Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

It’s a doggy dog world.

An almost top 10,000 blog!

I also would like a pony to improve my balloon juice experience.

I might just take the rest of the day off and do even more nothing than usual.

How can republicans represent us when they don’t trust women?

It’s a new day. Light all those Biden polls of young people on fire and throw away the ashes.

The new republican ‘Pastor’ of the House is an odious authoritarian little creep.

Books are my comfort food!

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

Just because you believe it, that doesn’t make it true.

You know it’s bad when the Project 2025 people have to create training videos on “How To Be Normal”.

Russia bombs Ukraine’s maternity hospitals; Republicans in the House can’t sort out supporting Ukraine.

When you’re a Republican, they let you do it.

🎶 Those boots were made for mockin’ 🎵

Democrats are back in array!

Israel is using food as a weapon of war. Unforgivable.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

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

The most dangerous place for a black man in America is in a white man’s imagination.

They love authoritarianism, but only when they get to be the authoritarians.

I know this must be bad for Joe Biden, I just don’t know how.

Putin dreamed of ending NATO, and now it’s Finnish-ed.

Republicans can’t even be trusted with their own money.

You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Cat Blogging / No Politics Open Thread

No Politics Open Thread

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It’s been a pleasant weekend for me, and now we have to get ready for the week. I thought we might end things up with a no-politics thread.

The cats have had a good weekend too. Ric loves turkey, Zooey less so. Zooey tries to bully Ric about food, but I intercept him most of the time, so Ric has the rare advantage with turkey. Here, Zooey is sleeping on a sheet I bought for the bed to protect it against the dust Zooey loves to roll in when he goes outside.

 

Edited to clarify.

Reader Interactions

118Comments

  1. 1.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    We spent the weekend dogsitting Fran my Mum’s aged JRT. We had a ball, DH loved taking her out for walks and I loved spoiling her rotten. For some reason Mum brought her doggie bed with her to put in the bedroom which of course was unused the entire weekend as she slept with us. There is something very reassuring about waking up to a doggie warming your feet.

  2. 2.

    lamh36

    Just finished watching Die Another Day. Of Pierce Brosnan’s 4 Bond films, this one is probably my FAVORITE OVERALL. Maybe cause it’s the 1 out of 4 I remember both real & character names of the Bond villain, Bond Girls, Henchmen, and even the major action set pieces.

    The one thing I didn’t like about #DieAnotherDay that Madonna theme song…meh…weakest link of all the Bond theme songs?

    ETA: Mahn… Moneypenny was soooo damn THIRSTY…for James in the pre-Craig films…

    One of the many things I like about the Noami Harris version of is that she’s not so damn gaga over James

  3. 3.

    ThresherK

    The Grey Cup is on from Ottawa.

    A Canadian-famous rapper was the last in-stadium before-game performer. No idea how his DJ worked in the snow.

    Shania Twain will be the halftime performer.

  4. 4.

    Spanky

    Folks might remember this has been a no-good, downright terrible year for our cats, where we’ve lost three to cancer. Well, yesterday the missus had to go to the dry cleaners, and wanted to stop in the wine store too. The store in between is a pet store. There were kittens in the window.

    Yeah, you can see where this is going. She liked one of two Maine Coon brothers and a B&W tuxedo. I liked the two MCs. So we claimed all three. We’ll have them in-house in two weeks.

    Hope this is sufficiently non-political.

  5. 5.

    dmsilev

    My parents and I are about to deal with the last of the turkey: the carcass got turned into soup this morning, and we’ll have that for dinner in a little bit.

    Speaking of turkey soup, and very tangentially about politics, there was a follow-up story in the news today about Michael Dukakis and turkey soup. A couple of years ago, he gave an interview around Thanksgiving where he mentioned his habit of making soup from the carcass every year, and that he’d take any unwanted carcasses. 27 showed up that year (his daughter live-Tweeted the steady stream of arrivals…), and he made a lot of soup (donated to a community center). This year, probably much to his family’s relief, only one unsolicited turkey carcass turned up on his doorstep.

  6. 6.

    debit

    I started to put up my tree, but am miserable with a cold, so now I’m cuddling with Dani. She’s feeling better after her baby shots, thanks FSM.

  11. 11.

    MobiusKlein

    Watching the 9’ers for the first time this year – and shredding old documents – and they suck.

    The niners, that is. And the shredder two.
    Says it can handle 7 pages at a time, but put in 4 and it groans like a boat dragging anchor.
    Then it shuts down from heat.

  15. 15.

    Lahke

    Just dining out on sushi after seeing a concert version of Handel’s Almira by the Boston Early Music Festival. Jeez, I love Boston.

  16. 16.

    WaterGirl

    @debit: Oh my gosh, she looks like Miss Willow, my stripey kitty. Adorable! Glad she is feeling better. I’m sure you are much relieved.

  21. 21.

    debit

    @WaterGirl: She had a horrible diarrhea and was really lethargic, so yeah, I was worried. I’ve never been the kind of pet owner that hovered over her pets, but for this little girl I feel like I’m just one step away from bundling her up and rushing to the vet. It’s just that she’s so tiny! Anyway, she was ripping around this morning like one of the velociraptors from Jurassic Park so she’s just fine.

  22. 22.

    catpal

    Thanks for the cat pic to cheer me up since I recently had to say goodbye to my 19 year old cat who was a great long time companion. I don’t usually do this but if you want to donate to this great cat rescue group near me here is the link

  23. 23.

    Amaranthine RBG

    The place we have up in Sonoma has a lot of mature oak trees folks from the nearby rancheria come and gather the acorns. This year they gave us a couple of pounds of acorn flour and we used it to make a polenta for Thanksgiving dinner.

    Very nice – I’d never had it before. I’d love to have it again, but from what I can figure out there is a ton of work involved in the preparation.

  24. 24.

    lamh36

    @dmsilev: Goldfinger is in my top 5, though I put Diamonds Are Forever above it, still, I actually do like more than a few of the theme songs after Goldfinger…

  26. 26.

    lamh36

    Saw a preview of the new Jumanji film..and I gotta say, I laughed…so I might just have to check it out. True Confessions: I’m not a fan of the original film…and I loved me some Robin Williams, but have/had NO interest in the original. I don’t really think it was that great a film to be honest…def in the bottom of my fav Robin Williams flicks

  27. 27.

    zhena gogolia

    I didn’t get any turkey because I’m sick — still sick and have to go back to work tomorrow, I don’t know how. I LOVE turkey (I know it’s not fashionable to say so). So I haz a big sad. Everything is annoying me right now.

  32. 32.

    delk

    We are moving into our new condo Thursday. This will be the first time I have moved with a dog. Hoping Gav will acclimate to the new place. Any tips for bringing him to the new place?

  34. 34.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @ThresherK:

    Met Shania Twain many years ago — 15-20, maybe? — when she performed in a summer pops concert series and then came to the Consul General’s official residence for a reception in her honour. I recall her as being very nice and quite charming. She was pretty well known although not close to superstar back then.

  35. 35.

    Suzanne

    @delk: I’ve never had a hard time moving dogs. Might get the squirts for a day or two, but they do okay. Cats are harder and require strategy. I would just take Doggo for a bunch of car trips in advance, and keep feeding/pooping schedule the same.

  36. 36.

    oatler.

    @lamh36: John Barry’s soundtracks and the sexy intros were much better than the actual movies. But where else in 1962 could you get a gander at Ursula Andress’ sinful belly button?

  37. 37.

    Cermet

    This was and is the last time I will eat turkey; even the left overs. I can’t standing eating these guys – unlike chickens (sorry to the poster here that has them as pets) – I like turkeys. I gave up beef quit awhile ago because they are far too intelligent to be slaughtered and butchered for meat – ditto for pigs. At some point, maybe I’ll warm up to chickens but frankly, they are just too closely related to T-Rex’s and for that, they are on my ‘bad’ list.

    Otherwise, a very nice thanksgiving (not sure my daughter will be thrilled when she learns I will not buy or make turkey any more …oh, well. Have till next thanksgiving to worry about that.)

  39. 39.

    Amaranthine RBG

    @delk:

    Can you take him there for an introduction before you move in your things?

    That might be a low-stress introduction because I imagine once you get all of your boxes and furnitures in, it will be days or weeks of unpacking and instability which some dogs find upsetting.

  40. 40.

    debit

    @tybee: You have to take care of yourself. I made this lemon chicken soup and it really hit the spot. I loaded it up with garlic and fresh oregano and tripled the lemon juice for extra yum. Next up will be a vodka and lime juice with some fresh pineapple skewers. If all else fails, I have Nyquil.

  41. 41.

    dexwood

    @delk:
    Familiar things and scents from the old place help a lot. If you’re calm and comfortable in the new place Gav should be, too. Treats, don’t forget treats and praise.

  42. 42.

    Patricia Kayden

    @lamh36: The original looked too scary the few times I tried to watch it. This new version has Kevin Hart and looks hilarious. A must see for me since I am a big fan of Hart.

    @Spanky: Awww. A house full of kitties sounds wonderful right about now.

  43. 43.

    evap

    My childhood cat adored turkey and would go nuts on Thanksgiving. Of course we gave him some!

    A turkey pot pie is in the over, it will be our dinner tonight. And that’s the last of the turkey.

  46. 46.

    Lahke

    @dmsilev: Hi, didn’t know you were local (or forgot, sorry). We should do a little Meetup at one of these things. Are you going to any of the six Messiah versions in town?

  49. 49.

    CarolDuhart2

    Retiring 12/31/17 and starting to feel the countdown blues. Why blues? Financial stress and wondering what I will do with myself when I no longer have to get up everyday. On the other hand, I’m also looking forward to this new chapter in my life, working on blogs, and maybe spending more time with my Kitty.

  50. 50.

    Feathers

    K@WaterGirl: I think it must be a big chunk of the internet. I had Mason Dixon Knitting time out on me before I came over here. A bunch of stuff was slow a little while ago. I just thought it was my connection.

  52. 52.

    Schlemazel

    @evap:
    We had turkey pot pie for dinner last night & it was fabulous!
    It is cool to hate on turkey this year and I don’t get why.. Sure, they have been bred to have less flavor but not everything has to have huge taste, subtlety is OK particularly when paired with so many other tasty things. If you do it right the breast does not have to be dry, but I do prefer the dark meat.

  53. 53.

    Spanky

    @Suzanne:

    I look forward to tales of hilarity and hijinks.

    That’s what we’re hoping for.

    After we lost our dear Nicky in 2007 the same thing happened. After 6 weeks the missus thought we should go to the shelter “just to see what they’ve got”. Came home with three. You know when you do that that you’re setting yourself up for heartache at the end, but I never figured it’d be two going 6 weeks apart when they were only 10 1/2.

    Yet here we go again.

  54. 54.

    Heidi Mom

    @Spanky: Congratulations! I have a friend who, at a very low point in her life, went to a friend’s house to adopt a kitten or two from a litter of four. After trying unsuccessfully to choose just two, she said, “What the heck, I’ll take all four!” She’s never regretted it. It’s easy to focus on the work involved in taking care of pets and forget how much sheer joy they bring. Besides, WereBear says that the solution to your cat problems is to get another cat, so you’re all set before you even get started! Wishing you many happy years together.

  55. 55.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Lapassionara:

    Turkey carcasses should be used for soup, but some people don’t know that.

    Not in my house–we use them for hash! It’s far more popular than the Thanksgiving spread.

  56. 56.

    Schlemazel

    @CarolDuhart2:
    I have a couple of volunteer gigs I am thinking about but money & my health are the big concerns. I think you need to have a reason to get out of bed every day. I have a hobby I like also but it requires a space & I doubt we will have that because we are going to need to move out of this house at some point. But all of that is 5 years off so who knows?

  57. 57.

    Jeffro

    I’m getting better about cooking up a bunch of things on Sundays for the week ahead. For tonight’s dinner, I made some Korean roast pork & noodles (‘zoodles’, actually – the kind made out of zucchini and squash? I like using those for Asian dishes)

    While that was cooking, I baked off some chicken breasts and used them to make coconut curry chicken noodle soup and some chicken salad (w/ dried blueberries!) for lunches and dinners this week.

    In other news, my daughter looks like she’s just about back up to speed after having 4 wisdom teeth out last Tuesday, and the week ahead is full of happy events (including a rare Tuesday night show to catch down in DC). Should be a good one (knock on wood!)

  58. 58.

    Schlemazel

    @Steve in the ATL:
    The very best part of the Thanksgiving meal is the leftovers! I love picking Thanksgiving evening, pot pies, soup and hash. All the great flavors without all the hassle of the grand meal

  59. 59.

    CarolDuhart2

    Turkey pot pie isn’t all that bad, even though the only ones I’ve had were the one that came in foil pans. I imagine homemade ones are far tastier though.

  60. 60.

    Mnemosyne

    @CarolDuhart2:

    I was going to say what Schlemazel said — retirement is the time to volunteer with that organization you never had time for or to pick up the hobby you always wanted to try. Maybe both!

    Also a good time to spend more time with your younger family members if you have them. Nieces and nephews are fun to hang out with, and yours may be old enough to have grand-nieces and nephews for you to play with.

  62. 62.

    Suzanne

    @Spanky: It’ll be okay. We had a couple of years of losing too many furry friends within short spans, but I agree with WereBear: the solution is to get another dog or cat relatively quickly.

  65. 65.

    Beautifulplummage

    OT Seattle meetup? I saw MikeJ & CaseyL bring up Rumera’s visit to downtown around the 8th. Can’t think of any ~ $20 choices downtown myself. U district has Big Time Brewing which has pizza, calzone, salads, soups, etc but might not work for her. Anyone else have ideas?

  67. 67.

    raven

    Fished from 8am till sunset. Caught two whiting and that was it. It was a beautiful day, upper 60’s, flat surf and a bit of a breeze. There were dolphins jumping like mad as the sun went down but even with my big camera they were too far out to get any decent shots. We had a nice dinner of the fish I caught on the boat Friday so all is well. I have two more days to try to catch something but, even if I don’t, it’s been great.

  68. 68.

    CarolDuhart2

    @Schlemazel: Looking forward to time off, still deciding on temporary work. Want to cocoon in January and avoid very cold weather and do all the medical stuff without worrying about taking days off. Later? I will see about that.

    I’m glad to let go of a commute that’s an hour each way on the bus while my knees gradually stiffen, and trying to keep up with the pace of what I do.

  69. 69.

    Steve in the ATL

    @JPL: I voted for her last time–one of 6,500 of 85,000 Johns Creek residents who voted in that election! Plan to do so again. Hopefully early as I am traveling for bargaining or arbitrations pretty much every day between now and Generic Winter Gift Giving Holiday (don’t want to get political by saying C*****mas).

  72. 72.

    Steve in the ATL

    @CarolDuhart2:

    wondering what I will do with myself when I no longer have to get up everyday

    From what I have read on this site, retirement consists primarily of not wearing pants.

  75. 75.

    CaseyL

    @Beautifulplummage: Ruemara doesn’t have wheels, but if we meetup on a weekend I’d be happy to drive her to the meetup and back to her hotel. However, there is a Blue Water Taco place downtown, with what seems to be an acceptable price range (i’m very fond of the one on Queen Anne).

    I’ve asked Anne Laurie to do a bleg post for the Seattle BJers to suggest a place to go; haven’t heard back from her yet.

  78. 78.

    Spanky

    @satby: Should have been clearer. One of the local rescue orgs that pulls animals out of the kill shelters had set up in our local PetValu, which never has their own stock of animals. These guys were doomed to be euthanized before they got saved.

  84. 84.

    satby

    @CarolDuhart2: Technically, I “retired” last June, and then proceeded to work 6 days a week between my hobby job and my little part time, just-to-get-out-of-the-house job! Which has been dialed back now to only 2 days a week. Getting a chance to do more volunteering and dive really deep into a hobby may make you feel busier than ever, but not stressed as much because it’s on your own schedule.

  87. 87.

    raven

    @CarolDuhart2: There is an interesting book called “Younger Next Year” that is aimed at folks getting ready to retire. Basically they urge you not to let decay set in on a physical or psychological level. It’s worth a gander.

  91. 91.

    ThresherK

    @SiubhanDuinne: I’ve heard she doesn’t put on airs. By 2002 she had maybe 20 million albums sold, so I’m gonna put that meeting to more like 20. Actually, 2002 (15 years ago) was the release of one of her biggest albums, and her first Grey Cup performance.

    @debit: Heh. So, one stray leg is more white than the others?

    My Jazz, a calico, has black and pink on every one of her pads. Plus a few little spots like someone went around with a magic marker.

  92. 92.

    Felonius Monk

    Bought myself an early birthday present that was delivered this past Friday — an Instant Pot Ultra. This thing is really pretty cool. Tonight I made Beef Bourguignon in it. Once everything is prepped and assembled, it only takes 15 minutes to cook. It was every bit as tender and flavorful as the stuff that takes 2 hours in the oven. Looks like this appliance is a winner.

    Anybody else have one these?

  93. 93.

    Mnemosyne

    @Felonius Monk:

    I don’t have one, but I was considering it. I like my crockpot but I don’t use it as often as I’d like because it’s kind of a pain to clean.

  94. 94.

    NotMax

    Late in thread but have a question for the commentariat.

    Mom has an annuity which goes kaput when she turns 90 (early next year). Apparently she will be subject to a forced withdrawal and to paying taxes on interest accrued at that time. She definitely wants to set up another annuity or other similar financial vehicle. Her general style is to let the interest stay within the plan to build up the gross amount. Retirement benefits plus social security provide her regular living income.

    I know nada about any of this stuff – any ideas, suggestions, experience which might be helpful in this matter?

  95. 95.

    Felonius Monk

    @Mnemosyne:

    because it’s kind of a pain to clean.

    This thing is really easy to clean. It has a stainless steel pot that is removable. Very easy to clean. The top can even go thru the dishwasher if you are so inclined.

  97. 97.

    Beautifulplummage

    @CaseyL: Hi CaseyL, sounds like you’re on it. My evening schedule is pretty open, so set the time & date that works for others. Cheers!

  99. 99.

    Brachiator

    @Felonius Monk:

    Bought myself an early birthday present that was delivered this past Friday — an Instant Pot Ultra.

    I know nothing about these, but now vaguely remember a co-worker talking about them. Are these smaller than a standard crock pot?

  100. 100.

    satby

    @delk: second the treats, familiar things, and sticking as closely as you can to whatever schedule you and your dog normally follow. Keep a tight grip on the leash for walks too, unfamiliar things could startle and cause him to bolt.

  103. 103.

    satby

    @Felonius Monk: I got one and I am enjoying it. Tomorrow it’s going to be making turkey soup from my turkey carcass. I got the model that makes yogurt, but haven’t tried that yet, it’s on the list though.

  104. 104.

    donnah

    @Felonius Monk:

    I have the 6 qt model Instant Pot and love it. I’ve cooked chicken, pot roast, ribs and the best mac and cheese I’ve ever had. It’s awesome.

    I recommend “Great Food Fast” by Bob Warden. It’s a pressure cooker cookbook and it’s got wonderful recipes.

  105. 105.

    satby

    @Brachiator: no, bigger. They’re multipurpose pressure cookers.

    Edited to add: for me, it makes pretty large meals, so I use it about once a week and then eat leftovers the following nights.

  106. 106.

    M. Bouffant

    @Suzanne: Yep. No job, no pants!! A mere 60°F here, however, so I had to put on pants or turn on the heater.

    It took yrs. after giving up working to escape that nagging feeling that there was something/anything I should be doing. They really have us brainwashed.

  107. 107.

    J R in WV

    I have enjoyed retirement. When we moved out here I actually farmed some, we kept chickens and a dairy cow and pigs and a work horse. Of course, back then I was young and sturdy, and now I’m old and repaired. So no more heavy work out of my feeble bod. I went back to college, learned a trade, worked hard until I hit retirement age.

    But we visit neighbors, some hippys have been retired since, well long time gone. Retirement is great. We both worked long enough to earn pensions, and were well paid enough that we can be comfortable and do a little traveling a couple of times a year.

    Last May we went to Italy for the first time. Learned that very little wine in Italy is not good wine. The food is also pretty good. Most everywhere, really. Old stuff is routine, really old stuff is also common. Etruscan tombs, just open to walk into.

    Life is good, so far. Working hard for Democratic candidates! That’s a good hobby, if that isn’t too political, but it is worth doing!

    We have two dogs and two cats, and acres of wooded hillsides for them to roam on. Of course there’s maintenance on the house and car and tractor, etc. Have a contractor coming to give us an estimate on remodeling the HVAC plant. Got the brush hog drive shaft fixed last week, went to mow the bottoms – on tractor powered brush hogs most of them have a wheel on the back of the mower which keeps the back half up off the ground. It’s a solid rubber kind of thing, and the bolts around the inside that hold the wheel part to the axle broke.

    So if you get one thing fixed, something else breaks. That’s kind of interesting… kinda.

    Best of luck to all!!

  109. 109.

    Felonius Monk

    @Brachiator:

    Are these smaller than a standard crock pot?

    It’s somewhat bigger than my old crockpot. I got the six quart model. They also make an eight quart size.

  110. 110.

    Yutsano

    I dropped my first deposit on the new apartment today. Significant upgrade from theold place. Only real issue is it’s a 2 bedroom with that price ($880), but I can live with that for six months.

    My move in date is the 8th. Which is why I will have to miss Ruemara,

  111. 111.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Yutsano: we are more concerned with when you are dropping your new tracks and whether they will be a significant upgrade from your last album.

  113. 113.

    StringOnAStick

    @NotMax: If she liked having an annuity then it can be turned into another annuity though it is trickier finding one that will accept funds from someone of her advanced age. Annuities are contracts where the seller is promising a set interest rate in exchange for there being a fixed time period that they can count on having your money to invest with. Obviously the rating of the issuing company counts; we avoid anything below A grade. Part of the deal is that an early withdrawal cuts into what interest you would have made, plus with a buyer who is actuarially not a great risk then the seller doesn’t have the assurance of a long time period to use your money.

    Contact an independent annuity salesperson, otherwise if you go through an insurance agent they’ll only pick from their company’s offerings instead of the whole annuity universe. If you’d like the name of an independent agent we’ve used for over 12 years and who is also a trusted friend you can email me at kitcoh at gmail dot com.

  114. 114.

    Skepticat

    @Spanky: Maine coon cats are the absolute best! Enjoy.

    This summer there were times when I thought my insignificant other was a bit overly paranoid about ticks and mosquitoes, as he wore all Insect Shield clothing and socks and vehemently insisted that I treat my clothes with permethrin and always use repellent. Then a friend in Massachusetts lost someone close to encephalitis from a bite, and now a friend in Maine bitten by a tick is hospitalized with a serious case of anaplasmosis (which the I.O.’s dog had to be treated for in July). I’ve had several bouts of Lyme disease, the first untreated, which left me with lifelong problems, and that was bad enough. The only good thing about looming cold weather and snow there is that it might slow down the critters, but I encourage all to be alert and wary.

  117. 117.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Steve in the ATL: Late to the thread, I know, but just to stick in my $0.02:

    Mom would take the turkey carcass & bust it up enough to jam into her pressure cooker, add water, bring to pressure, remove solids, discard the bones, chop the meat & return it to the pot, add flour & a package of frozen mixed vegetables, mix & heat until the veggies were cooked. Voila: Creamed turkey; serve over toast points. We kids liked the leftovers (this, plus turkey breast sammiches wif maynaze) better than the original bird.

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