Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

“When somebody takes the time to draw up a playbook, they’re gonna use it.”

There are consequences to being an arrogant, sullen prick.

“The defense has a certain level of trust in defendant that the government does not.”

Trump’s legal defense is going to be a dumpster fire inside a clown car on a derailing train.

The republican caucus is covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

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

fuckem (in honor of the late great efgoldman)

It looks like winning debates is a black job!

It is possible to do the right thing without the promise of a cookie.

There are some who say that there are too many strawmen arguments on this blog.

Somebody needs to explain to DeSantis that nobody needs to do anything to make him look bad.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

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

In after Baud. Damn.

Second rate reporter says what?

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

When you’re in more danger from the IDF than from Russian shelling, that’s really bad.

I’m pretty sure there’s only one Jack Smith.

Dear media: perhaps we ought to let Donald Trump speak for himself!

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

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

You are here: Home / Nature & Respite / Respite Open Thread: What’s One More

Respite Open Thread: What’s One More

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Gabe helping with the laundry. Don’t know how I’d get it done without him. LOL

So how many of you remember how Maddie and Mabel came to live with me? – Here’s your refresher because…

It happened again:

I don’t have a lot of information except he/she is most likely a Pekin duck, about 6-7 weeks old. Found wandering at a local park/pond. Followed a woman to her car, she brought it home. Needed a good home and I’ve been looking for a third duck. I live in fear of losing one and the other being devastated – they do not do well alone.

We’ll meet tomorrow and see if it’s a match.

What’s one more?

Non-politic open thread.

Reader Interactions

59Comments

  3. 3.

    NotMax

    Another myth shattered.

    That being one has to call 24 hours ahead for Pekin duck.

    ;)

  4. 4.

    StringOnAStick

    Gabe has such a unique color pattern, I’ve never seen anything like it before.

  7. 7.

    eemom

    An old college friend and his husband own an actual farm out in Far West Bumfuck, Northern Virginia, and they have chickens and ducks. They built a pond for the ducks, but none of them would stay in it……they all marched back to the house to hang out with the chickens.

    Just thought I’d share that since it’s my only duck story.

    Well, except for Peking, but even I wouldn’t go there.

  8. 8.

    Beeb

    I tell people that I have a blinking neon sign on my roof that only cats can see. It says “sucker lives here.” After the fourth one arrived, I gave the Cat Goddess strict orders to start guiding any new ones to the other houses near me. Of course, that’s what I told Her after the second and again after the third.

    You obviously have a blinking neon sign floating above your head that says “all ducks welcome.” Let the Duck Goddess know when you have enough. Perhaps She will listen to you better than the Cat Goddess listens to me.

    Meanwhile, congratulations on the addition of Max or Mary Ann!

  11. 11.

    plato

    I live in fear of losing one and the other being devastated – they do not do well alone.

    You’re one odd duck, aren’t ya? :)

  18. 18.

    TomatoQueen

    Gabe’s facial expression has changed from deeply worried to contented. And the new duck is smiling.

  20. 20.

    CaseyL

    Wait, wait, there’s a bit missing: how did the woman who originally rescued the duck know to bring him/her to you? Are you known as The Duck Lady in your town?

    The Dane and Duck Lady?

    The Dane and Duck and Kitty Lady?

    House of Fur & Feather?

    …congrats on the new addition, and I eagerly await hearing how the rest of the raft* reacts to the newcomer.

    *Raft = collective noun for water ducks. Only ground ducks come in “flocks.” And I didn’t even know there were such things as ground ducks; I thought all ducks were water ducks. Thanks, Google!

  21. 21.

    laura

    Duck, duck, duck goose, crane, pelican, please, not the cassawary!
    What a lucky pretty ducky, and that’s a handsome cat!

  22. 22.

    Mnemosyne

    I made my reservations for my birthday trip to Portland (OR) and it turns out that it’s going to be Pride Weekend in addition to my birthday. I felt a little weird about booking the special Pride Weekend package at my hotel, but it was too good to pass up (discounted room + Lyft voucher + late check-out).

  24. 24.

    TaMara (HFG)

    @CaseyL: Same way I found out about Mabel and Maddie – Nextdoor – lost and found section. It’s also where I’ve helped two lost pups find their missing owners.

    But I like your version better. LOL

  28. 28.

    Aleta

    @Beeb: The send out the message by drumming their feet.
    this-wo-man-loves-ducks
    this-wo-man-loves-ducks
    this-wo-man-loves-ducks

  30. 30.

    JAFD

    Replacing water main on my street. Read posted notices, over weekend. Woke up this morn, had completely slipped my mind. Breakfast,etc ,etc. Then went to take shower and – dry. Out of sorts, plans wrecked, p@#%$sed off at myself. Good night, everyoné, sleep tight.
    “The water tasted bad for a week,
    And we had to make do with gin.”

  31. 31.

    NotMax

    @JAFD

    “The water tasted bad for a week,
    And we had to make do with gin.”

    Only downside was the coffee tasted funny.

    :)

  35. 35.

    Repatriated

    @Jay: Tom Lehrer, “The Irish Ballad”.
    Can’t get the youtube link to work, alas.

  37. 37.

    Origuy

    I was in Spain in 1995 when they were in the fifth year of a drought. I got off the train in Granada in the afternoon and found a small hostal with my limited Spanish. The landlady was telling me something about the water being off at night; I thought she meant the hot water, which wouldn’t have been unusual. I went to my room and fell asleep. When I woke up and wanted to shower, there was no water. It turned out she was telling me that the town water went off at night. Only the big tourist hotels had cisterns. I had to buy bottled water to brush my teeth in.

  39. 39.

    Aleta

    (Guardian) The acclaimed poet Imtiaz Dharker has turned down the poet laureateship, the highest honour in British poetry, citing a need to focus on her writing – and despite reports that she was set to be named as the next holder of the position.

    “I had to weigh the privacy I need to write poems against the demands of a public role. The poems won,” Dharker, who was born in Pakistan and grew up in Glasgow, said. “It was a huge honour to be considered for the role of poet laureate and I have been overwhelmed by the messages of support and encouragement from all over the world.”
    … …
    The laureateship is not known for bringing the muse of poetry to its incumbents. Andrew Motion, who was laureate from 1999 to 2009, called the role “very, very damaging to my work”, saying while still in post: “I dried up completely about five years ago and can’t write anything except to commission.”

  40. 40.

    Aleta

    If anyone feels inclined today or tomorrow, could you send some strength and healing, or light or prayers to the northeast US, to the incredible soul dog who lives with me. We’re driving him several hours later today to have surgery tomorrow morning. The vet will remove one large tumor from a top lobe of his lung. There were no signs of cancer anywhere else. We thought a long time about whether to do this. It’s been very hard to figure out. We’ve never pictured we’d do such expensive treatment or force pain on an older animal. But we’ve been told that dogs usually recover easily and surprisigly quickly from this kind of surgery, often much better within a few days. I decided to trust that, but if I cause him to suffer it will be my terribly wrong decision. And we’re hoping surgery will make him much more comfortable than if we leave it to keep growing. He’s loving his life. He’s changed our lives. I hope in trying to figure it out the last three weeks I didn’t wait too long.

  41. 41.

    Aleta

    @Aleta: (I tried for a couple of weeks to get him an early appointment with a dog surgeon/researcher in cancer, who’s at Tufts vet school. But it would be at least two more weeks for an appt and surgery. So I decided that waiting might risk spreading. No way to know that, because the earlier xrays from a vet here were not accurate, so we don’t know how fast the growth is.) It feels weird to be going through this.

  42. 42.

    Mary G

    @Aleta: That is such an awful choice to make, but look how well Lily’s treatment has gone. If you can give him another year of quality life, it will be worth it. I will be holding you and your family in the light.

  43. 43.

    Mel

    @Aleta: Sending you guys love and hugs.

    We had a similar decision to make a few years ago with our sweet kitty girl Bruni. We opted for a full mastectomy, both sides when she was diagnosed with an early stage breast cancer. Her post-surgical recovery was surprisingly fast, and the surgery brought her another full year of cancer free, joy filled life before the illness returned. Our little girl lived it up during that year: played like crazy, snuggled with her human, cat and dog family, got her favorite bedtime song every night, and learned to scale the outside of her kitty condo so that she could lounge on the very top like the queen of the leopards surveying her turf.
    It was absolutely worth it, for her and for us.

    I hope that your wonderful doggie gets many more years of happiness with you. Holding you both in our hearts today, and sending so much hope for a great result today, and a quick recovery.

    – Mel, Pixie B. (Bruni’s daughter), and Janie (Bruni’s kitty bff)

  44. 44.

    Mel

    Gabe is so darling, and he looks so content, peaceful, and happy now. TaMara, the transformation in his expression and body language since he has made his forever home with you, Bixby, and friends is a joy to see!

    It’s hard to say what’s most adorable: his soulful eyes, his super-long whiskers, his lovely stripey coat, or his brushy wildcat tail. What a cutie pie!

  45. 45.

    Mel

    @TaMara (HFG): New ducky looks like she might be a “Lulu” or a “Lucia”, if she’s a lady duck.
    Bright and cheery and with a little smidge of sassiness!

  47. 47.

    satby

    @Aleta: the best of luck to you and your baby. Tough decisions! But doing the best you can for them is seldom a wrong one, though the outcome may not always be what we hope for. They feel the love and it’s all they ask of us.

  51. 51.

    kindness

    Awww. That is so cute. You know we are wanting pics of the 3 of them together (the ducks I mean).

  53. 53.

    TaMara (HFG)

    @Aleta: [[[hugs]]] for you and your soul pup. I know what you’re going through and no matter what the outcome, you made the best decision with the information you have. Here’s to a successful surgery and quick recovery.

    Send me photos if you want me to front page him. I can tell you, nothing like the love of the BJ crew coming your way.

  54. 54.

    TomatoQueen

    Hugs and best wishes Aleta, for what it’s worth I concur with getting it done sooner. Tufts is wonderful but yet it’s a big ol’ teaching institution where sometimes waiting is baked into their process, which leaves your judgment and instinct about what needs to be done for Pup by the side of the road. Better to follow what you know deep down, so Pup can get well sooner.

  55. 55.

    Heidi Mom

    @Aleta: Sending good thoughts to you and your baby. You’ve done the best you could, the best any of us could do.

  56. 56.

    Mnemosyne

    @Aleta:

    Good luck to you and your pup! If your vet feels that the surgery will help, I think it’s worth trusting him/her. Vets are much more cognizant about quality of life these days and are reluctant to take measures that aren’t good for the animals.

  57. 57.

    J R in WV

    @Aleta:

    Best of luck, my wife drove our Clyde (Step Aside Clyde was his full name, as a pup he was inclined to want to lean on your leg…) up to Columbus OH vet hospital, where he had a MRI and spinal surgery for adhesions. Genius gifted neurosurgeon lady!

    Clyde recovered well and had more years of farm dog happy life.

    Worth all the expense and aggravation for sure!!

  58. 58.

    WaterGirl

    @Martin: Thanks for the reminder about that sweet duck and little girl story.

    And now I’m thinking of the little boy (autistic) whose has the special relationship with his cat, who calms him and makes him happy. Wish I could remember where and when I saw that.

    edit: How could I forget to say how happy I am for all of you that this adorable duck has (likely) found a home with you and your guys.

  59. 59.

    WaterGirl

    @J R in WV: I see now that this thread is dead, but I still can’t keep myself from saying that Step Aside Clyde is possibly the coolest name I have ever seen for a pet. Step Aside Clyde. Love love love that.

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