball collection of horror movies. And Ultraman. I fatten them up, roll them back home and they still have time to catch fireworks somewhere else. Hope you all enjoy your day.
CambridgeKnitter
My favorite place in the Boston area to watch the fireworks is the public park behind the Museum of Science. There are no trees blocking your view, just the Salt and Pepper Bridge, which blocks the really low ones. It’s not crowded, and there’s a gazebo in case the weather gets drippy.
gogol's wife
@ Violet 51: The problem with waiting and seeing is that you may be kept up all night once again soon. I don’t advise being angry and loud about it; just be calm and friendly and say what you said in your message, in a nice way. But it’s really your call. There’s no good way to handle inconsiderate neighbors, unfortunately, because they don’t really care what other people think and that’s why they’re inconsiderate. But their behavior can sometimes be modified.
Lojasmo
@violet51: hack their twitter account. That’ll fix them.
ruemara
Why is my comment in moderation? is scones a banned word? or butt? My rights are being oppressed!
4jkb4ia
Mumble Each of the 4 NY GOP senators treated individually
The Red Sox are on now, and I am going to the Cardinals game later on.
Violet
Sorry I’m late getting back to the thread. Thanks for the thoughts on the neighbors. I think I’ll not go out of my way to say anything, but if I see them in the near future, I might say something in a friendly kind of way, like, “So you guys had a party last weekend, huh?” And see if they say anything about it being loud.
Martin
Just got back from the community parade put on by the association. It’s really the perfect parade – anyone can be in it, and everyone shows up to either participate or watch. Little kids in their stroller, kids with decorated Razors, the cub scouts and girl scouts, the high school marching band and flag squad. Build a float for whatever reason and put it in the parade. Dress up your dog and walk with the other folks. Candy is thrown. Everyone cleans up and walks/bikes home to prepare for their block parties. Fireworks at 9. Everything is contained, so you walk from party to party, get drunk, watch the fireworks, and walk home. It’s the best day of the year.
Ruckus
RossInDetroit
Isn’t it great to know folks who are still full of life even towards their end? Those who have grabbed hand fulls of living and rather than squeezed all the life out have reveled in those hand fulls. I’ve known one such person who, at 95 when I met him, was sharp as a tack and you would never have guessed he was even 70. Could and would tell stories as long as anyone would listen. It was grand to hear from a different perspective than my parents/grandparents, which was great but it’s still nice to hear new stories. This man lived till 105 but the last 5 years were just marking time, most of the spark was gone by 100. But what a grand, long spark it had been.
Rihilism
After years of having the cats cower during lightening storms/fireworks, my two three year old girlie girls did not seem to care about the fireworks last night (I’m assuming the 18 year can’t hear them or he is too old to care). A few weeks ago, I awoke to a huge flash/bang during a particularly vicious storm to see one of the girls sitting in the window enjoying the show. Either they have a diminished survival instinct (one tends to fall off things by flopping on her back and sliding off, the other likes to chew on power cords, so they seem to share a death wish) or remaining inside their whole lives has given them an excessive sense of security (the flash/bangs that night scared the shit outa me!). Anybody else had this experience?
4jkb4ia
Lackey out, it’s 7-0, and it’s not even the fourth inning.
Yutsano
My grandfather is 92 years old (we think), can barely see and barely hear, and still inststs on helping at the ranch. In my family you drop at 60 or you’re practically a Highlander.
harlana
Yutsano: that sounds like my dad! And he has virtually no cartilage in his knees now (refused to ever consider surgery), not sure how he keeps going the way he does.
4jkb4ia
7-4, top of the 6th.
WaterGirl
werebear
how do you give a cat chamomile tea?
4jkb4ia
9-7 Toronto, bottom of the 8th. And, like OMG, the Pirates are 1 game out of first.
bago
Violet: Be a trooper! Not a party pooper!
Seriously, it’s the first one.
Paula
We decided to the traditional hamburgers, corn, and french fries. We also had ice cream with fruit and caramel topping! Delicious!
We never have to leave home for fireworks, our neighbors kindly put on a show! We sat outside and watched the show! It’s almost eleven and they are still at it.
@40 Matt thanks!