Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Since we are repeating ourselves, let me just say fuck that.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

If marriage is the equivalent of selling yourself into slavery, women with self respect should reject the offer.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

We need to vote them all out and restore sane Democratic government.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

“I was told there would be no fact checking.”

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.

If you cannot answer whether trump lost the 2020 election, you are unfit for office.

This blog will pay for itself.

Everyone is in a bubble, but some bubbles model reality far better than others!

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

“Joe Biden deserved better than he got from some folks in his own party.”

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

Balloon Juice has never been a refuge for the linguistically delicate.

Conservatism: there are people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

I’d try pessimism, but it probably wouldn’t work.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Let me file that under fuck it.

These days, even the boring Republicans are nuts.

You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Pet Rescue / With Much Fanfare

With Much Fanfare

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It’s that time of year again, and first, a word from our benevolent artist:

Four years ago I volunteered to design the Pets of Balloon Juice calendar. And halfway through each of those four years I come to a point where I utter, “This is my last year. Let someone else take on all this work. Then, as I layout the photos, i recall the stories you shared about your pets and other animals in your life. I remember how they made me laugh, they made me cry and they gave me hope for humanity. Of all the projects I made over the course of the year – I get to work on some pretty awesome stuff – this is one that brings me abundant satisfaction and pride. I love being part of this community’s effort to make a better life for homeless animals in Tennessee. Thank you for putting up with missed deadlines and letting me have so much fun. Thanks, too, to John Cole for allowing some random stranger on the internet volunteer to make a calendar for his blog.

With that I am delighted to announce that the Pets of Balloon Juice 2015 calendar is officially for sale. I look forward to you all breaking last year’s record for funds raised for MARC as you buy calendars for your family, your friends, your coworkers and your mail carrier.

Commenter beth

So get your Pets of Balloon Juice 2015 Calendar for the same price as last year, $24.99, and support all those wonderful animals being helped by the Marion Animal Resource Connection.

And lets hear it for Beth!

Reader Interactions

56Comments

  5. 5.

    Tara the Antisocial Social Worker

    Irrelevant but adorable pet story:

    I thin I’ve mentioned before how my border collie, Rhea, adopted our two kittens and treats them as her puppies (even now that they’re grown). Today Rhea was being her usual diva-ish self at mealtime, nibbling a little on her dog food, wandering off and coming back. So Zeus stepped up and started eating out of her bowl.

    Had it been the other dog, or one of the cats that she didn’t raise, Rhea would have protected her food like any other dog. But since it was Zeus, she just lay down and watched until he was done eating, then she came back and ate the rest.

    Sorry for not taking a picture.

  6. 6.

    JPL

    Ugh. For some reason Cafe Press won’t let me go through Amazon. I’m on hold now to find out why.

    Beth, We love you for doing this.

  8. 8.

    Elizabelle

    Who’s the cover pup?

    ETA: when I saw the blogpost title and top of photo, first thought: “Cole’s gone and gotten another dog.”

  9. 9.

    Anne Laurie

    Thank you so much, Beth!

    (It’s like the white-collar equivalent of the proverb about cutting wood: It warms you twice, once in the woods and once in the winter… )

  10. 10.

    JPL

    FYI For those using Amazon pay there might be a snag. It kept asking me to reenter my card. I called Cafe Press and they processed the order directly using Amazon pay. Yes I paid extra to insure xmas delivery. Who doesn’t want their pups and cats on a calendar for xmas.

  12. 12.

    carolmarie

    Beth, thank you so much for all your efforts. It is such a joy to see all the pet pics and remember the stories of all the Balloon Juice animals! Happy Holidays to you and yours! Now, go have some egg nog …

  13. 13.

    I'mNotSureWhoIWantToBeYet

    @PaulW: Sophie didn’t make it last year, but did this year. It happens sometimes. But I hope your kids are just hiding.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  16. 16.

    Pogonip

    John, may I congratulate you on maintaining your sobriety during one of the booziest times of the year. I’m rooting for you to make it all next year, too.

  17. 17.

    JPL

    @marianne19: Maybe it was because I changed my card recently although it had the correct the last four digits. The gal that helped me had a note about Amazon pay.

  18. 18.

    Tommy

    Just went and gave Marion Animal Resource a few bucks. My cat, from a shelter, I know is eyeing me and wanting to give me a high five, or maybe plotting my demise. I an never sure :).

  20. 20.

    dexwood

    No Dexter or Woody pictures from me this year. I could not beat the deadline. I will buy a calendar or two. Thanks, Beth.

  23. 23.

    Adam

    @Elizabelle: That’s my girl Bailey. Being a border collie, this is one of her more mellow moments. Seriously, thanks to Beth for putting this together, this is just the coolest thing.

  26. 26.

    Tommy

    And just order three of those darn calendars. My parents and my brother and his wife actually have a calendar in their kitchen with important things noted on it. I personally don’t get it, I mean who has a calendar that isn’t on a computer? But if they are going to have one it might as well is one from Ballon Juice. And worse case, when I am over and they start down their Republican thing, I can at least walkover and touch said calendar and think you folks don’t even know.

  27. 27.

    Neech

    Glad to see my beasts – Tess, Maggie, and Mr. Buddy – made the cut. Rest of the calendar looks great. Thanks Beth!!

  28. 28.

    Elizabelle

    @Adam:

    Bailey looks very task-oriented. She is on her way to DO something. Cute pup.

    Have you laid in her Christmas attire?

  30. 30.

    JPL

    @Baud: Well you’d miss out on Mr. Finch but I’d have to say that one had Moxie. Maybe buy both because all dogs and cats are special.

  33. 33.

    JPL

    @Baud: We don’t send in our pics of our special pets to show off, we do it because it’s for a good cause.
    BTW.. Next year Finch and Nona will perform some type of fete in order to get the coveted front page. haha

  34. 34.

    Violet

    Who’s the doggie on the cover? That’s a great shot!

    @Elizabelle:

    when I saw the blogpost title and top of photo, first thought: “Cole’s gone and gotten another dog.”

    Me too! I figured he’d blame it on Shawn.

  39. 39.

    Mnemosyne

    Once again, I forgot to send pics of our crew in time. Oh well.

    I’m sitting in the bedroom with Charlotte curled up on my leg. We’re still keeping them all separated, but Keaton is acting a bit more normal and has met me at the front door two nights in a row now, so we may try some face-to-face interactions for them this weekend. Assuming I can get a harness and leash onto Charlotte, that is.

  41. 41.

    Tommy

    @JPL: I never had a dog. I ponder having one. People say to me they often need something to do to be happy. A task. When I hear this I am very happy. My cat is an active person in my life, but not outside of my house if I had a dog I’d want the thing to be a destroy of things. Active. My cat might not so like this, but thinking she can take care of herself.

  44. 44.

    JPL

    The house now passed the spending bill allowing banks to screw us over. If the bill goes into law, I will never send money to another candidate. I maxed out on Presidential candidates since Kerry and it won’t happen again.
    I’d rather use my leftover money to help me rake leaves. What a joke politics is.

  46. 46.

    sacrablue

    Thank you for creating the Balloon Juice calendar once again, Beth. I can’t wait to find my late, sweet Mikey. I will be ordering my calendar later tonight.

  47. 47.

    K488

    Really wonderful! I spotted all my crew on various pages in the preview. Simon, Paul, and Martha all up in March! Rocky, Chloe and Phoebe distributed on other pages. Thanks so much! We’ll be ordering!

  49. 49.

    Mary G

    I was locked up in the nursing home during the deadline and missed submitting this year, but I will admire all of you guys’ babies. That is a huge amount of work, Beth. Thanks for slogging through it again.

  51. 51.

    Suzanne

    Thank you, Beth! It looks wonderful!

    Scout, Zelda, and Luna look just faaaabulous, if I do say so myself.

  54. 54.

    Manyakitty

    @Tommy: I keep mine at work and use it to track my hours. Plus, I lurve gazing at everyone’s beloved babies (especially mine LOLZ!)

    Who is Button’s person? He’s the cute kitty with the scarf on the December 2014 page. That shot makes me giggle every day.

  55. 55.

    kideni

    Thank you so much for your excellent work, Beth – it’s just beautiful. I can’t wait to get a copy!

  56. 56.

    WaynersT

    Ha – Mr. Wilson – the october pig. All his friends will be getting one for Christmas. Thanks Balloon Juice

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