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You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Cat Blogging / Late Night Open Thread

Late Night Open Thread

by John Cole|  April 18, 20151:12 am| 84 Comments

This post is in: Cat Blogging, Dog Blogging, Open Threads

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And then there were four.

My sister came and picked up Ginger and took her to another foster home. Ginger had a few personality issues that we’ll leave undisclosed, but suffice it to say, I had spent the last month and a half trying to get rid of her and not to someone I liked or knew. We’ll just leave it at that.

So now we are down to a very manageable brood of Lily, Rosie, Steve, and Thurston. When you really think about it, that’s really only about 1 1/2 animals I really have to take care of, because Lily is just an angel and requires nothing but love, and Steve basically takes care of himself once you give him his morning and evening suppers. We have not changed his litter box in the basement in over a year (except to put fresh litter in because the other stuff was getting old) as he goes to the door looks at it and paws at it, you let him go out back, and he digs a cat hole in the pine needles, does his business, covers it up, and comes back in. Even in a foot of snow and in the rain. It’s really awesome, to be honest. All he really needs is some brushings, a lap, and some alone time in his tower away from Thurston, and he is rock solid.

So that leave the two who take up the most time and energy. Thurston, because he is a puppy and just requires a shitload of attention and corrective action and positive reinforcement, and Rosie, who just gets bitchy every now and then. It’s hard to even get mad at Rosie, too, because what she gets bitchy about is that her arthritis bothers her and so when she lies under the desk or at my feet, gets growly when I move my Fred Flinstone feet too fast and thinks she is going to be kicked. It’s annoying as hell because it always startles me, but how do you get mad at a dog whose only fault is wanting to be too close to you? Other than that, she grumps when she is staking out her position in the bed or if I accidentally kick her in my sleep, but again, who can fault her.

So now we are settling into the long term new normal, and Lily and Rosie are very happy that the red menace is gone. Thurston doesn’t notice she’s gone or seem to care and Steve is, well Steve. Nothing fazes the Steve.

As an aside, I read this and all I could think of was sweet, sweet Lily:

Those big brown eyes gaze at you, deeply. Your heart leaps. You caress, murmuring sweet nothings. And as those big browns remain fixed on you, the tail wags.

Devoted dog. Besotted owner. That continuous loop of loving reinforcement may begin with the dog’s gaze, according to a new report in Science.

Japanese researchers found that dogs who trained a long gaze on their owners had elevated levels of oxytocin, a hormone produced in the brain that is associated with nurturing and attachment, similar to the feel-good feedback that bolsters bonding between parent and child. After receiving those long gazes, the owners’ levels of oxytocin increased, too.

And when researchers gave dogs extra oxytocin through a nasal spray, the female dogs (though not the males) gazed at their owners even longer, which in turn boosted the owners’ oxytocin levels.

That is Lily in a nutshell. We’ve even sat around joking what was going on in every animal’s head, and when it comes to Lily, we’re pretty sure the only thing she is thinking is “love love love love love love love.” She’ll spend hours on your lap just looking you in the eye while you pet her. Such a good doggie. Thurston gives good eye, too, which is why he stuck around even though I planned on homing him like Lovey.

Speaking of, has GeG6 peeked in to update you all on her royal highness Lovey? I call or text every day to check in on her (and GeG), but I’ll let her fill you all in on the details.

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Reader Interactions

84Comments

  1. 1.

    srv

    April 18, 2015 at 1:18 am

    The mob will be happy for your attention. They feel so abandoned.

  2. 2.

    Violet

    April 18, 2015 at 1:22 am

    Thanks for the update, John. Sorry Ginger turned out to be such a difficult dog. She looked sweet in the pictures.

    We’ve had a few pupdates about Lovey from geg, but I not a lot. Maybe I’ve missed a some, though.

    Lily has always been my favorite. From the very beginning.

  3. 3.

    wmd

    April 18, 2015 at 1:24 am

    you open a post with “And then there were four” without posting any pictures? huh.

  4. 4.

    Karen in GA

    April 18, 2015 at 1:31 am

    Sorry to hear that Ginger had issues. Still hoping there’s someplace that will be right for her, but glad to hear you and your piglets can focus on your new normal.

    I kept reading/hearing that dogs usually don’t like direct eye contact. But then I hear/read that they like it from their humans (I hate to say “owners”). I know Iggy gazes at me occasionally when I pet him and I just melt. So is it okay to maintain eye contact with him, or is it threatening/unnecessarily domineering of me?

    I also heard/read that dogs for the most part don’t like hugs, but when I sit next to Iggy and hug him, he leans into me and demands petting. I love this dog. (ETA: by “hug” I just mean “put my arm around” — I’m not squeezing a 25-pound dog.)

  5. 5.

    Hal

    April 18, 2015 at 1:31 am

    As a person who likes to veg out watching House Hunters and House Hunters International, I found this post quite funny, largely because it completely encapsulates everything that annoyed me about HHI, as opposed to the domestic House Hunters. Which is also annoying in its own unique way; granite counter tops, stainless steel, people who nitpick every little damn thing etc.

    http://thetangential.tumblr.com/post/116408069198/the-script-for-every-episode-of-house-hunters

    Michaela is giving up her Dream Job that Pays Less than Her Husband Michael’s to follow her husband to Exotic New City for his High Paying Job. But will her need for Budget-Breaking Luxury win out over his Manly Ability to Balance the Budget? We’ll find out as the Johnsons hit Exotic City.

    Their budget is only $Something Higher Than You Will Ever Have in Your Life, but it’s going to be hard to pull off with their need to Claim All Oceanfront Territory in the World for White Americans.

    Michaela only cares about two things: having a bathtub and Making Her Husband Spend as Much as Possible. A nice kitchen and a short drive to the kids’ school wouldn’t be bad either.

    The problem is, to fulfill everything that Michaela wants, we have to pick a house that ensures Michael’s commute to his Important Job takes no less than An Ungodly Amount of Time Every Day. Michael is ok with this, as long as the house is close to the beach so he can Spend as Little Time with His Family as Possible. What will this globetrotting couple do?

    After seeing three houses chosen for their purposely divisive differences, they’re not sure what to do. Give Michael his beachfront haven or Michaela her bathtub?

    After much discussion, Michael finally drops the House Hunters Classic Line of All Time: “Happy wife, happy life.”

    Bathtub it is.

  6. 6.

    MomSense

    April 18, 2015 at 1:34 am

    I’m sure geg will update us when she can. Speaking from experience, puppies will take all the time you have and then some.

    We finally made a break through on leash training which makes a huge difference since we have to walk the pup frequently throughout the day. I switched to a harness with the leash fastened in front. I highly recommend it.

    I’m glad you are settling in with the pups and Steve. I hope Ginger finds the right home.

  7. 7.

    Mnemosyne

    April 18, 2015 at 1:37 am

    @Hal:

    G depressed the hell out of me by showing me a House Hunters (or similar) episode that ended with a dedication to one of the buyers. Yes, the couple bought their dream house in Hawaii to retire to, and then the husband promptly dropped dead four months later. Ouch.

  8. 8.

    Karen in GA

    April 18, 2015 at 1:43 am

    @MomSense: We got an Easy-Walk harness — fastened in front, very slight squeeze on his upper chest if he pulls. Iggy completely stopped pulling from the first second he had it on. I especially like that he doesn’t seem to mind wearing it.

    Now if only my husband would take the extra five seconds to put it on Iggy when he walks him. (Really, what I need is a trainer to train my husband to help train the dog.)

  9. 9.

    Major Major Major Major

    April 18, 2015 at 1:45 am

    “Peaked” should be “peeked”

  10. 10.

    MomSense

    April 18, 2015 at 1:50 am

    @Karen in GA:

    I paid for the trainer to come to the house to deal with a couple of issues we were having. She asked the kids about our old lab and they were talking about how he never nipped or had accidents in the house, how well behaved he was on the leash, and how he was so calm and mellow from the beginning. I almost fell out of my chair when they said that.

  11. 11.

    Steeplejack

    April 18, 2015 at 1:52 am

    @John Cole +0:

    [. . .] has GeG6 peaked peeked in to update you all on her royal highness Lovey?

    She said earlier today that Lovey is acclimating nicely. Also said she sent you some pictures.

  12. 12.

    Violet

    April 18, 2015 at 1:54 am

    @Hal: I’ve seen HH and HHI a handful of times at the gym. So I’ve probably only seen bits and pieces of them at that. And still think that bit you posted is hilariously accurate. Those shows are so formulaic and predictable. I guess that’s part of the appeal. It’s like comfort food or something. You know what you’re getting with some minor variations to keep you watching.

  13. 13.

    Steeplejack

    April 18, 2015 at 1:56 am

    @Karen in GA:

    So is it okay to maintain eye contact with him, or is it threatening/unnecessarily domineering of me?

    I think it’s okay with dogs, not with cats. If you’re gazing lovingly at the latter, you have to squint your eyes occasionally to let them know it’s love, not “I’ll kick your ass!” When I catch the housecat looking at me, she does the squinting thing. Although, to be honest, there are times when she gives me the “I’ll kick your ass!” look.

  14. 14.

    Anne Laurie

    April 18, 2015 at 1:57 am

    @Karen in GA:

    We got an Easy-Walk harness — fastened in front, very slight squeeze on his upper chest if he pulls. Iggy completely stopped pulling from the first second he had it on. I especially like that he doesn’t seem to mind wearing it.

    All three of our approximately 15lb rescue wear their H-shaped harnesses 24/7, because they each have individual issues where we sometimes need to be able to grab them by the “handle” between their shoulders (the strip that connects the loop-around-the-neck to the loop-around-the-ribs). Since it doesn’t put pressure on their tracheas, we’ve never worried about the harnesses getting caught on something — and in almost thirty years, the only problem we’ve ever had is when a particularly agile rescue manages to wriggle out of the harness entirely.

    Don’t know if Iggy’s harness is similarly idiot-proof, but would you feel comfortable leaving it on him when your husband was liable to be the next ‘walkies’ partner?

  15. 15.

    Major Major Major Major

    April 18, 2015 at 2:05 am

    Waiting for typo correction #3

  16. 16.

    Anne Laurie

    April 18, 2015 at 2:09 am

    @Karen in GA:

    I kept reading/hearing that dogs usually don’t like direct eye contact. But then I hear/read that they like it from their humans (I hate to say “owners”). I know Iggy gazes at me occasionally when I pet him and I just melt. So is it okay to maintain eye contact with him, or is it threatening/unnecessarily domineering of me?

    You would probably enjoy the NYT article Cole linked in his post (& I linked earlier).

    Basically, a direct stare is frequently perceived as a “challenge” (threat) by mammals — especially predators — who live in groups. But scientists are theorizing that humans & dogs seem to have co-domesticated each other, so that looking directly in each other’s eyes feels “bonding”, like the loving looks parents give infants, rather than threatening. It’s the same mechanism where dogs understand that a human looking at a particular box is like a human pointing at that box — wolves, even though they’re “smarter” than dogs, just don’t get that following-the-gaze trick.

    It’s still rude to stare directly at your cat — as Steep says, you have to give a slow blink to convey that you mean only friendship, not challenge. And if you stare too hard at a strange dog, he’ll either turn his head or start getting visibly agitated. That’s one of the bad patterns where dogs bite “for no reason”; someone who’s nervous around a strange dog will stare directly in its eyes, trying to understand its intentions, and the dog may decide he needs to react to that “challenge” the way he would react to a strange dog threat-staring at him.

  17. 17.

    MomSense

    April 18, 2015 at 2:13 am

    @Anne Laurie:

    A big dog stared at Korra that way at obedience class and she puffed up and growled and barked at him. It was kind of shocking to see that side of her personality but the trainer explained after class that the big dog was behaving rudely and she was justified in telling him so.

  18. 18.

    Suzanne

    April 18, 2015 at 2:13 am

    @Hal: If I hear “happy wife, happy life” one more time….
    I had a coworker who has a wife who is really like all those horrible women on those shows (she made him remodel his kitchen before he would move in), and he came to work griping about her all the time. Then one day, when I finally asked him why he was giving in on something, he busted out that line. SMH. I don’t know if I want them to split up, or stay together because they deserve one another,

    John, sorry about Ginger. Can I ask why you don’t want to talk about her behavior? I would have thought you would get some good suggestions here. Anyway, snuggles to all the pets—especially Rosie, who I adore.

  19. 19.

    Fair Economist

    April 18, 2015 at 2:16 am

    @Karen in GA: Humans are similar to dogs with eye contact. Stare at a stranger and they’ll get creeped out and/or aggressive. Stare at your family and it’s sweet.

  20. 20.

    Origuy

    April 18, 2015 at 2:18 am

    A few threads back, John mentioned Squeezebox as a suggestive song, and someone else mentioned that a lot of folk songs have dirty lyrics if you listen to them right. Some years ago, I saw a band called Equation that opened for Fairport Convention. They did a great rendition of the traditional song The Cookoo’s Nest. (Cookoos don’t build nests; they lay their eggs in nests built by other birds.)

    ETA: Turns out the singer on this track is Kate Rusby, who’s gone on to have a pretty successful career.

  21. 21.

    MomSense

    April 18, 2015 at 2:19 am

    @Suzanne:

    I once walked through a house under construction with a woman like that. She was bragging about how big the master bathroom was and all the things that were going in it. We both had little kids and all I could think was that I’m happy if I can find time to take a shower or go pee by myself. Who has time for all that luxurious soaking and preening?

  22. 22.

    Anne Laurie

    April 18, 2015 at 2:23 am

    @MomSense: Yup, years of going to / assisting at obedience classes is where I learned about canine “eye etiquette.” Especially when it’s another batch of newbies every eight weeks, of all possible sizes breeds & experiences, you learn that it’s essential to distract Hard Starers before the other dog needs to call out the offender. Fortunately, it’s usually posturing — like Travis Bickle practicing in the mirror, “You looking at me? You looking at me?!?” — and all anyone (including the humans at the other ends of the leashes) needs is a distraction or reminder.

  23. 23.

    Suzanne

    April 18, 2015 at 2:23 am

    @MomSense: I get to enjoy my soaker tub about once every six months. I really like it, and I wish I got to enjoy it more. But life.

  24. 24.

    Origuy

    April 18, 2015 at 2:25 am

    On the other hand, it might be Cara Dillon on that track. I’m going to have to spend some time listening to both of them.

  25. 25.

    NotMax

    April 18, 2015 at 2:25 am

    @Hal

    Presume the wife mentioned never, but never, herself scrubs the bathtub.

    Nor would be caught dead doing so.

  26. 26.

    Karen in GA

    April 18, 2015 at 2:33 am

    @Anne Laurie: I read the article after I posted. (Whoops.) Good to know I can gaze back at Iggy — at least, until the next researcher comes along and says not to.

    I’d rather not leave his harness on 24/7, and the manufacturer warns against it as well.

    I do the slow blink with my four cats. My anxious calico took months to feel comfortable climbing in my lap, but then she’d take off if I made any kind of eye contact. It was a big deal to me the first time she looked at me long enough for me to do the slow blink.

    Anyway, I’m off to bed. I’m in a hotel in a nice little mountain town attending an Appalachian music festival, and I might as well get up at a decent hour to enjoy some of it.

  27. 27.

    Karen in GA

    April 18, 2015 at 2:36 am

    @Origuy: I love Kate Rusby! I first heard her on the Heartlands soundtrack. A sweet voice, a lovely soundtrack, and an adorable film.

  28. 28.

    Steeplejack

    April 18, 2015 at 2:41 am

    Well, we’ve had some action on the night shift for the first time in a while. Kudos, all!

    That said, I’m out. Not much sleep last night and no siesta today.

  29. 29.

    Anne Laurie

    April 18, 2015 at 2:45 am

    @Hal: The Spousal Unit & I watch HGTV at the gym. Given our schedules, it’s usually the Property Brothers or that one where the real estate brokers buy properties to ‘flip’ for a quick resale. He’s a fairly handy guy, and it drives him nuts how every home-seeking idiot insists on tearing out perfectly functional kitchens / baths / woodwork to install the most up-to-the-minute stainless-steel granite-counters marble-tiled track-light gimcrackery available (to the show’s sponsors, I’m guessing) which is gonna be as dated as avocado-green appliances within a decade. I just find it amazing that so many people (of both sexes) whose cooking skills obviously extend no further than dialing for delivery or putting extra cheese on their frozen pizza will insist on gas-fired, six-burner commercial-grade stoves with extra ovens.

  30. 30.

    Ruckus

    April 18, 2015 at 2:48 am

    I make direct eye contact with our cats all the time. One climbs up on my chest and looks right back until I pet her. The other one settles in next to me and falls asleep. Neither one has ever been in the least bit aggressive.

  31. 31.

    opiejeanne

    April 18, 2015 at 2:49 am

    @Hal: That’s pretty much spot on, except for the other half who want an apartment in the First Arondissement and can afford only $400/month. That’s dollars, not Euro. And they get the shock that what they can afford is about as big as a dining room table, and the bathroom is off the kitchen. or in the kitchen.

    The domestic HH used to annoy me because of the whining about how the newlywed couple simply can’t cook in a kitchen that doesn’t have SS appliances and granite countertops, and this is their first house!!! Some of the places they look at have kitchens I would have died for when I was a newlywed.

    And where on earth do the people in Property Brothers get that much money for a first home???? Typical comment: Our budget is $850,000 and not one penny more! And then you see that $750 gets you a tiny dump of a duplex, and after all of the spare cash is spent on fixing the plumbing or scary fire-hazard wiring, no one thinks about what the owners of the other half have done to make sure their wiring doesn’t cause a fire.

  32. 32.

    Ruckus

    April 18, 2015 at 2:51 am

    @Anne Laurie:
    …insist on gas-fired, six-burner commercial-grade stoves with extra ovens.

    You do know that’s to impress the neighbors and not to cook with, don’t you?

  33. 33.

    Anne Laurie

    April 18, 2015 at 2:53 am

    @Ruckus: Wouldn’t it be simpler, and cheaper, just to take the neighbors out to a nice restaurant & never let them see your actual kitchen?

  34. 34.

    opiejeanne

    April 18, 2015 at 2:58 am

    @Anne Laurie: I never thought of that. Drat. All that money… but the kitchen does look really nice, and I cook in it every day, sometimes for the neighbors.

  35. 35.

    opiejeanne

    April 18, 2015 at 3:01 am

    @Anne Laurie: You know what drives me nuts watching these shows? Everyone wants an open floor plan, regardless of the original design of the house. It kills me when it’s a character house and they want to tear out everything that gives it charm. Granted, some of the kitchens are beyond the pale, way beyond their use-by date.

  36. 36.

    stibbert

    April 18, 2015 at 3:13 am

    Glad to read that the situation chez Cole is more stable now, tho’ JC needs to quit moving his feet.

    My story is, my aged mom is doing well here at home, after a scary pneumonia episode in January. She gets great attention from visiting hospice-folks, & while willing to accept the nurse’s visits (just keeping tabs on your health, mom), she was initially unwilling to accept the nurse’s-aide visits (bathing, hair-wash, pajama- & bedsheet-change). M’s relationship w/ the nurse’s-aide was gonna be adversarial, until:

    The aide returned to us one day ‘after hours’, to show off her new tiny puppeh, a dachshund/chihuahua mix. Mom’s heart melted, as the puppy knawed her fingers & licked her face.

    Needless to say, M’s now totally on-board w/ her nurse’s-aide, & would willingly throw herself into the laundry for another puppy-visit. Pet-therapy for the win!

  37. 37.

    John Revolta

    April 18, 2015 at 3:29 am

    Wait now……………………..you can put extra cheese on a frozen pizza?

  38. 38.

    SuperHrefna

    April 18, 2015 at 3:44 am

    @stibbert: Oh how wonderful! Pet therapy really is the best.

    So glad to hear things are settling down at home, Cole, and that Ginger has got a new foster home where hopefully she will thrive.

  39. 39.

    Hal

    April 18, 2015 at 3:53 am

    @opiejeanne:

    Everyone wants an open floor plan, regardless of the original design of the house.

    But how else are their friends going to sit around the huge island and interact with the chef while the gourmet cold cuts platter is assembled?

    One other thing I noticed is a lot of complaining about stairs. Walking up and down stairs is apparently not in style anymore. I remember one couple looking in Chicago. The wife wanted what I think would be called a split ranch, but did not want to walk up any stairs at all! I don’t think she understood the concept of a ranch house. What made me laugh was the husband who wanted a yard so he could fry turkeys. This was something he did year round. I remember thinking that between her aversion to stairs and his penchant for fried turkeys, they would be lucky to see forty.

  40. 40.

    NotMax

    April 18, 2015 at 3:54 am

    Ginger(s) temperamental? Who knew?

    :)

  41. 41.

    Fair Economist

    April 18, 2015 at 3:55 am

    @opiejeanne:

    You know what drives me nuts watching these shows? Everyone wants an open floor plan, regardless of the original design of the house.

    As the part owner of an open plan home, I can say it looks nice but noise is a BIG problem. It’s fine for just a couple, but when you have kids or houseguests it’s a big pain. I’m surprised it hasn’t fallen out of fashion for exactly that reason.

  42. 42.

    Mary G

    April 18, 2015 at 4:02 am

    Well, I guess there was a reason I couldn’t get Ginger.

  43. 43.

    Hal

    April 18, 2015 at 4:09 am

    In today’s “If you can’t say something nice” edition…

    http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/04/17/hunter-ian-gibson-trampled-death-elephant-tracking-kill_n_7085374.html

    A professional game hunter has been trampled to death by an elephant while leading a hunt with an American client in Zimbabwe.

    Ian Gibson, 55, was tracking animals in Chewore North in the lower Zambezi Valley of Zimbabwe, when the young bull elephant “began a full charge.”

    Apparently he was with some American hunting the elephant for five hours before the elephant charged him. I’m not trying to seem flippant at this guys death, but this type of hunting is purely for sport and profit against animals that are already facing dwindling numbers. Grown adults who thing using high powered rifles to shoot these animals from a safe distance and then call it a sport are terrible people IMO, but not everyone agrees:

    Gibson is paid tribute to as “a fine man and one of the most experienced professional hunters on the African continent.”

    Ok.

  44. 44.

    mai naem mobile

    April 18, 2015 at 4:30 am

    @Hal: the original story has a whole slew of comments about how its good to kill elephants to keep their populations under control and also too, the hunting brings in money to protect the animals. Whatever, I call it instant karma.

  45. 45.

    Betty Cracker

    April 18, 2015 at 4:36 am

    Two things:

    Does anyone have a good recipe for a gluten-free, dairy-free side dish? I’m going to a party later today and was assigned that as my contribution. I Googled it, and ye gods, the results were not encouraging! Anyone with those dietary restrictions has my sincere sympathies.

    Second thing: Is there any way to permanently turn the “iPad version” of WordPress off on a site (this one)? For months, my bookmarked desktop version came up, then suddenly it no longer did, and it annoys me to have to scroll all the way to the bottom to manually switch it over every time.

  46. 46.

    Amir Khalid

    April 18, 2015 at 4:44 am

    @mai naem mobile:
    Culling a too-large population; killing diseased, suffering or dangerous animals; securing human-owned crops and livestock — these are tasks for the wildlife authorities in Africa, to be carried out by their rangers, not for bloodthirsty rich foreigners assisted by mercenaries like Gibson.

  47. 47.

    mai naem mobile

    April 18, 2015 at 4:47 am

    Ive decided that tbe HH buyers are coached to be obnoxious. There was a Phoenix couple where the wife bitched because the black granite in the kitchen wasn’t green and she needed to put.in a green product like recycled glass.Ohh-kay, its green to replace perfectly good material. There was an engaged couple the other day moving to St Thomas. The husband was going to be taking his CPA exams and not working and,jeezus, he was a whiner.” I want to walk to the beach during a study break!!” WTF?
    Also the subway tile and the little glass tile on the backsplashes. Who the hell is going to clean all those grout lines? The absolute worst idea – the tile right behind the stove so all the grease can go straight onto the grout lines. I want the Property Guys cleaning those grout lines. And stainless steel appliances – one little ding and it looks like shit. I went to buy a black microwave a while back and it was hard to find because everything was freaking ss. IMHO, the white and almond are easiest to maintain and look best longer.

  48. 48.

    SWMBO

    April 18, 2015 at 4:50 am

    @Betty Cracker: Good to see you’re still up. I think.

    Facebook has all sorts of recipe exchanges. One of my favorites is 12 tomatoes. They have posted lots of different dishes that have special dietary requirements. Or there is http://www.12tomatoes.com

    Given that as a starting point, roasted brussel sprouts might work. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-brussels-sprouts-recipe2.html

    Another option is to bake potatoes, split or quarter them, put bacon and broccoli on them.

    Another option is what my family calls borderale beans. Cook dried pinto beans with a little oil, About half an hour before serving, add a can of tamales. Serve with corn bread.

  49. 49.

    Betty Cracker

    April 18, 2015 at 5:04 am

    @SWMBO: I may go with the roasted brussel sprouts — it’s easy, and I know it’s tasty because I’ve made it before. Great suggestion. Thanks!

  50. 50.

    raven

    April 18, 2015 at 5:22 am

    @Betty Cracker: @Betty Cracker: You could throw in some beets, turnips and such.

  51. 51.

    Tommy

    April 18, 2015 at 5:24 am

    @mai naem mobile: LOL from the highest levels. I am more than a little OCD. I am also a foodie. I got this need to clean a lot. But long ago I “broke” myself of doing that with the kitchen. Heck my parents found me the last time they came over with a tooth brush trying to clean off the “grease” on my stove. I think I might have said all these cleaners say they clean grease but they don’t.

    Oh don’t get me started on cleaning steel appliances …..

  52. 52.

    Jane2

    April 18, 2015 at 5:28 am

    @Tommy: You need a Monster steamer. There won’t be a germ left.

  53. 53.

    Betty Cracker

    April 18, 2015 at 5:28 am

    @raven: I might do that. I’m a big fan of roasting vegetables in general, but I usually try to make sure all the things I’m roasting are of similar size and density so they all get done at the same time. I think beets and turnips would work with brussel sprouts if cut to similar size…

  54. 54.

    Jane2

    April 18, 2015 at 5:29 am

    @Mary G: sounds like the proverbial bullet was dodged. Might have been nice to have had an explanation, however.

  55. 55.

    raven

    April 18, 2015 at 5:33 am

    @Betty Cracker: My bride loves this combo. Me. . . s’ok.

  56. 56.

    mai naem mobile

    April 18, 2015 at 5:38 am

    @Betty Cracker: you could do something rice based – Rice pilaf/mexican rice/rice with veggies.

  57. 57.

    Tommy

    April 18, 2015 at 5:45 am

    Here is some fun for you. I am a walker. Also a lover of music. I love to walk and listen to music. What I love about tech is it gives me the ability to find music I would not have ever heard of before. I am that guy when I go see a little band play I always buy their CD. Folks are like Tommy you don’t even really like their music, why drop $15 bucks? I just say I am supporting local art. I don’t have to like said art, just happy it is around.

    With that said here is a song I hope gets stuck in your head for the rest of the day.

    Sara Watkins You and Me. (I found the song via Shazam, on some TV show.

    I am not that hip and assumed she was super popular. I just went, because this song has been in my head for days and days, to YouTube and it has 157 views. And you would not get it from the above song, she is in a bluegrass band. How cool is that!

  58. 58.

    NotMax

    April 18, 2015 at 5:50 am

    @Betty Cracker

    Brussels sprouts roasted with some maple syrup are very nice. One such recipe here.

  59. 59.

    SWMBO

    April 18, 2015 at 5:54 am

    @Tommy: I believe she opened and played with John Prine a couple years back. She’s good. She was also in Nickel Creek.

  60. 60.

    Tommy

    April 18, 2015 at 5:56 am

    @Tommy: Oh here is a video that has 100,000 plus views. Honestly I am not sure there is anything more sexy then a women singing and then pulling out and playing a fiddle.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJY4asP8lT4

    Oh and fiddle for those not from the midwest and/or south is a violin :).

  61. 61.

    NotMax

    April 18, 2015 at 6:09 am

    @Tommy

    Grease Beast cleaner works like magic. Probably sold elsewhere online in smaller quantities than at the link.

    One warning, though. Undiluted, it will eventually eat through things like a plastic spray bottle, so keep it in a glass container.

  62. 62.

    Robert Sneddon

    April 18, 2015 at 6:14 am

    @Amir Khalid: Who’s going to pay for the game rangers? The safari fees and taxes are a big chunk of change for the local governments in a number of African countries.

    As for culling, long time back I read about a cull of elephants in South Africa carried out by government rangers. They wiped out an entire herd of elephants in one short operation, adults, gravid females and jumbos (babies). A herd of elephants with only a few of its members culled was known to be a problem, splintering to produce rogues (usually younger males) that spread out and attacked members of other herds trying to find a place and also attacking local farms and occasionally killing people.

  63. 63.

    Tissue Thin Pseudonym

    April 18, 2015 at 6:27 am

    All right! I have a website. There’s not much to it just yet, just one page with the Prologue on it. Comments welcome here; the comments there won’t show up until I approve them and I’m debating whether or not I’m going to allow comments at all on the excerpt pages.

    The Kickstarter is probably going to start Monday as I won’t be getting any sleep today. (Other reasons; nothing to do with Phoebe.)

    @Tommy: Thanks for your help yesterday. Runbox finally responded and got WordPress set up, so I’m sticking with them for the moment. However, I’ll be reviewing that choice when it comes time to renew and if I’m not happy, I’ll move to GoDaddy then.

  64. 64.

    ixnay

    April 18, 2015 at 6:35 am

    @Anne Laurie: My minor mission regarding kitchen counters is this: abandon marble and granite. They both need regular sealing (unless you like the shabby look), you can’t put hot utensils directly on them unless you then do the clean-up and re-sealing bit. Here’s the most amazing kitchen counter material you can find: soapstone. It’s used in chemistry labs – absolutely impermeable. Scratch it, and you can sand out the scratch. Throw a little food-grade mineral oil on every now and then if you like the gloss. If you look around a bit, you can find places that have interesting colors – ours is a wonderful deep green with white veins. Only downside I know is that it only comes in dark colors. These people are wonderful, practical, and I have no relationship with them except that they did an amazing job in our kitchen: http://www.mainesoapstone.com/

  65. 65.

    ixnay

    April 18, 2015 at 6:46 am

    @Betty Cracker: Somebody may have mentioned this already, but howzabout roasted brussel sprouts? They seem to be s current (well, by now, probably past current) thing, and I’m sure you can find a dairy-free version.

  66. 66.

    John Cole +0

    April 18, 2015 at 8:24 am

    @Mary G: I emailed you, Mary.

  67. 67.

    grandpa john

    April 18, 2015 at 8:39 am

    @Hal: WE are addicted to the same shows. Don’t forget Buying the Beach and my favorite Buying Alaska where a quarter of a million house may not include sewage,or connection to electricity or running water, but have it’s own private air strip. and bear.

  68. 68.

    grandpa john

    April 18, 2015 at 8:57 am

    @Violet: Heh , you should check in on Buying Alaska sometimes at the wonderful buys, some even have indoor toilets. Can you imagine wading through 5 foot snowdrifts to reach the outhouse” Also check out buying the bayou where houses complete with their own stock of Gators, and snakes

  69. 69.

    nancydarling

    April 18, 2015 at 9:18 am

    Homonyms and Ginger are a bitch.

    Seriously, it sounds like Ginger needs a home with one or two adults and no other pets. There has been a lot of trauma in the little girl’s life.

  70. 70.

    rikyrah

    April 18, 2015 at 9:49 am

    Sorry to hear about Ginger, but glad you found a place for her.

    4 animals is a lot, but what do I know. I’m not a pet owner.

  71. 71.

    Aleta

    April 18, 2015 at 10:35 am

    @stibbert:
    Great idea. That would have helped so much when my mom needed care at home.

  72. 72.

    Mnemosyne (tablet)

    April 18, 2015 at 10:56 am

    @Betty Cracker:

    Way too late but with those two restrictions, it might be worth looking for a low-FODMAPs recipe. A lot of people who think they have trouble with gluten actually have FODMAPs trouble, and it’s even more likely when they also have trouble with lactose (another FODMAP). Dietician Kate Scarlata has a good blog, but you can also just Google it.

  73. 73.

    Tenar Darell

    April 18, 2015 at 11:47 am

    Very very late; I’ll try to post elsewhere too.

    @Betty Cracker:

    Second thing: Is there any way to permanently turn the “iPad version” of WordPress off on a site (this one)? For months, my bookmarked desktop version came up, then suddenly it no longer did, and it annoys me to have to scroll all the way to the bottom to manually switch it over every time.

    There are two possible ways to fix this, depending on what browser you use. Non-browser specific: There should be a link option at the bottom of the page. Scroll all the way to the bottom of a comment thread. It should say “Mobile Theme” some such, select “Off.” Browser specific: Chrome options button looks like three vertical dots. Select “Request Desktop Site.” (Not sure where this option is in Safari).

  74. 74.

    opiejeanne

    April 18, 2015 at 12:51 pm

    @ixnay: We have soapstone on the island in the remodeled kitchen and we love it. The rest of the counters are of something called Super White, or quartzite. It’s really pretty, looks a lot like marble but is tougher and doesn’t require the constant sealing. The only issue I have noticed is that lemon juice will etch it if not cleaned up, but the only thing I’ve seen that will leave a mark on soapstone is a Magic Marker.

  75. 75.

    Kristine

    April 18, 2015 at 2:24 pm

    @Anne Laurie: Do you watch Rehab Addict? I like Nicole Curtis because she tries to keep as much of the original stuff in place as possible when she rehabs. If she does need to replace a sink, tile, etc, she tries to do it with materials from the same period. Plus, I like her aesthetic, which is neutral and clean-looking. Property Brothers is okay until it comes time for decorating. I never realized how much I hated sunburst clocks and wall hangings.

  76. 76.

    Kristine

    April 18, 2015 at 2:31 pm

    Just want to say that I agree with what everyone else is saying about house-hunting shows, the buyers, s/s appliances, open floor plans, and tile backsplashes.

  77. 77.

    Not Adding Much to the Community

    April 18, 2015 at 2:50 pm

    @Tommy: You know the difference between a fiddle and a violin? A fiddle has more beer spilled on it.

  78. 78.

    LanceThruster

    April 18, 2015 at 2:52 pm

    I want to know what Ginger’s undisclosed issues are, and still want pictures from her new forever home.

  79. 79.

    Nutella

    April 18, 2015 at 3:24 pm

    @mai naem mobile:

    And stainless steel appliances – one little ding and it looks like shit.

    Even without any dings they look like shit. Stainless steel says “cheap 70’s apartment” to me and always will.

  80. 80.

    Ohio Mom

    April 18, 2015 at 6:34 pm

    @LanceThruster: Whatever Ginger’s issues are, I’m betting they are not being helped by her diabetes.

    I know from a couple of humans with diabetes I’ve been with that high blood sugar levels make for very short tempers; people with low blood sugar levels can be downright goofy in dangerous ways.

  81. 81.

    opiejeanne

    April 18, 2015 at 7:57 pm

    @Nutella: I never saw a SS refrigerator in the 70s. One thing I don’t like about SS refrigerators is that magnets won’t stick to them, and I can’t play dress-up with my Obama magnet set.

  82. 82.

    LanceThruster

    April 18, 2015 at 9:20 pm

    @Ohio Mom:

    Thanks. I always worry about pets who through no fault of their own are difficult charges. People are not obligated to put themselves in an untenable position when there are other options. I hope Ginger finds someplace that is a good fit for her.

  83. 83.

    SWMBO

    April 18, 2015 at 10:19 pm

    @Ohio Mom: Many years ago we had Dixie. She was “difficult” on a good day. One day when I was taking in one of the others (we had 5 at the time), I told the vet, “Tranquilizers, them or me!” He asked who was causing the most problems and Dixie shot to the top of the list. We tried her on elevil and it was like throwing her happy switch. She became pleasant and agreeable. She was on it the rest of her life but it worked like a charm for her. In reading the prescription sheet, it also has a pain management component. She didn’t act as stiff and sore and touchy all the time. In generic form it was relatively cheap. Improved her quality of life and everyone’s around her.

  84. 84.

    LanceThruster

    April 18, 2015 at 10:47 pm

    @SWMBO:

    Thank you for sharing that. It is comforting to know that proper care and the willingness to look for a solution did the job in such a dramatic fashion.

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