Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Fundamental belief of white supremacy: white people are presumed innocent, minorities are presumed guilty.

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

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

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

Petty moves from a petty man.

One lie, alone, tears the fabric of reality.

If you don’t believe freedom is for everybody, then the thing you love isn’t freedom, it is privilege.

There are more Russians standing up to Putin than Republicans.

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

If you can’t control your emotions, someone else will.

Of course you can have champagne before noon. That’s why orange juice was invented.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

Wake up. Grow up. Get in the fight.

Their boy Ron is an empty plastic cup that will never know pudding.

Republicans: “Abortion is murder but you can take a bus to get one.” Easy peasy.

DeSantis transforming Florida into 1930s Germany with gators and theme parks.

Well, whatever it is, it’s better than being a Republican.

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

Good lord, these people are nuts.

If you are still in the gop, you are either an extremist yourself, or in bed with those who are.

Give the craziest people you know everything they want and hope they don’t ask for more? Great plan.

Within six months Twitter will be fully self-driving.

Everybody saw this coming.

You are here: Home / Nature & Respite / Respite Open Thread: How About Some Sweetness?

Respite Open Thread: How About Some Sweetness?

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Damn allergies.

Our very own Just Some Fuckhead has some new adorableness in his life. Meet the grandbabies:

Respite Open Thread: How About Some Sweetness?

I can’t even with all the cuteness.

Respite Open Thread: How About Some Sweetness? 1

And in my world, the Duckteens are outside all day and should be spending the night in the coop with the big ducks once I screw up my courage.  So far, they’ve kind of been obnoxious to the older ducks, so I’m keeping a watchful eye.

 

And finally, in honor of Shakespeare’s birthday, my library (which is the best!) posted this interesting list:

May be an image of text

And in jackal news, on Sunday at noon EDT, we’ll be featuring Dorothy Winsor’s newest book. She’ll be available to chat. Which is good, because I have questions.

Respite open thread

Reader Interactions

133Comments

  4. 4.

    sab

    Good luck TaMara. When I married my first husband our dog packs never merged. His six golden retrievers and my three mutts just tolerated each other.

  7. 7.

    Old School

    The Detroit Lakes video is nice, but I was thinking the whole time, “Why aren’t any of these kids wearing masks?  Or social distancing?”

    And the grandbabies are adorable.

  9. 9.

    Baud

    @sab:

    I cannot wait until Nick lays her first egg.

    Hmmm.  I’m beginning to think Nick and Nora are not the grandkids.

  11. 11.

    Betty Cracker

    I can’t believe none of the many pedants who read this blog have pointed out the horrifying error on the Shakespeare sign: it’s BATED breath! ?

    PS: Such adorable little Fuckheads!

  13. 13.

    dmsilev

    Well, today turned to shit an hour or so ago; my parents just lost their dog. Old age basically. He was 13 and fading, but today and especially this afternoon his body just seemed to shut down. They just got back from the vet.

    Not much of a ‘respite’ comment. Sorry.

  14. 14.

    burnspbesq

    It’s so on in the Premier League. With six matches left, three points separate fourth place (Champions League) from eighth (out of Europe altogether).

  15. 15.

    stinger

    Great poster, except it’s not “baited breath”, as if you were exhaling something enticing. It’s BATED breath, short for “abated” — indicated that you’re holding your breath in suspense.

    Not on the poster, but “passing fair” doesn’t mean she just barely makes the grade. It’s short for “surpassingly fair”, in other words, gorgeous.

  19. 19.

    Tony Jay

    I’m increasingly convinced that pre-Shakespearean English was a purely functional language like you’d use to command a sheepdog, because once you strip out the words and phrases he’s credited with debuting all your left with is “This good”, “This bad” and “Hungry”. Which is fine when interacting with most people, but makes relating a gripping anecdote really challenging.

    OTOH, I love kids that young. They look like heads superimposed on comedy outfits, like their bodies got the call to action way too late and are only partly involved in the proceedings.

  21. 21.

    VeniceRiley

    Welcome to the world, baby Fuckheads. You’re adorable!
    Please tell me they’re going to be named Pfizer and Moderna.

  23. 23.

    TaMara (HFG)

    @rikyrah:

    @sab:

    Nikki’s gender is up in the air. Nora for sure is a female, it’s all in the quack. But Nikki has what could be a drake voice, still too young to know of sure. Sometimes I’m sure she’s a female and other days I think I’m wrong. I may not know until a drake feather shows up or not.

  29. 29.

    JPL

    JSF..   The grand imps are adorable,  and it won’t be long before you are crawling after them.

    My second grandson is coming in July, and since they are naming him Elias, I tell everyone I know that Eli’s coming. 

  31. 31.

    TaMara (HFG)

    @sab: They are pretty much a flock now – it’s just the young ones are a pain in the ass – lots of following around to see what the big ducks are doing and the big ducks tiring of being bugged all the time.

    Nikki has been a bit of a bully toward Mabel, but Mabel kind of started it. They will eventually work that out since they are so equally matched. Nikki just needs Mabel to know they won’t be pushed around just because they are younger – which is healthy – Mabel and Maddie are more likely to bond with them if they don’t see them as weak and a threat to flock survival.

    Which is one of the reasons why only adult ducks (or Duckteens) are introduced to a flock.

  32. 32.

    sab

    Had an eye exam this morning with dilation. Eyedrops 10:30 am. I still look and feel like a startled bat at 5:30 pm. Is this normal?

  35. 35.

    Redshift

    This is government/politics, but I consider it respite-worthy.

    This is from the opening to today’s email from Rep. Don Beyer, my congressperson:

    This vaccine will save your life.

    It will save lives of your family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

    The sooner we all get vaccinated, the sooner we can return to normal, end the pandemic, stop more people from getting sick, and allow the safe and continued reopening of businesses and schools.

    I encourage you to reach out to friends and family to ensure they also know how to access a vaccine.

    Followed by details of the new unified system for signing up to get the shot, now that it’s open to everyone.

    That’s how you do it.

  37. 37.

    Mary G

    @dmsilev:  Condolences to all your family.

    Are you still visiting there? I hope so; it must be a comfort to have you to cry with them.

  39. 39.

    Another Scott

    @Betty Cracker: Made me look, because spelling was, er, flexible back then.

    ENotes:

    In Shakespeare’s original text, “bated breath” is short of “abated breath,” as in diminished both in volume and power. To wait with bated breath therefore means to become as still and quiet as possible, waiting with great anxiety and anticipation.

    It’s not using Royal Copenhagen Musk mouth wash??! I am disappoint.

    Thanks.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  42. 42.

    JoyceH

    We can thank John Milton for the word “pandemonium”, which was the demonic equivalent of “pantheon”.  Also for the expression “All hell broke loose.”  Once you know it refers to a grand rebellion against heaven, doesn’t it sound more impressive?

  44. 44.

    sab

    @Amir Khalid: Sad commentary on Americans’ English, but accurate commentary on yours.

    Is that grammaically correct? I don’t know. I’ll check with a guy in Malaysia. His Englush is pretty good.

  51. 51.

    Miss Bianca

    @Baud: 

    Aww. Baby Fuckheads.

    I should have known you’d be right there with the first thought that went through *my* head! LOL!

  52. 52.

    sab

    @tom: Goldens don’t poop. They are perfect.

    Actually they are very nice, and like all dogs they poop a normal amount ( a lot.)

  54. 54.

    Catherine D.

    Hmm, are those actually babies or are they two American Girl Itty Bitty Baby dolls? ?

  55. 55.

    OzarkHillbilly

    Our very own Just Some Fuckhead has some new adorableness in his life.
    I can’t even with all the cuteness.

    Meh. You should see mine. ;-)

  58. 58.

    CaseyL

    @dmsilev: ​
      My condolences to you and to your parents. Losing someone who’s been part of your family that long… it’s hard.

    JSF – Twins?? Twins!! Adorable!

    The Duckteens are soooo cute. I like how they’ve got their lettuce, and the older ladies have their lettuce, and everyone is behaving themselves. At a distance.

  61. 61.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @CarolPW:

    Took me a second before I figured out Nick and Nora were not the babies names too.

    Huck and Molly :-)

    The Fuckhead babies are absolutely adorable. And so are the ducks.

  63. 63.

    RSA

    TaMara, I made strawberry bread last weekend. It was a treat! Thanks. I passed your recipe on to my brother and sister-in-law, and their kids loved it too.

  66. 66.

    sab

    Eye exam. Got my eyes dilated at 10:30 am. 6: 30 pm still look like a bug eyed fruitbat, fully dilated. Is this normal?

    Satby, where are you? ( accountant not opthamologist so ethically she cannot weigh in on anything except my horrible spelling.)

  68. 68.

    prostratedragon

    @sab:  No change at all? I’ve had varied experience in subsiding, from a couple of hours to about a day, but in the latter case there is a noticeable, if slow, return to normal after a while. Perfectly good reason to call your doctor’s office if you have a concern.

  74. 74.

    Matt McIrvin

    Did Shakespeare really coin all of those, or are those just phrases for which he’s the earliest known source (because his works were very widely preserved)?

  75. 75.

    Dan B

    @sab: I’ve had that reaction to drops before.  Six hours of crazy dilation is enervating.  I was glad that my exam at Costco had the latest technology so drops were an option, not a necessity.  It was a $30 upcharge.  The equipment did a high resolution retinal image.  I got to look at my retinas which are apparently in great shape.  Good news!

  78. 78.

    JoyceH

    @Matt McIrvin: don’t know about the Shakespeare quotes, but I recently learned that the expression “it is a truth universally acknowledged” was a fairly common expression in Jane Austen’s time. (Though the humorous twist was her own.) It was used where we would use “it goes without saying” for something blindingly obvious.

  82. 82.

    debbie

    @rikyrah:

    Then you won’t want to hear the slurs Glenn Beck was hurling at Joy Reid this morning. I was so sure he was a real Christian. //

  83. 83.

    Ken

    @SiubhanDuinne: The Fuckhead babies are absolutely adorable.

    Twelve years from now…

    “Mom, how did we get that awful nickname?”

    “Well, shortly after you were born, your grandparent” (pause for well-practiced glare at JSF) “decided to share your picture on a blog, with some so-called friends…”

  88. 88.

    MomSense

    Our TV remote is possessed.  Instead of Buster Scruggs we ended up with Barbie dolphin magic.  It’s just jumping and selecting things on its own.

  90. 90.

    Just Chuck

    We can go back all the way to Homer for “bite the dust”.  Or at least whomever translated the Iliad to use that phrase.

  91. 91.

    Ken

    @JustRuss: It’s from the Porter scene in Ma– in the Scottish Play.  A bit of unfunny comic relief to give the principals a break and a chance to change costumes.

  92. 92.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Just Chuck:

    We can go back all the way to Homer for “bite the dust”.

    The electric bass definitely didn’t exist back then.  Acoustic?

    ETA – or if he was the original, another one didn’t bite the dust for centuries?

  93. 93.

    Ken

    @MomSense: April 23, 7:04 PM Eastern time, SkyNet became sentient and started watching TV.  7:15 PM, humanity was wiped out in a multi-megaton nuclear exchange after they tried to fight for the remote.

  94. 94.

    John Revolta

    @Matt McIrvin: I was just gonna Well Actually this but you saved me. The answer of course is nobody knows for sure in most cases, but it’s likely some of these phrases must’ve been abroad in artsy London society before Will wrote them down.

  95. 95.

    Glory b

    What!?! Don’t tell me that amongst these educated folks I’m the first to remember “My salad days, when I was green in judgment” am I?

    And I went to an inner city public school too (Peabody HS in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh, in case anyone is wondering).

  97. 97.

    Ruviana

    Those bebes remind me of that Talking Heads album cover.
    And mention of the Giant Evil Corporation makes me wonder, will Mnem ever come back?

  98. 98.

    Glory b

    @rikyrah: I loooove 2 raw too Real! My favorite Twitter folks are the gay black guys. Are you familiar with chris_notcapn?

    All part of the Khive.

  99. 99.

    J R in WV

    @dmsilev:

    my parents just lost their dog. Old age basically.

    Sorry to hear of your loss. Always hard. Take care, lots of hugs with the parents!

  102. 102.

    dexwood

    @TaMara (HFG): We once received some good advice from an old chicken wrangler about introducing adult hens to an established flock. Wait until dark, lift the hatch to the sleeping section, put the new chickens inside. It always worked for us. There was never any fighting or territorial squabbles and by morning it was like the newcomers had always been there. Don’t know if it works for ducks, but worth a try.

  103. 103.

    sab

    @sab: 7:30. Still a startled bat with huge glistening mostly blind eyes. 10 hours since the eyedrops. This may be normal. I wish they had warned me.

  114. 114.

    Sure Lurkalot

    @sab: Anecdotal but I have the same issue with dilation, takes like 12 hours to get back to normal and is very annoying!

  116. 116.

    Dan B

    @rikyrah: That was a giant gift basket of truth.   I’m not sure they’re using the N word when no black people are around but they are dog whistling and believing with every fiber of their being that the inferiors should have no influence and be grateful for what they’ve got.

     

    And punished, or at least shunned, if they’re not extremely grateful.

  117. 117.

    Dan B

    @debbie: Maxine is not grateful.  That is the most terrible thing that can be done to a person!

    Mean words melt white snowflakes!!

  118. 118.

    Miss Bianca

    @columbusqueen: Moderna #2 this morning. Just starting to feel the fatigue level from last time. Going to munch some sweet potato fries and hit the hay early tonight!

  119. 119.

    NotMax

    Was half-watching something when out of the corner of my eye saw this ad.

    That’s a whole lotta prep work on sets and costuming for a 15 second spot.

    :)

  121. 121.

    MaryRC

    @thruppence: Thank you for this — I’m so sorry to hear it.  I remember that Lance used to allude to some difficulties that one of his sons struggled with but it was obvious that he dearly loved his family.  I donated a little to a GoFundMe account that Digby linked to; apparently the family could use some help.

  122. 122.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @sab:

    This just in from ophthalmologist Bro’ Man: The effect can take up to 24 hours to wear off. The younger you are and the darker your eyes, the quicker it tends to go away. Older and “light-complected,” it can take longer. Not to worry.

  123. 123.

    Dan B

    @debbie: Could be.  It is mind blowing ti me that white right wingers feel mean words are the equal of the horrors visited upon minorities in this country.  They equate disagreement with the psychological terror and physical terrorism that is rained down on minorities.  Their first reaction to mass incarceration, poverty, abd discrimination is that the people suffering are responsible.

    That’s why Maxine, Val, AOC, and others get under their skin.  They won’t be quiet, well mannered, and polite.  They’ve decided that the rules of hood manners are an acceptable substitute for empathy and having a soul.

  124. 124.

    geg6

    Those are some precious babies, JSF.
    And TaMara, your travails with those ducks has had me in stitches.  The baths are my favorite.

  131. 131.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    Thanks for the kind words. The boy looks like his dad. The girl looks like her mom. It’s like they had mini-mes.

  133. 133.

    Chris T.

    Wait: “Nick and Nora”? Does that mean my suggestion actually got adopted?!

    And, re “dead as a doornail”: I thought that was due to Dickens, but https://grammarist.com/idiom/dead-as-a-doornail/ says that Shakespeare used it and that it was already in use before then, in the 1300s.  So I don’t think we can necessarily say Shakespeare here.

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