First up: Werebear has written up something for a Writer Group Post, so we’ll have one of those tomorrow. Same chat time, same chat place (12:30/11:30/10:30/9:30).
To continue our lazy Saturday theme:
Even though she’s almost 70 lbs, she’s still a puppy and still falls asleep whenever she runs out of gas, wherever that might be. I think she was barking out the window moments before this:
And here are some pretty flowers…this was a few weeks ago, they’ve really popped since. The iris and poppies are just about ready to bloom next.
I’m off to plant peppers (to join the tomatoes) and mow the lawn. What are you up to?
Open thread.
ETA: I had to front page this from Raven:
I’m still laughing.
donnah
I have spent the past week and a half doing spring cleaning in my house. I mean, serious cleaning with much purging of clutter and junk. Now I get to sit down and work on my Christopher Robin and Pooh rug. Happy!
here’s a link:
https://i.imgur.com/yIqe2zg.jpg
MattF
Hmm. Sofa. Nap.
RedDirtGirl
Did laundry and errands as well as an early grocery shop. Feeling virtuous. And now I can play for the rest of the weekend!
RedDirtGirl
@donnah: That is beautiful. How big will it be?
Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD)
Which is better, 2000s pop R&B or 2010s pop R&B?
TaMara (HFG)
I just added Raven’s video up top if you missed it. Off to garden. Play nice.
TaMara (HFG)
@donnah: That’s so beautiful, loving the updates.
donnah
@RedDirtGirl:
Thanks! It will be 30” by 43”
My goal is to finish it for a major event show in August, then donate it to the children’s section of our local library, which was just remodeled last year. I’m happy with it so far!
scav
Unexpected trip out for rhubarb picking and greenhouse tour as a treat for digging up weeds under a garden fence. Spear grass is up too and baby radishes. May everyone’s gardens provide similar treats anong with the needed blooming things!
RedDirtGirl
@donnah: The perfect place for it!
WaterGirl
@donnah: It’s really amazing! And you’ve mastered imgur. :-)
donnah
@WaterGirl:
Hee hee! Thanks to you! I hope to be getting more finished and posting more often.
jeffreyw
Squirrel Feeder
Shell
@donnah: God bless you for not doing a Disney-esque version!
WaterGirl
@donnah: Can’t wait to see the finished product, and it will be our gain when you’re able to post here more.
Felanius Kootea
I’ve been following the case of the two Native American (Mohawk nation) teens from New Mexico who went on a college tour in Colorado and had a white mom call the cops on them because she felt they didn’t belong. She says she thought they were Mexican, as if that makes it any better. I’m most worried about the entitled crazy Trump has unleashed, the fact that so many conservative white people see the police as their personal white supremacy enforcement go-to, and that there are never any legal consequences for the white people who deliberately use the police to abuse minorities. The police also seem to be very willing to be used except in a few cases since the Starbucks incident backlash (NJ fitness club where staff called the cops on a black member and his guest for no reason, and the PA case where the golf club called the cops on black women golfers for playing too slow – in both cases, the police arrived but declined to get involved. Maybe some police chiefs are slowly learning something).
Amir Khalid
@jeffreyw:
I enjoyed seeing that. Damn, that’s one frustrated squirrel, though…
Shell
Tasha does NOT want to come in!
I know this year Ive been kinda out of the loop on so many things, between my moms passing, having to move and sell our old home (which has been its own saga) , getting used to living in a new apartment and a new State, being seperated from my dog Kate and what is now, probably her final days…
But I just saw a story about the 2018 Tony awards and Sponge Bob Square Pants is a musical?
Josie
@donnah: Beautiful. I’ll be excited to see the finished product. That was one of my oldest son’s favorite stories and always reminds me of him. He passed away a little more than a year ago, and I still can’t believe he is gone.
donnah
@Shell:
Yeah, not doing that! I had to get permission from the New York City Public Library to use the image of the stuffed animals. They actually have all of them, including Pooh Bear. I paid $50 to be able to use them in my rug, but it’s worth it to me.
Those were favorites of mine, and always will be.
trollhattan
@donnah:
Impressive!
Nicole
@Shell: And apparently it’s pretty good, I’ve heard.
germy
“If you see something
Calm your white ass down”
Cermet
Read a scientific paper on why large breeds age so fast compared to smaller breeds. The results should be considered by someone owning such a breed – far greater oxidation stress from the rapid growth as a pup. I’d think extra anti-oxidatives might counter those effects to some extent and maybe improve the dog’s lifespan. Worth considering.
zhena gogolia
@germy:
I need those for the ushers in my church! We had to go into Defcon 1 on Easter because someone was wearing a headscarf.
MelissaM
The Tasha vid reminds me of a great book, Find Momo. The photogs border collie was an excellent poser and he would stash the dog someplace in the scene. At times, it was truly difficult to find Momo.
Puppy is cute.
germy
germy
@zhena gogolia:
I’d be more nervous about a red ballcap.
delk
Got the second pathologist’s report on my dog Gav’s liver biopsy. He has been diagnosed with copper storage and this test would tell us how much copper is in his system. A normal dog’s range is between 120 and 400. 1500 is considered toxic. Sadly, Gav’s number clocked in at 1520.
So he started on a steroid and we had to order some rather expensive pills to try to remove the copper. They’ll check him again in a couple of months and take it from there.
Be careful outside. The new refrigerator I wanted just sprouted wings and is flying away from my kitchen!
germy
MattF
@Cermet: I’d be very surprised if extra anti-oxidants in your dog’s diet had any effect on aging stresses. All sorts of cures and fixes have been tried, but it’s still true that aging is pretty much a mystery.
Also, there’s some question about what happens if you go beyond the ‘normal’ lifespan. See “After Many a Summer Dies The Swan“.
rikyrah
The video is Hilarious ???
And Scout is so beautiful ?
rikyrah
@delk:
Sending positive thoughts ??
jeffreyw
@Amir Khalid: Frustrated is finally wiping off the grease and seeing his partner making it to the top.
rikyrah
@Felanius Kootea:
I have been furious reading that story.
Now the lie that they told was that they were “too quiet”
TOO QUIET??????
They were on a phucking tour. You’re supposed to walk and listen.
I am soo pissed about this happening to those children.
Nicole
@delk: Ugh, I’m sorry. I remember, back in my working-at-the-zoo days, there was a gorgeous, very social bird in the Tropics exhibit named Cookie (I can’t remember the species). Cookie would eat anything, and after a very expensive run with medicine to address the metal from the coins Cookie had eaten, Cookie had to be taken off exhibit.
On the bright side, any number of toddlers were probably grateful, as Cookie had learned that trays on kids’ strollers were fine places to find things to eat and would fly down and land on them and she was a pretty big bird.
B.B.A.
@germy: I call horseshit. He has no friends. Cronies, marks, unindicted co-conspirators, sure…
chris
@jeffreyw: That’s hilarious and practical too.
I hang my hummingbird feeders on lengths of stiff wire and put vaseline on the wire to keep the ants out. Have seen a little group of ants on the branch by the wire conferring on their next move.
germy
@B.B.A.:
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/breaking-mueller-team-questions-close-trump-friend-tom-barrack
I’ll have whatever he’s smoking.
trollhattan
@Cermet:
Would absolutely love to have an Irish wolfhound but could not bear the thought of having a big, fuzzy friend for such a brief time. I don’t have the strength.
Jay
“I’m sorry, Dave. I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“Dave’s not here, man!”
trollhattan
@delk:
Yikes! Here’s hoping for a good outcome.
trollhattan
@chris:
I’ve used a sticky product called “Tanglefoot” to keep ants at bay. It lasts a good long while between applications.
Litlebritdifrnt
Beautiful weather here today too in the low 60s but it felt much warmer. We drove up to Wray for the Annual Scarecrow Festival. Wray is a small, very old (dating back to the 1620s) village that was devastated by a flood back in 1967. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wray,_Lancashire). Anyhow they now have the Scarecrow festival which almost the entire village takes part in with all of the residents making and displaying scarecrows in their gardens or outside of their houses in town. This year’s theme was “Lights, Camera, Action”. My two favourites were a Dirty Dancing one (the final lift) and the funniest one was just a couple of sticks with bits of straw attached to them called “Gone with the Wind” (think about it). We ate lunch at the pub with Mum and Norman (who we had arranged to meet there). Walked around the village then as the weather was so beautiful we drove to The Crook O’ Lune. http://www.baldhiker.com/2014/06/26/wanders-and-views-at-the-crook-olune/. It was a cherished spot of mine as a child when we used to go for picnics and swimming (the water always seems to be freezing) and it is beautiful at this time of year with wild garlic, bluebells, forget me nots and buttercups all over the place. Tried skipping stones but turns out I am rubbish at it, and Nick beat me every time :) From there we went to The Lancaster Food and Drink Festival which was great fun. Got some wheels of spicy cheese for Nick as he loves it. About this time my feet were about to fall off so we headed home. Like I said it was a brilliant day. I am so lucky to be home and away from all the madness. Seeing as I have no interest in standing in the kitchen cooking we are ordering out for dinner. Relaxing indeed.
realbtl
@trollhattan: There used to be a killer local’s restaurant in Santa Fe NM called Dave’s Not Here. I still have a book of matches from there.
realbtl
@Jay:There used to be a killer local’s restaurant in Santa Fe NM called Dave’s Not Here. I still have a book of matches from there.
WereBear
@Cermet: Thanks, that is intriguing.
Though currently I am rescuing large breed cats :) might still be pertinent.
chris
@trollhattan: Yup. I used to sell Tanglefoot to keep various creepy crawlies off young trees and shrubs.
Gelfling 545
My daughter took me to several area plant nurseries to look at potting plants. When the hatch and bsck seat were full we came home. I need to go on these expeditions accompanied because I’ve got 2 months of not lifting more than 10 lbs ahead of me. She is a bad influence (Oh, look at this one, Mom!)
frosty
Just finished cutting back the hedge next to the driveway so we can get the car past it. Finished with my patented method of cleaning up: mow the cuttings with the bag on the mower, repeat as necessary, dump the chopped remains in the compost bin. Easy peasy and nothing goes to the landfill. Although, yes, I do burn some fossil fuels in the process. :-(
PaulWartenberg
Writing Juicers:
Tor.com is asking for your fantasy / scifi novellas (not novels) for submission until May 15th.
https://www.tor.com/submissions-guidelines/#Novella-Submissions-Guidelines
Fair Economist
@Cermet:
Unlikely. 30 years of research have shown that antioxidant supplementation only improves lifespan in certain inbred (=genetically messed up) strains and actually shortens it for typical members of a species. More likely it results from a combination of some body structures being too big for what they are adapted for (this is pretty well established for humans) and increased genetic damage from more cell divisions. In addition, the actual electron transfer systems in living systems are very long and complex and adding supplements for one or two stages is not likely to help and might hurt (which might explain the negative results from the large clinical trials).
Waratah
@donnah: Your work should hang in museums. Beautiful.
HinTN
@Jay:
Excellent juxtaposition
Mary G
This is kind of funny if you have seven minutes to spare:
My favorite line was “I didn’t pay attention to the last guy, he seemed smart and like he knew what he was doing, and I’m lazy.” (Might not be the exact words.)
zhena gogolia
@germy:
Me too! Luckily, those don’t darken the door of our church.
zhena gogolia
@delk:
I hope Gav responds well to treatment. He is so sweet.
NotMax
Looking for a time sink by any chance? Like food? Like history? Like nostalgia?
Here ya go.
Baud
It’s one of those days. I never want to do anything ever again.
zhena gogolia
@Mary G:
He is great.
Mary G
David Fahrenthold and two other WaPo writers strike again: As the ‘King of Debt,’ Trump borrowed to build his empire. Then he began spending hundreds of millions in cash.
Qusay said their enterprises were bringing in so much money, they didn’t need to get loans. Yeah, right. Somehow, I get the feeling that Mueller et. al are all over this.
NotMax
@Baud
Welcome to my world.
;)
Felanius Kootea
@rikyrah: Colorado State is now offering them an all expenses paid VIP tour (and says the tour guide didn’t know the mother of another prospective student had called the cops). I wonder whether they’ll take it.
germy
@Mary G:
If Mueller asks, he’ll be crossing the infamous “red line”
Mary G
This is a roll up of a heartbreaking tweetstorm about a teen who committed suicide. Very, very hard to read, but important, if you can.
Old Dan and Little Anne
I’m riding back from Newark. The swankiest wedding I’ve ever attended. I was chatting with a 30ish drunk, bubbly, lady about kids. I told her one and done for me. She proceeded to happily tell me I should have more kids because “we need more white babies because they’re becomong outnumbered. If you couldn’t guess I am a Republican.” No shit.
germy
https://shareblue.com/nra-attack-ellens-restaurant-dallas/
NotMax
@germy
I want to marry that restaurant.
@Old Dan and Little Anne
Yoicks. Too late now for the spit take followed by the comeback “Oh, just like Ben Carson and Bobby Jindal?” Out of curiosity, Newark in NJ or in DE?
Brachiator
@NotMax:
Fascinating stuff. Love how eating habits are reflections of social habits.
Old Dan and Little Anne
@NotMax: NJ. There are a dozens things i wanted to say but I had been having a fun time and didn’t want to start a fight with someone who looked and sounded like a kindergarten teacher.
germy
zhena gogolia
@NotMax:
Does this mean I have to go to Dallas?
satby
@Old Dan and Little Anne: @NotMax: The National Right to Life organization was very open back in the 1970s that they opposed abortion mainly because it was educated women getting them, not minorities, and that whites would be outnumbered. They weren’t secretive about that at all.
They still seldom disturb Planned Parenthood offices in minority neighborhoods.
Quinerly
@NotMax: I want to marry that restaurant, too.
And have many little pop up restaurants and some taco trucks with it.
?
MomSense
@donnah:
Gorgeous!
debbie
@donnah:
Beautiful!
MomSense
@Mary G:
I watched the whole special the other night. It’s really funny. Definitely worth watching.
Steve in the ATL
@Old Dan and Little Anne: she was a woman but doesn’t sound like she was a lady
aimai
@germy: Wait–you mean the GOP hasn’t normalized the Klan?
PaulWartenberg
@germy:
I hope the restaurant had cameras and I hope to God they got good facial profiles of the worst offenders.
rikyrah
@Mary G:
I couldn’t finish it ???