Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

This has so much WTF written all over it that it is hard to comprehend.

You can’t love your country only when you win.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

Republicans don’t trust women.

This fight is for everything.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

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

Let’s finish the job.

Second rate reporter says what?

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

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

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

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

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

No Justins, No Peace

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

I was promised a recession.

Not all heroes wear capes.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

Shallow, uninformed, and lacking identity

Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

You are here: Home / John Cole Presents "This Fucking Old House" / Lily’s Monthly Chemo Update

Lily’s Monthly Chemo Update

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Took Lily to chemo today, and she got a clean bill of health, and basically all they said was that everything is great, her numbers are fantastic, come back in a month, and btw several of the vet techs were plotting to steal her:

Since she is on no meds anymore except her monthly bloodwork and vincristine, this was the cheapest visit yet, at only 200 bucks. Which is down from when it was twice my mortgage a month, then matched my mortgage, to half my mortgage, to a 1/3 of my mortgage- you get the picture. So I am doubly happy today. She’s worth it anyway.

I did make a tactical mistake, today, though, and went to Costco two days before Thanksgiving. I always go when I am up there for her treatments because I have nothing else to do, and dad wanted me to pick up some vitamins and a few other things. I wasn’t at all thinking about the holiday, BUT EVERYONE ELSE IN THE GREATER FUCKING PITTSBURGH AREA SURE WAS. At any rate, it was a horror show, with a thousand people thinking only about themselves just wandering off leaving carts unattended, stopping in the middle of the aisles to talk on the phone, or just stopping everything because there is a god damned free sample of something they won’t buy anyway. It just amazes me how much of the world operates like no one around them exists. The only people who get a pass from this sort of assholish behavior are the mothers with two or three kids running around raising hell. You can see it in their eyes that they are just 50% ready to go off like a hand grenade whose pin has been pulled but no one knows when or 50% ready to just sit down in the aisle and have a solid cry. I feel for them.

Everyone else has no fucking excuse. I do breathing exercises and try to tell myself “Hey, everyone there may be having the worst day of their lives, don’t judge,” and try to be kind, but it just drives me into madness anyway. Is it because people decide “this is going to be awful regardless what I do so might as well just let my asshole flag fly?” Is that what it is? Because that is the opposite of my logic. Maybe it’s my past in the military, because my mentality is “Ok, this is going to be awful, let’s do what we can to not make shit worse and maybe we will get out of here without any felonies, fatalities, or me becoming an infamous youtube star in someone else’s video.”

Regardless, I made it out alive, my dog is healthy, I picked up Chinese food for mom and dad, and now I am off to nap with Lily and Steve. Aren’t you jealous?

Reader Interactions

162Comments

  1. 1.

    TenguPhule

    “Ok, this is going to be awful, let’s do what we can to not make shit worse and maybe we will get out of here without any felonies, fatalities, or me becoming an infamous youtube star in someone else’s video.”

    rotating tag?

  2. 2.

    Mary G

    I went on Sunday, because that is as close as I will go near to Costco before a holiday. It went surprisingly fast, because they had a zillion people working and every cashier open.

    So glad to hear the good news about Lily, though the Christmas bow made me harrumph. She looks wonderful.

  3. 3.

    Catherine D.

    Yay, Lily! Useless fact of the day: vincristine is derived from the Madagascar or rosy periwinkle.

  4. 4.

    Yarrow

    Her Christmas bow is so cute but it is a tad early. Oh well, I guess by Friday it’ll be All Christmas All The Time, so…

    Aren’t you jealous?

    Yes. I have a meeting tonight. Ugh.

  5. 5.

    Miss Bianca

    Oh, cancer-free Lily and her new bow!

    A holiday miracle indeed.

    Matched in miraculosity only by JC’s not opening up a can of righteous whoop-ass on the Costco crowds. ; )

  6. 6.

    randy khan

    My wife did the Thanksgiving shopping today because we just got back from a trip last night. When I made a comment to her about maybe stopping to pick something up on the way home tonight, she told me not to go because it was insane out there.

  9. 9.

    JaySinWA

    I was at Costco monday. Pretty much the same here then. The parking lot traffic is pretty much in holiday insanity mode. There gas station was a zoo as well.

  11. 11.

    Keith P.

    My brother once dragged me to Wal-Mart on X-mas eve just to buy some milk. It was a friggin’ nightmare and I still don’t get why he wanted to go there other than it’s a store he knows in a different city.
    I’ve still got one more trip to make to get the more perishable stuff (lemons, herbs), but I’m trying to push it as late as I can to avoid a post-work bumrush.

  12. 12.

    geg6

    Lily looks great!

    I have to hit Giant Eagle tomorrow to pick up a few things. I’m thinking of getting there early and hoping to beat the hordes.

    Finished up work today and I’m off until next Tuesday. I also turn 60 on Saturday, so between the holiday (my favorite!) and the birthday party my sisters and girlfriends want to throw me, I have too much going on for it to be real down time. But I am hoping to have fun, eat lots of pumpkin pie (my favorite!) and spend time with people I love. Plus, a quiet evening tonight, tomorrow and Friday snuggling with the pups and Cleo (and John, my favorite!) are also on deck.

    So no, I’m not jealous.

  13. 13.

    OzarkHillbilly

    The only people who get a pass from this sort of assholish behavior are the mothers with two or three kids running around raising hell.

    I remember one time with my sons in a grocery store, probably 6 & 4 or 7 & 5, they were fighting over something. Just kept at it and at it and at it and finally I had had enough. I grabbed each by the collar and lifted them off the floor and planted each butt facing a different shelving unit.

    “TIME OUT!”

    If there had been somebody there to witness, I probably would have been reported for child abuse.

  16. 16.

    mad citizen

    We live near a costco and go there too much. But come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve been there for a week, which is a long time for me. My wife was there last Friday and said it was crazy then.

    You are not the only one, it seems whenever or wherever I go to shop and it’s busy, there are way too many people unaware that there are other people around them doing the exact same thing! Get a clue people.

  18. 18.

    chris

    @Yarrow: The first truckload of Christmas trees pulled out of here yesterday afternoon. They’ll be on sale in Boston on Friday morning.

  19. 19.

    Sandia Blanca

    That description of Costco is perfect–really don’t understand how people’s minds can turn to mush so readily. Similar to the phenomenon of pedestrians who act as though they’ve never been in a car, and drivers who act as though they’ve never walked anywhere.

  22. 22.

    Yarrow

    @chris: Live Christmas trees have been on sale for the last two weeks near me. Costco has been selling artificial trees since Halloween at least. I was at Costco last week and their tree selection has dwindled already.

  23. 23.

    Betsy

    What is it about Costco, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and other yuppie-infested places that turns everyone into sharp elbows ? Do you know what I mean. It’s these disregardful people who seem to live somewhere that you don’t know about even tho it’s near you and they come to the stores with their magic credit cards and they just don’t watch out for anybody. I think it’s like suburban semi well off people. The corporate nomad types? Is it the lack of local connection that makes them bump into people without shame, and strow their carts around like that? Their kids are awful, too.

  24. 24.

    JMG

    All Thanksgiving shopping done today. If we forgot anything, which always happens, just a quick trip no hassles as nobody uses the 12 items or less line the day before Thanksgiving.
    There was a half-mile traffic backup by the local farm stand type store. It’s a big operation, working farm and all, but it’s basically a Whole Foods but even more pretentious. They have the best Christmas trees and wreaths, though.

  26. 26.

    chris

    @Yarrow: Yep. I live on the edge of a Christmas tree farm. People start showing up on November 1. There is one lady who gets a tree then, does it all up and then takes it down just before the big day so she can get a fresh one that will last until February. People are strange.

  27. 27.

    nwerner

    Go watch the video This is Water that was made from David Foster Wallace’s commencement speech to Kenyon College. Then again…it didn’t turn out so well for him.

  28. 28.

    TenguPhule

    Trump submits answers to special counsel questions about Russian interference

    Trump’s attorneys on Tuesday submitted his written answers to a series of questions from special counsel Robert S. Mueller III about Trump’s knowledge of the Russian government’s efforts to assist his 2016 White House bid.

    The inquiries only include a portion of the questions that Mueller has sought to pose to Trump for nearly a year, when he first requested an interview with Trump. The topics cover activities during the campaign and do not delve into questions about whether Trump has sought to obstruct the probe into Russian interference.

    One of Trump’s attorneys said his answers will not provide any great surprises.

    “What I can tell you is they’re complete and detailed,” Rudolph Giuliani said in an interview. “But there’s nothing there I haven’t read in a newspaper.”

    Buckle up folks, now it gets surreal.

  29. 29.

    philpm

    Yay for the good news about Lily!

    Cole, your description of Costco sounds like every one I’ve ever been in, regardless of day of the week or time of the year. And like you, it drives me insane. The thing that really drives me nuts is the ones who decide to stop in the middle of the aisles to chat with their friends, and turn their carts sideways so no one can get around them, or to the item they are trying to get to. I don’t get why people can’t move to the side to talk.

  30. 30.

    debbie

    @Betsy:

    No, it’s the little kids who kneecap you with their miniature shopping carts at TJ. “Yes, precious, I see you.”

  32. 32.

    TenguPhule

    @Betsy:

    What is it about Costco, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and other yuppie-infested places that turns everyone into sharp elbows ?

    Must be where you live.

    Costco Hawaii is not yuppies, its damn near everyone.

  33. 33.

    philpm

    @TenguPhule:

    “What I can tell you is they’re complete and detailed,” Rudolph Giuliani said in an interview. “But there’s nothing there I haven’t read in a newspaper.”

    So, in not so many words, the same lies he’s been telling for the last 2 years.

  34. 34.

    Gvg

    Traffics bad and accidents all over the place but the students leave town so there is more room for us townies to shop. I grew up in Orlando where the traffic is always bad and insane at holidays, so I manage to stay calm here in a smaller town. One year in Orlando the month before Christmas, I had 4 close calls where someone else ran red lights etc. after that I remain suspicious of all drivers this time of year.
    I think there are good reasons people shop on the internet so much. I like local stores, but this time of year…

  35. 35.

    TenguPhule

    But after months of negotiations with Mueller’s team, Trump’s lawyers have refused to answer any questions about his time in office, arguing that the special counsel is not legally entitled to details about executive decision-making.

    The asshole makes his decisions on the fucking toilet, for fucks sake.

  36. 36.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    I’m not a Costco member, but I have been occasionally with card-carrying friends. OTOH, I have set foot in a Walmart exactly twice in my life. The first time, at least 25+ years ago, it was so awful that I said “never again.” Then a few years ago, when my elderly cousin was still semi-mobile, I took her to a WM to get her toenails trimmed (but I entered the store only long enough to drop her off and pick her up). Otherwise, hateful place that I shall never patronize.

  37. 37.

    NotMax

    Right before a major eating holiday. What did you expect?

    Yes, some people are astonishingly inconsiderate, but they act the same at a regular supermarket. At least (here, anyway) the Costco aisles are super wide.

    What I don’t understand at all at the local Costco is that they’ve moved the bread aisle as far away from their own bakery section as is physically possible without it being out in the parking lot. Not that I buy bread anymore since got the super duper bread machine.

  38. 38.

    Shana

    @Yarrow: When I was in high school I worked part-time at Walgreens. As one of the few jews in the area I always, happily, worked on Christmas Day. It was pretty quiet since the store was in a mall and everything else was closed. But we’d get these really sad people coming in, mostly hungover men, buying up a bunch of higher end things as Christmas presents because you just knew they hadn’t done anything for Christmas before 11am on Christmas Day. I always felt so sad for their kids.

  40. 40.

    JaySinWA

    @philpm: Hey he didn’t say who wrote it or who was quoted. It would be tough not to have seen any potential answer from some source or another.

  41. 41.

    TenguPhule

    Trump Wanted to Order Justice Dept. to Prosecute Comey and Clinton

    Warning, FTFNYT link.

    Trump told the White House counsel in the spring that he wanted to order the Justice Department to prosecute two of his political adversaries: his 2016 challenger, Hillary Clinton, and the former F.B.I. director James B. Comey, according to two people familiar with the conversation.

    The lawyer, Donald F. McGahn II, rebuffed Trump, saying that he had no authority to order a prosecution. Mr. McGahn said that while he could request an investigation, that too could prompt accusations of abuse of power. To underscore his point, Mr. McGahn had White House lawyers write a memo for Mr. Trump warning that if he asked law enforcement to investigate his rivals, he could face a range of consequences, including possible impeachment.

    He told us what he was the first time!

    Mr. Trump stoked his enmity for Mrs. Clinton during the campaign, suggesting during a presidential debate that he would prosecute her if he was elected president. “If I win, I am going to instruct my attorney general to get a special prosecutor to look into your situation,” Mr. Trump said.

    “It’s just awfully good that someone with the temperament of Donald Trump is not in charge of the law in our country,” Mrs. Clinton replied.

    “Because you would be in jail,” Mr. Trump shot back.

  44. 44.

    Mary G

    Everyone needs to send some love to Harry Leslie Smith, a 95-year-old socialist who was in the RAF during WWII and has been travelling all over the world advocating for refugees the last few years. He’s in the hospital in Ontario, CA and his son is using Harry’s Twitter feed to help him deal.

    Thank you all for keeping vigil over Harry with me. It truly is less lonely this way for me.— Harry Leslie Smith (@Harryslaststand) November 20, 2018

    Short clip about Harry here:

    The world's oldest rebel ? pic.twitter.com/t1374EUFZj— UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) November 20, 2018

  45. 45.

    JMG

    @Betsy: The Whole Foods produce section is deliberately designed to have aisles too narrow and no place to put carts without getting in other people’s way. It’s to create the illusion of intense demand.

  47. 47.

    NotMax

    Consistently have a 50% success rate at eliciting a smile from the cashier helper when I shop at Costco. When they ask “Do you wanna box?” I reply “No, but I might be up for some wrestling.” The other 50% stop in their tracks and give me a quizzical look.

    Best thing about Costco cash registers is all you have to do is pre-sign a blank check (and also write your phone number if that is not already printed on the check) before going there and the register prints all the rest of the info on it for you. The cashier then holds it up for you to see in order to confirm everything is correct.

  48. 48.

    debbie

    @TenguPhule:

    One of my Trump-voting brothers emailed me the day after the election: “I really think Trump is going to be great. He’s going to bring everyone together. He’ll be really magnanimous and pardon Hillary.”

  49. 49.

    cain

    So great to hear about Lilly!

    Today, my mom and I made quince jam after I picked up some from the farmers market on Saturday. OMG! So good. We started thinking about variations some indian related some not. Picked up some manchengo cheese and we had a bit of a happy hour with it. My mom was in heaven.

    So we came up with some variations. 1) add saffron 2) add grated ginger .. we made a version with red pepper flakes in it and a little cardamom. That was yummy. Finally, we did a version with ghee we had just made. (ghee made with irish butter is the only good ghee!) We served that with idlis. We’re going to try it with dosa’s tomorrow. My grandmother wanted more after we served some of it with the idlis she had.

    Anyways, super fun time with my mom in the kitchen.

  50. 50.

    cain

    @debbie:

    One of my Trump-voting brothers emailed me the day after the election: “I really think Trump is going to be great. He’s going to bring everyone together. He’ll be really magnanimous and pardon Hillary.”

    Hah, nice. What does he think about Ivanka doing the same mistake Hillary did?

  51. 51.

    Mark Johnson

    Lil Bit is having her share of issues. Her “pressure” in one of her eyes was elevated 2 weeks ago so we increased one of her seven meds and it was down significantly today but the med also makes it harder for her to see. The eye vet wants to make sure her thyroid is ok so we took her to her regular vet (not her cardiologist) for bloodwork a wellness check. She’s been really reluctant to walk and the eyevet says her reduced vision could be the culprit. She’s still totally obsessed with food and loves to be loved so we’ll just keep on. Bohdi is a wonder at 15. He’s good for a mile walk in the morning, still hopping on his chair and climbing his dog steps into the bed next to my desk. It’s a fight to not be too bummed out as they age because we have learned more than once that they will pick it up quickly if you get down. In other great news my primary called this afternoon and asked how my double vision was. I told her it was fine, seemed to have resolved and she said, “oh good, I was wondering because the report from the nuero says you had a mini-stroke”! So I was told right after the MRI that there was no sign of tumor or stroke and now i get this. I missed my follow-up with the neuro so I have to call them in the morning and see when I can get more info. Damn.

  52. 52.

    Josie

    Such continuing good news about Lily.
    I feel so lucky when I read your descriptions of food shopping in crowded stores. I went yesterday morning, and it was crowded. Everyone was in a cheerful mood, however, and moved over for people trying to move though the aisles. There was a lot of smiles and “Excuse me’s” and just general courtesy from the other customers and the clerks. I don’t know if it’s because it’s central Texas or maybe because we are near an air base, but I am grateful for the good atmosphere.

  53. 53.

    debbie

    @cain:

    We’re not speaking so I can’t ask him directly, but I suspect it will be some flavor of “apples and oranges.”

  55. 55.

    NotMax

    @Major Major Major Major

    Picky pedant alert.

    It’s always all right. Alright is an abomination.

    And no, will not budge when someone inevitably points out it is considered accepted usage. Accepted by careless folk, IMHO.

  56. 56.

    Steeplejack

    @Yarrow:

    I noticed last week that someone in an apartment across the street from me had their Christmas tree up already. Dunno if it is real or fake.

  57. 57.

    Mark Johnson

    @Gvg: Athens is a ghost town until Saturday. It’s the only thing that is saving me from being totally bummed we’re not at the beach!

  58. 58.

    Mark Johnson

    Athens is a ghost town until Saturday. It’s the only thing that is saving me from being totally bummed we’re not at the beach!

  60. 60.

    Major Major Major Major

    @NotMax:

    Consistently have a 50% success rate at eliciting a smile from the cashier helper when I shop at Costco. When they ask “Do you wanna box?” I reply “No, but I might be up for some wrestling.” The other 50% stop in their tracks and give me a quizzical look.

    Boooo

  63. 63.

    Gelfling 545

    So happy to hear that Lily is doing so well.
    With what I can only believe was malice aforethought, the cat knocked a bar of soap off the sink. Of course Flora tried to eat it. It has not been pretty.

  67. 67.

    TenguPhule

    The documents show that Whitaker began revising his public disclosures the day he was appointed as acting attorney general. He revised the forms four more times, including today.

    Five times. FIVE TIMES to presumably get it right.

    SMH.

  73. 73.

    Mnemosyne

    @debbie:

    The retort that made me LOL yesterday was the conservatives saying that Ivanka is not an elected official like the Secretary of State is. ?‍♀️

  78. 78.

    Joy in FL

    I’m so glad Lily is going well, and you made it safely through Costco. Thank you for sharing her good news. She makes life better even though I live hundreds of miles away from her : )

  80. 80.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @Mnemosyne:
    Wow that is stupid. The US SOS is appointed, not elected, and needs Senate confirmation. A WH aide doesn’t need that but they are “appointed” in a roundabout way.

    IOKIYR, part 1 billion.

  82. 82.

    NotMax

    @Major Major Major Major

    Entre nous, installed the free version of DC Universe Online to check it out. Character creation is fun, almost too many options. Game is mostly beating up on foes, which isn’t really my bag. Am enjoying it anyway as there is a lot to explore and the graphics are very nice. Leveling up is fast, and one can transmog gear and such at any time, on the go. Mostly true to modern DC universe lore and canon.

    Much as they try to wheedle real money out of players for betterment of such things as in-game funds available, inventory and bank slots, not going to go there. As I have zero interest in instances or raids (much prefer solo PvE play), not a concern.

  86. 86.

    Mary

    Lily looks fabulous. Great news! And her bow is so sweet. She’s a good girl. And you’re a good man, John.

  88. 88.

    Dan B

    We’re a couple miles from the first ever Costco. Went the first month they were open. I was greeted by a huge shopping cart with a bag of popcorn so large the couple steering the cart was not visible.
    Tip: they close here at 8 PM. If you go at 7 there’s often a sparse crowd or no line at the registers. Wednesday’s are a slower day, just not this one.

  90. 90.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @Major Major Major Major:

    Those wildfires are terrible. Now all you’ll have to worry about is crumbling infrastructure :-). Also, you are now a hipster. At least you’ll have good taste in music

  97. 97.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @NotMax:

    Also too, Burroughs. Really? Intentional stab at humor?

    …It’s the British spelling? I blame autocorrect.

  99. 99.

    Nicole

    Oh my goodness, this was such a nice post to come back to the hotel to read (am in scenic Locust Grove, GA right now. And by “scenic” I mean, lots of strip malls and a Tanger Outlet). And your kindness and sympathy towards the moms with more than one kid warms the cockles of my cynical heart. I feel for them, too. But it seems like most of society is into blaming the moms for not having given birth to full-grown adults. Such good news about Lily, too.

  100. 100.

    NotMax

    @ Major Major Major Major

    Online multiplayer, so oughtn’t require gobs of bandwidth. Expect if you can play WoW you can play this one. The drawback would be the time it takes to do the massive download (somewhere around 26 GB) with sketchy bandwidth.

    One reason chose it is because my PC (in tech years) is a relic and more modern games are far beyond its specs. I did turn off shadows in the game settings and have experienced no lag at 30 fps. Been drooling over gaming PCs but sadly unaffordable for the nonce. Money situation will be easing next year and will have a decent sized cushion to draw from then.

  104. 104.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka)  ??

    @Major Major Major Major:
    LOL. I liked the subway when I was there in 2011, but that was in Manhattan, which is where you’ll be anyway. So I guess the infrastructure should be the least crumbly there since it’s so important?

  105. 105.

    NotMax

    Been working my way through Patriot on Amazon Prime. Must throw bouquets at the writer who came up with one of the most memorable lines have heard in a long time.

    “Mom, is it okay if I shoot the accordion pimp?”

  109. 109.

    tobie

    @TenguPhule: The NY Times story about Trump trying to indict Clinton and Comey has just shattered me. I should have expected it and all the rest but somehow hearing that he wanted to go after his political enemies, and may still try to do so with Whitaker as Acting Attorney General, just knocked the wind out of my sails. We’re so close to autocracy with this president, and that means we have to be vigilant all the time but, man, I’m just exhausted and my nerves are shot.

  111. 111.

    sacrablue

    I made the same mistake of stopping at Costco today. My husband wanted the pumpkin cheesecake. It was the first day we could breathe the air, so everyone was out and about today. The crowning achievement of the trip was leaving my overpriced sunglasses in the Costco shopping cart. Now I have to buy new sunglasses, too!

  112. 112.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Ruviana: Love Wegman’s. Wish there were one less than 50 miles away. But then again the nearest Costco is about the same distance.

  113. 113.

    Redshift

    @TenguPhule:

    Must be where you live.

    Costco Hawaii is not yuppies, its damn near everyone.

    Costco in our area (Northern VA) has a lot of immigrant customers, probably because they’re small business owners. That’s still a large part of the customer base.

  114. 114.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @tobie:

    and may still try to do so with Whitaker as Acting Attorney General

    Take a deep breath. This is good news in a bad situation. The attempt at real autocracy failed because the system itself held. Trump can install whoever he wants. The prosecutors at the DoJ are going to shrug and tell him they have nothing to arrest Hillary and Obama for, and don’t particularly want to get laughed out of court for trying.

  116. 116.

    Redshift

    Our local grocery store wasn’t crowded at all this evening. If it were a different week, I’d probably be going to Costco tomorrow, but we’re just going to hold out for another week rather than brave the madness.

  118. 118.

    Chetan Murthy

    @tobie:

    I’m just exhausted and my nerves are shot.

    [not trying to reassure you] It was written about Hitler also, that life under him (for “good Germans”) was a flurry of activity and news, so that you really never had a moment’s rest, to contemplate, think, assess.

  119. 119.

    CaseyL

    If you look up the word “adorable” in the dictionary, there is a picture of Lily. I don’t blame the techs one bit :)

    I live four blocks from a big shopping mall, a somewhat smaller shopping mall right across the street from that, and a strip mall with a TJ Maxx a few blocks further east. Starting this coming weekend, the whole area will be gridlocked, and I’ll wind up taking an indirect route to and from my house to avoid it. Ugh.

  120. 120.

    Wapiti

    @JMG: Your comment made me think of the military commissaries (grocery stores) from when I was serving. The aisle were generally narrow, so they were one-way (I vaguely remember arrows on the floor tiles showing the correct flow.) It works when you have a whole population of people used to following instructions and quite happy to correct their neighbor.

  122. 122.

    tobie

    @Frankensteinbeck: @Chetan Murthy: I’ve got a pile of New Yorkers and issues of the London Review of Books I’ve been meaning to read…tonight is evidently the night to do so. I should be back re-charged tomorrow. Be good to each other, folks.

  123. 123.

    Raven

    @NotMax: I liked it, great scenery and some good stories. Waits is really good and Zoe Kazan is too. It’s certainly a must if you have nexflix. I got my Filmstruck refund today.

  129. 129.

    J R in WV

    @Major Major Major Major:

    Just completed a week of urban pleasure in Manhattan, currently in Charlotte NC on my way back home. Not bad travel conditions for just before Thanksgiving!

    Details and photos to follow in a few days.

    Major, sorry your move was so recent, or I would have invited you to the show we saw at the Beacon theatre, we wound up with an extra ticket for the show.

  130. 130.

    Ol'Froth

    The Giant Eagle in Ben Avon was like Night of the Living Dead on Friday. People shuffling around, turning their cart SIDEWAYS in the aisle when they wanted to look at something, thereby preventing anyone from getting by until they shuffled off somewhere. Some guy opened the transparent door to the dairy case and stood there looking at “I can’t believe its not Butter” for about 5 minutes before shutting the door and meandsering off to the Land of Lakes.

  134. 134.

    Corner Stone

    @schrodingers_cat: The “revolt” got the knife stuck in its back today. It’s over unless white guys gotta white guy for a few more days. And Spamburger can fuck right the fuck off after either a)thinking Pelosi needs to go or b)getting trapped into a corner and having to state she believes Pelosi has to go.

  137. 137.

    Suzanne

    So I love Costco. But I hate people. It’s hard. I try to go on Thursdays.

    Costco customers are about the nuttiest I can cope with. One time, an old lady ran over my foot with her cart. Refused to apologize as I fell to the floor. She turned around and walked away. Mr. Suzanne chased after her and she STILL refused to apologize.

    I am sending Mr. Suzanne tomorrow to pick up the pie.

  138. 138.

    Chetan Murthy

    @Corner Stone: wait wut? I thought she didn’t sign the letter? I can’t fault her for doing what she had to do, to win election. And heck, for voting “present” as long as there are enough votes to elect as Speaker, whomever the House Dem caucus chooses.

    What I fault Moulton/Ryan/et al[1] for, is preempting the discussion of whom would be given “golden tickets” to vote “present”, by stating unequivocally that they would vote for somebody else on the House floor. AFAIK, Spanberger didn’t make that promise recently. To wit: https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/16/politics/democratic-opponents-nancy-pelosi-abigail-spanberger/index.html

    “I’ve been very clear about my position and that remains the same,” she said. “I will be voting but I will not be voting for her.”[2]

    [1] Moulton is from a really safe district. Ryan arguably is also. “golden tickets” need to go to vulnerable members.
    [2] Yes, this is cutting it pretty fine. But then, margin (1.9%) was pretty fine, too.

  139. 139.

    Barbara

    @Chetan Murthy: You really don’t mess with Pelosi. She might be San Francisco progressive in spirit but she is strictly old school in tactics and strategy. She almost certainly understood what Fudge really wanted.

  140. 140.

    magurakurin

    @Betsy:

    What is it about Costco, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and other yuppie-infested places that turns everyone into sharp elbows ? Do you know what I mean. It’s these disregardful people who seem to live somewhere that you don’t know about even tho it’s near you and they come to the stores with their magic credit cards and they just don’t watch out for anybody. I think it’s like suburban semi well off people. The corporate nomad types? Is it the lack of local connection that makes them bump into people without shame, and strow their carts around like that? Their kids are awful, too.

    The Aristocrats!

    lol
    a worthy rant.

  145. 145.

    Barbara

    @magurakurin: I don’t know that I agree. I get lost at Costco so I leave that to my husband, and I loathe Trader Joe’s, but I feel like WF is mostly a mellow place. Yeah, we are mostly rootless here, rust belt refugees. I don’t understand the disdain.

  146. 146.

    hitchhiker

    @Sandia Blanca:

    I mean … Costco randomly moves stuff around, so it’s not like you can go in, get your normal supplies, and leave. They make you wander in unfamiliar parts of the their store, they put out treats, and they only give you one option for a cart: the monster thing that takes up way too much space.

    That said, I kind of love them. They pay well and give good benefits and don’t donate to Republicans. Plus, man, that deli aisle …

  149. 149.

    magurakurin

    @Barbara: agreeing or disagreeing is a minor part of enjoying a rant for me…I’ve never been to a Costco in my life, but lot’s of people seem to like that store.

  152. 152.

    Amir Khalid

    @TenguPhule:
    Trump cannot be foolish enough to believe that telling Mueller only what the whole world already knows will suffice. All but certainly Mueller already knows what Trump should be telling him, and in how much detail.

  154. 154.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Barbara: If I have analyzed my Twitter timeline correctly, at about 4:45 this afternoon, Kathleen Rice (Seth Moulton’s partner in this) re-tweeted her WaPo op-ed calling for a new Speaker. About a half-hour later Marcia Fudge’s statement of support for Pelosi started making the rounds on Twitter. Poor Kathleen. She could take some lessons about how a professional hit works.

  157. 157.

    Sandia Blanca

    @hitchhiker: Yes, to the moving stuff around! Where did the oatmeal go? It was always on the breakfast foods aisle, and then suddenly it was gone! Two months later, right back where it’s supposed to be. But we depend on Costco for many foods and household items, and love their progressive culture. It’s worth the trouble, but don’t go right before a holiday.

  159. 159.

    Lymie

    Certainly jealous of the two parents! Dad has been gone 3 years and the fracturing of the family of siblings is painful. Happy Thanksgiving!

  161. 161.

    SectionH

    JGC, we had the same Oh Shit experience this afternoon. Cause we tend to be clueless about holiday shit too. I am hiding for the next several days.

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