Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Not rolling over. fuck you, make me.

The Giant Orange Man Baby is having a bad day.

President Musk and Trump are both poorly raised, coddled 8 year old boys.

Come on, man.

If you voted for Trump, you don’t get to speak about ethics, morals, or rule of law.

Their freedom requires your slavery.

Shut up, hissy kitty!

If a good thing happens for a bad reason, it’s still a good thing.

“Perhaps I should have considered other options.” (head-desk)

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

You passed on an opportunity to be offended? What are you even doing here?

T R E 4 5 O N

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

They were going to turn on one another at some point. It was inevitable.

The lights are all blinking red.

Hell hath no fury like a farmer bankrupted.

So many bastards, so little time.

How stupid are these people?

If rights aren’t universal, they are privilege, not rights.

The media handbook says “controversial” is the most negative description that can be used for a Republican.

Fight them, without becoming them!

Motto for the House: Flip 5 and lose none.

Oh FFS you might as well trust a 6-year-old with a flamethrower.

You are here: Home / Pet Blogging / Dog Blogging / “What in tarnation?”

“What in tarnation?”

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Badger always looks super alarmed when I’m dusting in his location:

I mean, I know dusting is rare around here, but really?

We’re having a chill day. The mister took the kids fishing upriver, and what do I do when I finally have a moment to myself? Dust and make fun of my dog on the internet.

Hope y’all are doing something more exciting. Open thread!

ETA: I’m also making a big pot of ropa vieja using Ingrid Hoffmann’s recipe. It’s a great recipe, and I’ve made it dozens of times, but Hoffmann must have servants because she unnecessarily directs you to dirty an entire sink full of dishes when in reality all you need is one big pot and a large bowl.

PPS: I’d link the recipe, but the WP mobile interface sucks great big green gators…

Reader Interactions

225Comments

  1. 1.

    Spanky

    Lying here semi-conscious post-nap to find cats on my chest, stomach, ans knees.

    I.e., not terribly exciting.

  2. 2.

    donnah

    I’m preparing dinner with a Mexican theme for six of us friends. Chicken enchiladas, rice, cornbread, mixed greens, salsa with chips, black bean soup, and a lovely yellow cake with fresh raspberry sauce for dessert.

    We also will serve DosEquis beer and a local restaurant’s margherita mix. With salt-rimmed glasses!

    I’ve been cooking and cleaning all day, with help from the spouse in the cleaning and I’m already exhausted.

  5. 5.

    cope

    I’m waiting on the homemade meatballs to finish in the sauce then I’ll cook the noodles and garlic bread and throw together a tossed green salad with my vinegarette dressing. I’m recording “Free Solo” on the big tv in the living room tonight to watch tomorrow. I recorded it on the small one in the front room but after watching half of it, thought big screen and comfy couch (I’m looking at you, Badger) will be more enjoyable.

    The highlight of the evening will be dry-rubbing tomorrow’s ribs, so I am resting up to accomplish that important task.

    In other words, “No, I am not doing something more exciting”. However, at my age, quiet is nice.

  7. 7.

    zhena gogolia

    @donnah:

    I’ll be over soon!

    Tomorrow I’m trying Melissa Clark’s recipe for sausages, potatoes, and red cabbage baked together in the oven. I have no idea how it will turn out, but it sounded good.

  8. 8.

    JPL

    @zhena gogolia: I find her recipes easy to follow and quite good. Tomorrow I’m making corned beef and cabbage. I’m a creature of habit and it’s the only time I could get the family together to celebrate. I could care less that it’s early.

  9. 9.

    donnah

    You are all welcome to join us; dinner is at 6:30. ;-)

    The black bean soup is a new recipe, and mercy, it’s delicious. Black beans cooked with chicken broth, bacon, yellow onion, garlic, diced mild chiles, Tabasco, and chili powder, cumin, salt and black pepper. I cooked it for an hour and then dipped half of it out, used a stick mixer and pureed that part, dumped it back in and now, hours later, it’s thick and rich and the bits of bacon melt in your mouth.

    I hope there’s enough for everyone. I keep tasting it!

  10. 10.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @donnah: @debbie: yeah, now I’m trying to figure out if any local places do good carry out chicken enchiladas. The only thing I’ve crossed off my chore list is cleaning the kitchen, why mess it up again?

  11. 11.

    Gin & Tonic

    Hope y’all are doing something more exciting

    Sporadically watching the hoops while vacuuming the living room (yes, with pants on.) Even though it was warm, the snow shows little sign of receding. After dark I will sit in the hot tub, which is really nice when it’s cold out.

    I may bake a pound cake. And it looks like it’s wine o’clock here.

  12. 12.

    satby

    Everything you all are making sounds great! I just whipped up some chicken and andouille sausage jambalaya, though I cheated with Zataran’s rice mix. Added extra red beans, chilis, tomatoes though.

  13. 13.

    Yutsano

    Would also have accepted “ZOINKS!!!” But I’m a creature of habit.

    Day 2 of X of physical rehab is almost done.Hoping my goal of being here 8 more days pans out. Right now I’m just sore everywhere.

  14. 14.

    JPL

    @donnah: oh my.. I’m drooling. My neighbor’s parents are from Puerto Rico and if you ever want to use dried beans her secret is to use equal parts of water and red wine to soak the beans in.

  18. 18.

    satby

    @Gin & Tonic: hot tub outside in the snow? I was at a place once where they kept the hot tub going all winter, and it was beautiful sitting outside toasty warm but surrounded by snow.

    My Kindle is actively sabotaging my typing today.

  19. 19.

    Mnemosyne

    Our cats have learned that if we start tidying up, strangers are coming to the apartment, usually with a vacuum cleaner in tow, so they hide.

    Today is laundry day since I’m going to Disneyland tomorrow. We’re going to try and get there right when they open the gates, which is 8 am, but my sister-in-law has to wrangle two teenage girls, so we’ll see how that goes.

  23. 23.

    raven

    After about 6 months of sharing the cooking the princess has realized she really doesn’t like cooking that much so she’s basically settled on making a “bloody mary mix, turkey chili on the weekends. I fired up the water smoker and put a big chicken and some turkey thighs/tasso on.

    Speaking of the princess, she’s been working on “thread paintings”. Check out this one she did of the Bohdi on a pillow.

  24. 24.

    dexwood

    My wife is just now home from lunch with a friend. She’s trying to make me jealous bragging about her carne adovada burrito and large margarita. I sowed spinach, kale, lettuce, and peas in my salad bed while she was gone. I’m going to grill salmon later with sauteed green beans and roasted, red potatoes on the side.

  25. 25.

    Virginia

    I made some pizza dough yesterday and it’s in the fridge now. My plan is to shape it out to a rectangle, add some red sauce, cheeses, maybe pepperoni, mushrooms, and olives. Then I will roll it up, slice it and bake pizza rolls. A salad and wine. An idea I’ve had rattling around in my brain for a few days.

  27. 27.

    satby

    And I don’t recall ever hearing about ropa vieja, but that’s on the list next, after the soup. YUM!

    @Dorothy A. Winsor: nothing as comforting as a pot roast and baked potatoes. My mom made a brown gravy by pouring dry French onion soup mix over the pot roast while it cooked, and then cooking down the juices after adding in an envelope of brown gravy mix (mom learned to cook in the 50s). So good!

  29. 29.

    laura

    Scampered off to NYC and just saw The Ferryman. Aunt Pat could’ve been my auntie Margie. Back to Cali tomorrow. Somebody had to keep an eye on M^4’s town in his absence.

  30. 30.

    FelonyGovt

    I have a great ropa vieja recipe direct from my Cuban mother in law. It doesn’t dirty the entire kitchen. I will try to post it later

  34. 34.

    raven

    The girl is amazingly talented, creative and focused. Between her art and the garden/yard she continues her quest to make the world a more beautiful place.

  35. 35.

    Suzanne

    @donnah:

    We also will serve DosEquis beer and a local restaurant’s margherita mix. With salt-rimmed glasses!

    SHIT.
    DROOL.

  39. 39.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    Sounds like my neighbours got a new dog. I can hear it barking. That is some pretty impressive dog barking considering that the party wall is one foot thick Georgian stone, plus plasterboard (sheetrock) plus wall paper.

  41. 41.

    cope

    @eclare: He’s definitely his own person and to do what he does takes a special set of talents. In the part I have watched so far, his mom makes quick mention that his dad (who died when Alex was quite young, in his teens, I believe) may have been somewhere on the autism spectrum

  43. 43.

    Gin & Tonic

    Asked this last night but got silence – has anybody been to see Zimna Wojna (Cold War)? Polish film, debuted at Cannes last year, won Best Director, was nominated for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars this year. I’m curious whether it’s subtitled or dubbed for US release. Trailer looks interesting, but it has only soundtrack, no dialogue.

  44. 44.

    Pogonip

    @debbie: I’ll be easing Son of Pogonip onto the cooking duties so he won’t have to live on TV dinners after I’ve been carted off to the Old Grouch’s Home or the medical school’s anatomy lab, whichever comes first. These readers do a LOT of cooking, as do readers of Ace of Spades and Maggie’s Farm. I’ve tried recipes from all 3 sites and liked them. I think the Balloon Juice readers are ahead of the other 2 sites in recipe sharing, but the race is getting closer.

    I haven’t made ropa vieja in ages. We are certainly blessed to live in a time where international recipe sharing is so easy. Now if the groceries would just get with the program and carry more everyday foreign ingredients instead of concentrating on the special-occasion stuff.

  45. 45.

    Mnemosyne

    @raven:

    I’m volunteering with a program called Young Storytellers where you help a 5th grader write a 5-page play, and my kid’s name is Bodhi. I’m helping him write a hard-boiled 1940s detective play, because that’s what he wanted to write.

  46. 46.

    Emma

    I have “leftover rice” cooking over low heat. Leftover brown rice, leftover picadillo, leftover mixed veggies, and a good sofrito, with home made Cuban style chicken broth. It was developed by my mom when we first arrived in the US to use up every little bit of food we had. It will simmer down into the consistency of arroz con pollo. It makes me feel closer to her.

  51. 51.

    NotMax

    8½ pound beef roast in the oven. Electric meat slicer will be getting a workout later on. Many sandwiches in NotMax’s future, both cold and hot open-faced.

  53. 53.

    Gin & Tonic

    @raven: I know, but it’s in the movie theaters (surprising to see something like that at a suburban megaplex, but there you are.) I like to see a movie at the movies.

  54. 54.

    Aleta

    @donnah: oh yum. That’s so many of the best delicious things. I wish I was having any part of that dinner.

    Just got back from skiing in nearby woods. The snow was good. That’s become rare. I get so down when the winter goes by without much snow on the trails. If I’m lucky it will last another two days.

  55. 55.

    Pogonip

    @Litlebritdifrnt: My neighbor to the east, and his dog, are so quiet that they’d been there 3 weeks before we knew they were there, and then I only found out because Jupiter was out in the yard. We looked at each other and Jupiter STILL didn’t bark. Only dog I’ve ever met who had so little to say when meeting a stranger. (He hasn’t been debarked—he’s occasionally barked since then.)

    Neighbor to the east has a pedigree dog whose poor little head is so addled by inbreeding she’ll bark when a mosquito burps. We go from one extreme to the other around here!

  57. 57.

    raven

    @Gin & Tonic: Well I was just explaining why I didn’t respond when you last asked. I spend enough damn money on Dish, Amazon, Netfilx and all that so I don’t really care abut going to the movies. Plus I can’t take the dogs. So there.

  61. 61.

    raven

    @satby: We’re loving it, very droll and Diana Riggs daughter is a scream.

    Doc Martin is as well. The dude is a total asshole and hates the dog. In real life he’s an extreme dog lover and has a couple of documentaries about them.

  62. 62.

    NotMax

    @raven

    It’s endearing enough to stick with all the way through. If you do like it, you might also check out Nothing Trivial. Similarities in concept, personally found it had more meat on its bones.

  63. 63.

    scav

    I’m just so pleased the weather is good enough that I can get outside and manage enugh destructo-weeding to thoroughly exhaust myself in soreness. DeadWeedDeadWeedReallyDeepRootedDeadWeedOnOnOnOwOwOw somehow has a simple distracting charm.

  66. 66.

    Aleta

    @donnah: @Gin & Tonic: @Emma:
    You’re killing me now.

    At the farmer’s market today the fresh caught fish guy was there and the carrot guy and the guy who makes good bagels, so that’s what we’re having.

  69. 69.

    zhena gogolia

    @Gin & Tonic:

    It’s showing up on Amazon Prime on Mar 22, so I plan to watch it then. I can’t imagine it’s been dubbed! I hope not! It looks bardzo dobrze.

  71. 71.

    Ninedragonspot

    Set up a computer this morning to tape a broadcast György Kurtág’s recent opera on Beckett’s “Endgame”. I listened with half an ear, planning on sitting down with the whole thing later on (10:30 am is really too early for Beckett). Three minutes before the end, I discovered I had set my computer to record the microphone as well, so that my various random Wodehousian exclamations fill Kurtág’s many pauses.

    So I deleted the recording (hoping for another rebroadcast), practiced some Rachmaninoff and decided that DIY music is often a more reliable form of entertainment.

  72. 72.

    HeleninEire

    Oh Holy Hell. I went onto Amazon to look for a book. Today’s “Deal of the Day” is a card game called Exploding Kittens.“For people who like kittens, and explosions, and laser beams.”

    Go at it, you feline loving anarchists.

  75. 75.

    Emma

    @Aleta: Well, I like your menu too. I love fish. Legend — and a few eyewitness — report that my first solid meal was lobster. Tomorrow’s dinner will be sardines, spanish style.

  76. 76.

    NotMax

    Just finished up watching Satisfaction 1720 (a/k/a Tordenskjold & Kold) on Amazon Prime. Interesting enough to give it a mention. Also a case where the modern music which shows up within a period movie works. Nordic drama infused with healthy doses of whimsy.

    @satby

    Doc Martin is entertaining and a celebration of the curmudgeonly.

  77. 77.

    SiubhanDuinne

    (WIll likely post this once or twice more on later threads. Or perhaps an FP would highlight it.)

    EFGOLDMAN UPDATE

    I was finally able to talk at length this afternoon with mrs efg.

    They have had a tough winter, with efg in and out of hospital, rehab, home, rinse and repeat. And in early January, mrs efg broke her wrist (she’s pretty welll healed now, but it added to the general all-around stress).

    Currently — nobody’s sure for how long, but likely another few weeks anyhow — he’s in the rehab place, getting regular OT and PT. She (and he, I assume) hope he can be back home before long.

    Needless to say, I conveyed everyone’s best wishes, healing thoughts, white light, good vibrations, prayers, and fuckems. I also inquired about laptop/tablet options since he can’t use the desktop at the moment. They actually have both, but efg finds them uncomfortable to use in bed. The offers of refurbished machines are much appreciated but not needed, and declined with thanks.

    I don’t have a phone number for him at the rehab place, but you know he’d love to get proper mail — cards, notes, clippings or printouts he might find of interest. Let’s inundate efg with snail mail! Best address is:

    E. F. Goldman
    c/o M. Ross
    32 Anthony Drive
    Cumberland, RI 02864

    I can’t remember whether I previously mentioned the holiday visit of daughter, son-in-law, 5-year-old granddaughter, and 6-month-old grandson, but from what mrs efg said, it sounds as though that was the best therapy anyone could hope for! Our efg, as crotchety as he likes to pretend to be, is really just a mushy old softie grandpa :-)

    Thanks, on behalf of the goldman family, for your interest and concern and positive thoughts.

  78. 78.

    Ninedragonspot

    @HeleninEire: my 11-y.o. niece bought me “exploding kittens” for Christmas. Haven’t opened it yet (I behave obnoxiously at games, too competitive), but apparently it has quite a following.

  79. 79.

    Pogonip

    @scav: Have you tried pouring white vinegar on your weeds weekly starting in spring? By frost the roots should be thoroughly dead and pickled.

  80. 80.

    germy

    @NotMax:

    Doc Martin is entertaining and a celebration of the curmudgeonly.

    The mean girls who always mock anyone they pass on the street are always amusing. And Mrs. Tishell with the eternal neck brace.

  81. 81.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @raven:

    WOW! I love that! That princess is some kind of talented — and the Bohdi, of course, is the perfect subject.

  82. 82.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @JPL: Barely holding it together. Stress at epic levels, anxiety,panic attacks. I hate that this is happening.

  83. 83.

    zhena gogolia

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Thanks! I will send him something. I tried to send him a Ruth Rendell novel back a while ago, but I’m not sure it got delivered to the right place.

  86. 86.

    chris

    Good pic, Badger should make the first page when googling side-eye.

    Here’s a not-at-all nice story about growing up with a fascist (read antisemitic) father in New Zealand. Before the internet, thank dog.

    My father, the Kiwi fascist.

  87. 87.

    JPL

    @SiubhanDuinne: Thank you so much for updating us with the latest news and I am definitely rooting for him. No one can type fuckem like he can. just sayin

  90. 90.

    scav

    @Pogonip: We’ve vinegar in the garage for such activities (when mom gets really agressive, she adds salt to it a la Carthage) but today was all about the repeated stabbing motion with the hori-hori.

  92. 92.

    germy

    @scav: I used to use something called a “garden weasel” where you stick it into the ground and then twist the weeds out by their roots, but after a few years of that I twisted my back rather badly.

  93. 93.

    Mnemosyne

    @HeleninEire:

    I’m pretty sure that the kittens are causing the explosions in that game, not being blown up themselves.

    I’ve been tempted to buy the Unstable Unicorns game even though I don’t play strategic card games because the tagline makes me laugh every time:

    Build your unicorn army. Betray your friends. Unicorns are your friends now.

  95. 95.

    Ruckus

    @Pogonip:
    I’ve reached old fart heaven. Sense of smell is non existent and sense of taste is not far behind. So food is whatever is easiest to put into face. It does have an upside, the food in the old fart home will only have to not make me gag to be eatable.

  97. 97.

    BruceFromOhio

    After working on my new horror thriller The Nap 2: The Napping which mostly consists of me examining the insides of my eyelids, I’m sipping a manhattan while making the salad for dinner as MrsFromOhio finishes the laundry upstairs. It’s spaghetti and meat balls tonight, a simple meal but a favorite due to MFO’s turkey meatballs and sauce from a jar spanked with a bit of this and that from the spice rack. Love days like today where there was absolutely nothing going on, and we did not a damned thing about it.

    SubaruDianne thank you for the snailmail addy, will spin up a card from MFO’s lovely collection before the maildrop on Monday.

    donnah, your meal sounds tasty. NotMax I aspire to one cooking session-many meals, we do that with grilled chicken every few weeks. Now I’m looking for some nice piano to go with dinner because Ninedragonspot said Rachmaninoff and I’ve had enough of the heavy metal shit I was blasting earlier.

    Good dog, Badger!

  99. 99.

    Mnemosyne

    @Gin & Tonic:

    I was tempted, but we’re not allowed to give gifts to the kids. I do have a cheapo white plastic fedora painted brown in my car that I could give him, but I would have to make sure my team leads say it’s okay.

  103. 103.

    Ruckus

    @zhena gogolia:
    Had to use two translation programs to get there. Doesn’t seem like it should be that difficult. But then if it wasn’t more of us might actually try to learn more languages.

  105. 105.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @JPL:

    No one can type fuckem like he can. just sayin

    I know. It’s like Yarrow and Tick tock, motherfuckers, or Ozark and his matutinal Blech.

  107. 107.

    Ninedragonspot

    @Ruckus: learning Polish is strictly for masochists, unless you already have one Slavic language under your belt. Pronunciation is dead simple, but the grammar is fearsome.

  115. 115.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @JPL: He is in Atlanta. Got himself some digs (room in a shared apartment), got himself a MARTA card and as of yesterday got himself a job. As soon as he is eligible he will be resubmitting his application for leave to remain in the UK. We are both miserable. In 27 years of marriage we have only been apart for more than a week twice, first when I came over here before he joined me and now. We both hate it.

  121. 121.

    Ruckus

    @Ninedragonspot:
    I’ve studied French, Russian, Spanish and Latin and a little Chinese.
    I speak american. I can understand some words in a few languages and have been able to recognize a lot of dialects of a number of languages for some strange reason but actually speak, read or understand anything but bastardized English? Don’t think so at this late stage. I did learn a trick once upon a time and that is to learn the words, hello, please and thank you in the language of any country I was visiting. Helped immensely. Always found what I needed or was looking for and met a bunch of nice people.

  125. 125.

    Patricia Kayden

    There needs to be more outrage from the revelation that Li Yang is a human trafficker of sex slaves with political connections to the GOP including close ties to Trump from which he financially benefits. I hope House Democrats are investigating this latest revelation of sleaziness in the Trump regime.

  127. 127.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Litlebritdifrnt:

    There are Atlanta jackals, if he has any interest in hanging out/venting/having a pint or a cuppa in company with a Juicer. What part of town, generally, does he live in?

  132. 132.

    NotMax

    Forget who it was (apologies) who was asking about suggestions for starting skywatching with a telescope. A couple of weeks ago my friends’ radio show had as a guest a professional astronomer who addressed that very question (skip to about 29 minutes in).

    The main regular host wasn’t there for that show so the conversation does become somewhat more loosey-goosey than is the norm.

  134. 134.

    Ruckus

    Something for everyone
    On Netflix. Martin Clunes :A Man and His Dogs
    I’ve just started watching have no idea how good it is but it’s Martin. And dogs!

  135. 135.

    Gin & Tonic

    @mrmoshpotato: Thanks. That’s a good sign. I’m thinking of going to see it some time this week – with my wife away, I need to get out from time to time and this seems like one of the only options at the movies (and, as I noted, for some odd reason it’s playing at the megaplex along with the superhero movies.)

  138. 138.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @trollhattan:

    You saw this? (FTFNYT link, sorry.) Charles Mingus, Thelonius Monk, Charlie Parker all together at the same time, all at once, simultaneously.

  139. 139.

    Gin & Tonic

    @JPL: Here’s a trick for the NYT recipes. In your Google search window, enter enough of the keywords, like “melissa clark sausage potatoes cabbage.” This will bring up the standard Google page of links. The first line, in purple, will be the article title. The second line, in green, will be the URL. It has a little downward-pointing trianlge at the end. Click on that, and you’ll get one or more options in the drop-down. Select “cached” and it takes you to the page without the signup pop-over.

  141. 141.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @raven: @SiubhanDuinne: He is living in La Vesta(?) Working at CVS. He is very wary of internet connections, they spook him. He has a friend from his old School coming down to see him soon so that should give him a chance to let off some steam.

    @JPL: As soon as we have saved up the application fee (we have to pay again). That is hard considering we have to pay for two households. Good news is the Managers at CVS appear to like him and are giving him tons of hours.

  145. 145.

    Aleta

    @NotMax: I’ve been using the instant pot to steam carrots. I’m surprised every time at how much better they are. Just had some. Thanks.

  148. 148.

    Scamp Dog

    I made some cinnamon rolls this morning and took them to work with me. The other tax pros at the office are very complimentary–I’ve finally come up with a recipe that’s a decent approximation of my grandmother’s recipe, but I still have a way to go before they’re really there.

  149. 149.

    JPL

    @Gin & Tonic: That is so cool. I still pay for the crossword and use my free articles sparingly, but do miss some of Clark’s recipes. Thank you.

  150. 150.

    NotMax

    @Aleta

    Coolness. If you happen to have extra carrots – and a juicer – try substituting carrot juice for all or part of the water. Extra burst of carrotitude.

    I don’t have a juicer; do put just a small splash of bourbon in the water, though.

  154. 154.

    rikyrah

    @Patricia Kayden:
    Yes…the sex trafficking is bad. The whole situation needs to be investigated. Do the Chinese have sexual Kompromat on these people??
    These people are Republicans, of course.
    The answer, I would bet, is yes.

  156. 156.

    NotMax

    @debbie

    Problematic with the news sections but have never encountered any impediment to the recipe pages with cookies blocked and javascript turned off.

  161. 161.

    Ruckus

    @Ruckus:
    I’ve watched a bit of the first episode and I like. But be forewarned, not all of it is for the squeamish. The first episode is about the ancestors of dogs. That would be wolves, Very interesting, but they don’t eat out of a can, even the ones being studied by humans. I think this is going to be very, very good.

  166. 166.

    Litlebritdifrnt

    @raven: That’s it! It’s walking distance (about a mile) to the CVS. Good transport links. Very nice people running the Apartment complex.

  167. 167.

    Jay

    @rikyrah:

    A lot of the writing and commentary down plays the sex trafficing and sex slavery. For example, a lot of people are calling her a Madame, when in fact she is a Slaver.

  169. 169.

    trollhattan

    @SiubhanDuinne:
    Know the photo but had not read the remarkable backstory. Thanks!

    (Half expected “tucked into the background is a molish woman in a fez, smoking, who some believe to be Ayn Rand.”)

  177. 177.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Raven:

    Yeah, the only time I get to that area any more is when I go to see something at Tara. Used to know it like the back of my hand, but there’s been so much new construction that I’m slightly disoriented now every time I drive down there.

  180. 180.

    Steeplejack

    @JPL:

    It’s not a paywall. You create a free account with an e-mail address and password and get free access to all the Times foodie stuff.

    Alternative: Go to Google, enter the search term “melissa clark sausage cabbage potatoes” and open the topmost result in a private or incognito tab/​window. The recipe shows up unobstructed, at least for me (Win10, Firefox).

    Spices:

    1 teaspoon caraway seeds, lightly crushed
    1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly crushed
    1 teaspoon kosher salt
    1 large onion, thinly sliced
    4 thyme sprigs
    2 rosemary sprigs
    1½ tablespoons Dijon mustard, plus more for serving
    ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan

    Sprinkle on at end:
    Zest of 1 lemon
    ¼ cup chopped dill

  188. 188.

    NotMax

    Gosh but it’s nice to have a laid back thread. Things have been getting tense at times here of late.

  189. 189.

    Tazj

    Badger is wary and so cute.

    @Scamp Dog: My grandma lived with our family when I was a child and she also made the best cinnamon rolls and bread.

  192. 192.

    Jay

    Interesting study, but not for those freaked out by creepy crawlys.

    “U-M biologists capture super-creepy photos of Amazon spiders making meals of frogs, lizards, furry mammals”

    https://news.umich.edu/u-m-biologists-capture-super-creepy-photos-of-amazon-spiders-making-meals-of-frogs-lizards-and-furry-mammals/

    Interesting trick for single note cinnamon uses.

    Break up a cinnamon stick with pliers, whirl it around a spice grinder. Results in much more complex flavour.

  193. 193.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Steeplejack:

    Good lord, how do you know about the Clermont?

    (I have a funny story about that, too, which is also best saved for an in-person conversation.)

  196. 196.

    NotMax

    Well, disappeared comment still off in aetherland, so will try a different tack.

    Someone (forget who, sorry ’bout that) asked about beginning equipment for sky watching. Friends’ radio show recently had as a guest a professional astronomer who addressed that very question of equipment for newcomers. Trying to provide a more direct link didn’t work, so here’s a link to the full page, where you’ll have to scroll down to the Feb. 23 show, part 1. Skip ahead to about 28 or so minutes in. The regular primary host was absent that day, so the conversation does wander more than is normal.

  199. 199.

    Chacal Charles Calthrop

    @JPL: Useful tip, I’ll remember it … I’m trying to cook forbidden black rice in the pressure cooker. Apparently for cooking purposes it’s just brown rice only more so. Wish me luck, jackaltariat…

  203. 203.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Steeplejack: been there. The cigarette smoke and canned beer are even worse than the elderly strippers! A friend’s band played there last week but I was of course out of town.

    Wine thought: have you tried any of Francis Ford Coppola’s? They are $12-16 a bottle and quite drinkable. I’m particularly fond of the claret.

  207. 207.

    Steeplejack

    @Steve in the ATL:

    The Coppola claret is a staple. He’s got another one that I like, but I’m blanking on it right now.

    I might do a major expedition to Total Wine tomorrow. I’ve got a coupon for 20% off all “Winery Direct” bottles (if you buy at least 12) that is about to expire. I used to think WD meant sketchy (regional?) wines, but it turns out it’s apparently just a bullshit marketing term that covers almost all their wine.

    I get a mixed case every couple of months to contribute to the cellar at Sighthound Hall, and I’m about due. Plus there are a few odds and ends I’ve been wanting to pick up for myself.

  209. 209.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Major Major Major Major: Since you’re here, Alain says you coded the photo submission form. It doesn’t like the ampersand in my nym, and since it’s morning in Tokyo, you have all day to fix that. See how thoughtful I am?

  215. 215.

    Miss Bianca

    @Steve in the ATL: Claret! I’ve tried that Coppola claret – it’s very tasty!

    @Gin & Tonic: Are Bordeaux and claret really the same blends? I thought the claret tasted a little lighter than a Bordeaux. Mayhap that is just the power of suggestion.

  216. 216.

    Lymie

    Lamb ragu turned out ok! Putting together the jersey pieces to send to the company that makes quilts out of hockey jerseys.

  218. 218.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Miss Bianca: I’m sure there are people who know more than I do, but…. red bordeaux are blends made up of mostly cabernets, merlot and malbec. In France they take their names from local regions (St Emilion, St Estephe, Graves, Margaux), in the US, from the grapes. Claret is a British catch-all word for bordeaux (I think).

  219. 219.

    donnah

    @HeleninEire

    We love playing Exploding Kittens at our house. Very fun card game! And the people who designed it and sell it are great. Two of our cards were damaged by a small cousin and I emailed them about replacing just the cards to save buying another whole deck. They sent me a full new deck, no charge.

    Our Mexican dinner was delish! Our friends loved it and we all overstuffed ourselves. The black bean soup was perfect and the enchiladas had a lot of flavor…spicy but not too. I sm leaving the cleanup for tomorrow. I’m whipped!

  222. 222.

    Steeplejack

    @Aleta:

    Glad you like it. There is a YouTube playlist of the album that has better recordings, but the link I posted is just the original album with the songs in the original order, which is how I always think of it.

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