I moved into my current house during COVID lockdown #1. My cats came with the house. I started sending friends videos of Monty purring on particularly awful news days—the big shiny himbo has quite the motor. (His late colleague, Lola, just sort of silently vibrated.) I am embedding one of his bangers here:
Sound up to hear the Monty Motor, obvs. This was taken this past June.
Not much to say about today. It’s a sad day. I spent slightly too much time checking the USD to GBP exchange rate and scrolling on Bluesky, but it’s time to really rein that in. I intend to do what I did starting in 2017 and never let the president’s voice be heard in my house. The Child didn’t hear him speak until 2019, when we were visiting family in Pennsylvania, and she laughed out loud in disbelief.
Today she asked me why I was looking annoyed and I reminded her that Trump’s new term of office starts today.
“Ugh,” she said. “What a maroon.”
I’m not sure if I’m raising her right or if Bugs Bunny did, but that made me smile.
I now return to writing marketing article #14 of 2025. They’re keeping me busy, the clients, thank God. Talk about whatever—I’m sure there’s no avoiding discussing about the inauguration here, but this is a good space for light topics, recipes, etc.
catclub
Tuxedo Kitty!
Rose Judson
@catclub: I have never loved a cat as hard as I love this idiot. If he ever needs a kidney, I will find a way to make mine fit.
karensky
Whadda a purr! Feline Olympics quality.
Baud
Can she saw off Florida?
Villago Delenda Est
A rapist took an oath he has no intention of upholding. A sad day indeed. Think I’ll concentrate of hearing my Wakandan Terror purr.
jackmac
I awoke to the news that Joe Biden had issued a series of major pardons (Fauci, Gen. Milley, Jan. 6 committee and staff, family, etc).
I thought “Good” and a nice FU out the door directed at Trump.
After that I opted to ignore the rest of the day, hunker down against the Midwest cold (single digits here near Chicago) and watch Reacher episodes. I’ll check in on the carnage on Tuesday.
lowtechcyclist
At least it’s a bright sunny day outside, after the recent days of gloom.
“It was a bright cold day in
AprilJanuary, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”zhena gogolia
Great purr!
Steve LaBonne
Sounds just like our 20 pound behemoth Martti. I wouldn’t have believed there was another cat who purred as loudly as he does.
WaterGirl
Oh my god, Monty sounds like a huge lion or tiger. If I heard that sound outside of my tent while camping, I would be certain that I was about to be eaten.
Are you sure Monty isn’t using a Mr. Microphone?
Also, I hope everyone appreciated the special OTR we had to “welcome” the new President.
And if you haven’t clicked on the bird image in the sidebar, please do; he was specially chosen for today because of his attitude.
zhena gogolia
If you haven’t already, go back and look at Albatrossity’s Bird Butt thread from this morning.
ETA: Ha, I was just a little later than WG.
ETA: ArchTeryx recently posted a great comment on that thread.
VeniceRiley
Wife just finished a 7 day 12r HR per of prison overnights. Spent the day sleeping and avoiding the news channels in favour of everything from Countryfile to those 999 car crash and ambulance shows. Tomorrow, we are taking our 40 kilo dog out for a proper country run around (thankfully right around the corner!) Everyone loves him, stops for cuddles, and asks what he is (St Bernard and standard poodle cross.) how old he is (2 1/2) and wonders at how gentle and sweet he is.
Your daughter sounds truly amazing. Hope she gets to be PM one day. I mean, unless she’d really rather not!
Rose Judson
@VeniceRiley: Your schedule sounds brutal but your recreational ideas sound awesome.
Scout211
Recipes: I love blondies so I made a batch of blondies for my lunch guests from a recipe on the internet that said it was the BEST blondies EVER. It was a super elaborate recipe and had a whole cup of butter and 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk. I took it out of the oven it came out dripping with grease and sugar. It was horrible. I kept trying to bake it longer but it remained a greasy liquid mess. So I threw that batch out and I was very sad to see it go. I can’t believe I wasted three EXPENSIVE eggs! DID YOU KNOW EGGS ARE EXPENSIVE?!!111!
Anyhoo, I looked online again and found a recipe for blondies that called itself an “easy, simple” recipe. So I tried that and it was very good, plus it took half the time and half of the amount of ingredients. And ONLY ONE EXPENSIVE EGG!
My guests loved them and I learned my lesson: Too much butter and egg yolks spoil the blondies.
The end.
VeniceRiley
@Rose Judson: After a week of nights, they get an entire week off. It’s nice. But they can’t double it up with vacation weeks anymore as the management is twisted on. But, for night owl people who want to be permanent nights, it’s a week on/week off all the time. Add vacations and they can really stretch a very long holiday, as vacations count as the week on. Sweeeeet, but it’s not for us (yet.)
Anyhow, I’m expecting my retirement to blow up and maybe having to get a (gasp) job.
zhena gogolia
@Scout211: This is how I feel about loading chocolate into pecan pie. I love chocolate, and I love pecan pie, but they don’t belong together. I tried it once — never again.
NeenerNeener
@Villago Delenda Est: But he didn’t put his hand on a bible when he swore it so it doesn’t count….
Leto
@Baud: she’s a cat, not a bunny.
VeniceRiley
@zhena gogolia: I agree that chocolate does not belong in pecan pie.
Rose will confirm that there are many combinations of ingredients here that are considered “WRONG!” and my wife says I’ll be deported. Like, I cut open a Cornish pastie and put jalapeno in it.
bluefoot
A couple of Girl Scouts came to the door the other day selling cookies. Not only could I order cookies, but they also had boxes on hand if I wanted some right away. I bought two boxes of Thin Mints. I am trying hard to not open the second sleeve of cookies on the first box. Chocolate therapy is NOT good for my waistline, but oh so tempting.
Shoveled snow this morning and am thinking about making chili for dinner.
RandomMonster
I decided to combat my depression by getting off my ass and making homemade falafel.
UncleEbeneezer
The richest man in the world, serving as henchman/puppet-master to the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth, just gave a Nazi salute. I don’t wanna hear shit about how Israel shouldn’t exist or Zionism is the real evil.
WTFGhost
@WaterGirl: There’s something about tuxedo cats… I knew a cat named Magic who purred so loud you’d think big water droplets were hitting a sheet of tin. I’ve also noticed some cats of a large size are like they have purr bladders – you know, like how you have to pump an accordion, but it’s never out of air? – that magnify the bass. Thankfully, it also magnifies the hair-ball removal sound, so you can get the poor sod (and sodden-mess-to-be) on the floor. Alas, this also means he can sound the alarm from across a vast distance….
Leto
@bluefoot: the wife and I went out for brunch at the farmer’s market on Saturday. Right across from the booth was the absolute most adorable Girl Scout I’ve ever seen. She looked like Cindy Lou Who. We got two boxes, 1 Thin Mint (my kryptonite) and a box of Caramel Chocolate cookies. The wife had to remind me I could not “buy every damn box they had.” Something about “bills” and such. Whatever, man!
Josie
My daughter in law gifted me with a container of mole sauce that she wasn’t going to use. I am going to try making black bean and sweet potato enchiladas with mole sauce. I have been experimenting with vegetarian recipes and have found some that are very tasty. Hoping this one is a winner!
Leto
@Rose Judson: there’s a video someone posted that closely resembles how me and my dog mess around. I feel the same way about my little goober.
catclub
Now, chocolate cheesecake is another story.
UncleEbeneezer
@UncleEbeneezer: whoops didn’t realize this was a respite non-open thread. My bad. Feel free to delete my comment above
pat
Well I took my VW Golf in this morning to have the (safety recall) suction jet pump replaced. Planned to wait for it, but they have to pump out all the gas (a bit more than half a tank) and the whole procedure would take about 3 hours. So got a ride home with the shuttle, talked all the way with the driver about birds because I did the Golden Eagle Survey yesterday and his son got involved with birds at the age of 8 or ten and lives in Florida now where he sees lots of birds.
So I wait for a call that it is ready, and I can ask for the shuttle to pick me up. 2:00 goes by (that was the 3 hour mark), 3:00, finally I call and after several minutes on hold, I talk to someone who promises to have someone call me. Half an hour later I call again and finally talk to the guy I saw when I took it in, and he TEXTED me to the phone number he had on file, which is my HOME phone. (Yeah, I’m old.)
So it was done by 2:00. I just told them to hold it overnight. I want to do some shopping after I pick it up and it is getting late and I don’t feel like waiting for the shuttle, shopping, then getting home after 5:00. (Did I mention I’m old?)
Shuttle will come tomorrow morning at 9:30 to pick me up.
I will be watching MSNBC, Joy, Rachel, Chris, and Lawrence for the juicy details. But old Melania really had a great hat. No kissing!! Hehehehehe… (yuck)
WTFGhost
@zhena gogolia: Hm. Maybe a dark chocolate drizzle would work, because that would have a flavor on the outside, but wouldn’t be battling the sweet richness of the pecan pie filling. A dark drizzle would be bitter (so it’s not fighting the pecan pie filling for sweet), but the drizzle would have the filling’s sweetness to mellow it.
Still, yes, I think it would be cool if you could make two of those half-and-half pies, half pecan, half chocolate cream, and it’s weird, because it’s always to left-hand pie meldings, or two right-handed pie meldings – how do they *do* that, and how do they always end up in *pairs*?
Nevermind that. Yes, I think a chocolate pie, and a pecan pie, would have delighted my younger self, but *not* mixing them!
TBone
@Rose Judson: that’s me and Noah, I know I’m not really into having a favorite cat, but if I were…when I had middle of the night migraines, I’d awake to find I was wearing a furry, warm hat, he’d always be on my pillow wrapped around my head like he has some sort of magic sensor that knew when I was hurting. He looked much better during our visit today but, still, will not eat. I brought all his faves today, even smelly tuna water, but nope. He was at least his affectionate and curious old self emotionally so that’s a good thing! Major improvement over the zombie-like lethargy of the past few days.
pat
Speaking of cats, there is a feral black cat that comes by and looks in through the window in the door and gets a bowl of Meow Mix put out for him. His name is now Blacky. He was at the side door yesterday talking to Suzy through the closed door, so loud that I could hear him from indoors. I put his dish out that door. He runs away when he sees me coming, but then comes and eats.
We also see Buddy from time to time, and Davey, who lives with the family a couple of doors away. They are also tuxedo cats. Buddy with just a little white on his nose, and Davey with more white.
But the other day there was a new one, black and white, but with a lot of white on the underside.
His name is now 1/2&1/2.
Leto
@Scout211: that was enough eggs to buy Greenland and rename it Scout211land. Look at Scrooge McDuck over here… :P
TBone
@pat: awww, very good name!
Miki
I made chicken broth in the IP today using a couple of carcasses from chickens roasted a while ago. My house smells fabulous. The plan is to use some of it tonight in a lentil soup, also in the IP.
Right now it’s -7° F. Tonight is supposed to drop to -21° F.
An all-around intolerable day.
WTFGhost
Since someone mentioned this was respite, I’ll mention a funny quirk in the human experience called ASMR. Some people, sometimes, get some interesting physical effects from certain sounds. When I’m fatigued, I get tingles off of keyboard sounds, which really sucked when a high speed typist was in the computer lab late at night, almost always on a loud, mechanical keyboard, back in my college days.
Some of the sounds are kind-of gross; some people like “eating sounds,” which, you know, not my thing, so, don’t just play an ASMR video and expect it will be playing with beads, whispered voices, keyboard noises (*much* nicer when not on a deadline…).
Tingle-breaks are a nice way to cleanse the brain of unpleasant thoughts, so you can come back with more pleasant thoughts.
Other experiences can do the same thing, and “ritual” can help. I mean, if you always have a candle lit bubble bath to relax, with certain pleasant scents, well, don’t think you’re *wasting* your favorite bath bomb to use it today – this might be the time you most need emotional first aid.
(What? You think it’s a girly example? I make candles, take baths, and know about incense. That said, I was klutz enough to forget, you don’t want to mix your bath bomb with a bubble bath, because you can’t even *see* the durn thing under the bubbles….)
NeenerNeener
My brother came by today and installed the bird feeder with 2k camera that I got for my birthday last month. He filled it with the red pepper spiced bird seed that the squirrels hate. So far no birbs have found it, but I have a lot of pictures of my back yard because the black plastic that denotes the property lines in this neighborhood is flapping in the breeze and setting off the motion detector. As it’s starting to get dark now any birb activity is probably done for the day anyway; maybe I’ll have better luck tomorrow.
Elizabelle
That is some therapeutic purring. And loud.
Wondering what lions and leopards and cheetahs sound like as they purr. Maybe cheetahs do?
Elizabelle
@Leto: Mmmmm. Girl Scout cookie season. Must acquire. Totally missed it last year. Thinking fondly of the Scouts no longer selling cookies, but thriving in college.
Do miss those Thin Mints, though.
Rose Judson
@UncleEbeneezer: It’s totally fine. You’ve been through a lot.
cckids
@Josie: The idea of “mole sauce she’s not going to use” just does not compute.
Your enchilada idea sounds amazing. I make one with portobellos and poblanos that is rave-worthy. But SO much work :)
oldgold
What do make of this? It happened this afternoon.
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/20/trump-elon-musk-salute
zhena gogolia
@VeniceRiley: That sounds kind of good!
zhena gogolia
@catclub: True.
VeniceRiley
@zhena gogolia: I truly does improve it. A bit of catsup too.
sab
@Elizabelle: Big cats cannot purr but they can roar. Small cats cannot roar but they can purr. So that’s why there are some huge cats that are technically small cats, like cougars
ETA Cheetahs are small cats.
realbtl
I was settling in for my serious pedicure – 30 years of cowboy boots is not recommended – I started to open BJ and said screw it, cranked up the massage function and watched the large fish in the huge tank they have. A much better choice I think.
Ohio Mom
deleted because not respite-ful
Elizabelle
@sab: Thank you. I thought I had heard that cheetahs could purr.
We have cheetahs, and frequent cheetah cubs, at the Metro Richmond (VA) zoo.
And our little star, Poppy the baby pygmy hippo, born in December. Cute as can be. Moo Poppy. Have not seen her yet, but soon.
And: Pandas go on exhibit this Friday at the National Zoo in DC. Free tickets required.
Animals can be red in tooth and claw. And wonderful, too.
zhena gogolia
@Elizabelle: I read your comment quickly and thought you were saying you had a pygmy hippo as a pet.
WaterGirl
@Miki: How do you cook food in Intellectual Property or Internet Protocol?
WTFGhost
@WaterGirl: Fun fact: if you need to decarboxylate THC in marijuana, about 40 minutes on “high” pressure in the Instant Pot works well, which *really* makes me think someone was placing a pun in the name, though I haven’t identified it.
You can’t transport food over “IP” – it’s just a protocol for identifying machines in a network. You need FTP for Food Transport Protocol, but cooking is another matter. Maybe the Hot Topsy Turvy Protocol or HTTP? It flips the food, hence, topsy turvy.
Jay
@zhena gogolia:
Only house hippos are allowed as pets,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TijcoS8qHIE
zhena gogolia
@Jay: Great!
Quiltingfool
@zhena gogolia: I do love chocolate and I do love pecan pie, but not together! Some things do not require fixing!
Timill
@WTFGhost: But then you’re liable to get an Error Code 418 (Yes, this is a real error code)
Quiltingfool
@bluefoot: We are having chili for supper! Pairing it with a grilled cheese sandwich! Comfort food for cold weather.
Now if some caramel brownies would appear in the kitchen, that would be great.
Leto
@Elizabelle: when I was deployed to Iraq for a year, about 5 months in this notice came down. Let us know what type of Girl Scout cookies you like. I responded with Thin Mints. About two months later boxes came just for me. Not individual cartons, but boxes. With like 6 cartons inside. Everyone on my team received the same quantity of their choice, but I felt like a king at that moment. Think they lasted a total of three months? I ran extra and didn’t care. Worth it.
Miki
@WaterGirl: 0010010110101
Quiltingfool
I may get to make a Sawtooth Cat quilt for a customer (oh, please!). The customer would like the fabrics to be the colors of real cats, instead of all different colors. I keep thinking of how to make a tuxedo cat! I’m going to use the cat photos in the BJ calendars for ideas. I’ve decided that if the customer decides against the quilt commission, I’m going to make it anyway!
I spent the day cutting quilt pieces for a hospice quilt (for my guild sisters to put together. A good way to spend a sad day.
zhena gogolia
@Leto: Thin mints are superb.
zhena gogolia
@Quiltingfool: Good for you. I’m looking forward to the pictures.
Elizabelle
@zhena gogolia: Now there is a children’s book.
Does anyone remember “A Fish out of Water?” That was one of my favorites, years ago.
Elizabelle
@Quiltingfool: Good for you.
Might you be persuaded to make some more Patron quilts or pillow fronts? I missed my chance last year … do love Patron; he always brings a smile to my face. And has an excellent social media team.
WTFGhost
@Miki: wow, damn, and I can but golf-clap in reply.
mali muso
On the topic of Girl Scout cookies, if you want to get your fix from a jackal-related scout, my kiddo is in her first year as a brownie and selling them. I don’t think I want to link directly to her cookie site on a public page, but you can probably ask WG to connect me via email if interested. :)
Re: purring, kiddo and I were in Belize last week and on our last day, we visited the lovely national zoo (which is really an animal sanctuary for local wildlife that is injured/incapable of living in the wild). We saw some lovely cats – jaguars, ocelots, puma, jagarundi, and others that I don’t remember the name of. According to the zookeeper, “big cats” roar and “small cats” purr. We heard a pair of ocelots purring loudly but in the context of growl/purring to warn the other off of stealing their food.
bluefoot
@Leto: I have managed to resist so far but really want to buy more cookies. Partly because I remember the days when I was a Girl Scout. I was painfully shy and selling cookies was hard.
@Quiltingfool: I ended up not making chili – distracted by a phone call. So it’ll be either tomorrow of Wednesday.
Quiltingfool
@Elizabelle: I’ll put Patron on my list! He is such a charming dog.
I am going to try my hand at making appliqué quilt portraits of pets – I get photos and enlarge them; then I make the patterns. I’ve got a few ready for the pattern phase. I have done one (for a fellow commenter) and I think it turned out pretty good.
Quiltingfool
@zhena gogolia: This is the Sawtooth Cat pattern. I have made several of them, they are very popular. https://pin.it/4XQR3GKqt
I still remember the time I sold the first one, at a farmers market. A lady came over to my table, spied that quilt, and reverently patted it. She looked at the price tag, patted the quilt again, and turned away. Her husband was watching; after she moved away, he stepped up, pulled some money out of his wallet, and took the quilt to her. Good guy.
raven
I NEVER thought I’d say this. Go Irish!!
zhena gogolia
@Quiltingfool: Beautiful!
Glidwrith
Made lamb stew in the crock pot last night for dinner tonight.
Also dug up multiple elephant garlic bulbs, cleaned and roasted them with olive oil. Spread them on homemade baguette bread. Mmmmmmmm……..
Rachel Bakes
Ate poorly today. Cried a lot. Took my kid sledding in 20 degree weather. Started a batch of sourdough for a friend and her ailing MIL. And restarted my occasional hobby of embroidery. I’ve decided that stabbing things repeatedly with a needle helps alleviate a little fury.
Villago Delenda Est
@Elizabelle: Leopards purr before they eat someone’s face, and they’re in their salad days for the next four years.
Villago Delenda Est
@raven: I really have no choice but to join you. My feathers got really burnt three weeks ago.
Villago Delenda Est
@Leto: Girl Scout cookie time was always a big deal at my headquarters. I’d place my order and get them delivered to my desk!
Villago Delenda Est
@NeenerNeener: To the convicted felon, a Bible is nothing more than kitsch to sell to his cultists.
The Pale Scot
My dog did that, we called it snoring
Manyakitty
@Quiltingfool: oh that is LOVELY!
Gloria DryGarden
@Quiltingfool: i love, love, love this idea. A quilt that looks like a cat…
I would buy one. You might need to scale up production for all the requests you’ll get.
Rose, your cat’s purring is very therapeutic. And loud! Fantastic
Josie, I love your mole idea with sweet potatoes and black beans. I just bought a jar a few days ago, and needed ideas. Now I’m curious about adding it to mushrooms and peppers, but in broth, like a soup. I’m sure I’m way out of the correct cultural box, but for me it just has to taste good.
WaterGirl
@WTFGhost: Seeing this 3 days late. Sorry I missed it in real time!