For those of you who think Maxwell is mad, you gotta realize, I know what my man likes:
Joelle and Steve are the only normal ones in this house, Maxwell, Thurston, and I all need our thunderjackets.
I also forget to tell you that Joelle took me to lunch as part of the Christmas gift of the cat show (we are having our christmas now because her knee replacement surgery on Tuesday is really going to limit our options for some time (and in her case, ability to have much fun at all for a couple weeks), so she took me to this local place called Chilaquiles.
Even though it was the middle of the afternoon, I was feeling brunchish, so I ordered the Hatch Chile Skillet, which had thick hunks of pork stewed to perfection in a hatch chile brine, large chunks of potato, chilis, a thick guacamole and light crema, with two perfectly over easy eggs on top. It was absolutely fantastic and all I could think was thats something like this would make a billion dollars in Pittsburgh because it has all the meaty potatoey eggy fullness of a traditional bowl without all the traditional anise/fennel you get in italian sausage. Yinzers would kill for this kind of thing- you could sell out your food truck with 2-3 items and coffee and I am not kidding.
Today was just a really good day and I spend so much time complaining about how crabby and moody I am so I thought I would sprinkle my special brand of cheer on you all twice.
CaseyL
Very happy to hear you had a good day and felt cheerful. Might want to make a note of it :D
Maxwell looks adorable in his… ruff? Elizabethan collar? cravat? If he likes to wear it, more power to him. I’ve known dogs to who loved to “dress up,” and I have seen photos of kitties who seem pleased to be wearing clothes, but have never known one in person.
eclare
Your lunch sounds delicious!
Jackie
Bonus Cole! Your lunch sounds fabulous! Did Joelle eat anything?
SpaceUnit
What the heck happens at a cat show? They eat a bird and shit in a shoe?
piratedan
there’s just something about pork and New Mexico green chiles isn’t there? When we do our white chicken chili, we end up tossing in a can of the Las Palmas green enchilada sauce mix and some of the 505 Hatch green chili with a bunch of celery and white onion and let it simmer for a few hours (plus some cumin and chicken broth to give it some juice and the aroma is just one of those things that seems like home. I like Great Northerns as my white bean of choice but hey, whatever trips your trigger …
Glad that you have that vulcan mind meld with your critters John, it’s one of those “brings me peace and relevance in my world things”.
SuzieC
Yum! Love your kitties and your brunch sounds delicious. I made myself feel good by donating $50 each to Sherrod Brown and Jasmine Crockett. Also watching rerun of Holiday Baking Championship. The bakers are making plaid cakes, which I never knew existed until this show.
mrmoshpotato
Protip: When it’s 5 degrees outside, turn on space heater before taking a nap.
Kristine
That skillet sounds amazing.
So does the white chicken chili. I took notes.
According to the WGN app, it’s currently 1 degree here in my little corner of Illinois. Wind chill -17. We’re under a Cold weather advisory through noon tomorrow because wind chill. We’ve had a lot of winter packed into the last couple of weeks and it isn’t even officially Winter yet.
frosty
Perfect! This dog person got a good laugh from that!
frosty
@piratedan:
I need this recipe! I’m making White Chicken Chile from the recipe on the back of the Bush’s Beans can. This looks much better.
mrmoshpotato
@Kristine:
So true.
eclare
@Kristine:
Here in Memphis it’s not as cold, the low tonight is nineteen, but we’re also under a cold weather advisory.
MikeInOly
We have a collar for Miss Gingersnap similar to that one. A Birdsafe one so she is highly visible to birds when she joins us in the garden. She looks ridiculous in it.
We have had two beautiful days. Sunny and warm – it hit 61 yesterday! In western WA! In December! Crazy times. Of course the whole region is flooding from this warm river of air, but it was a nice break from the rain, dark and cold.
cain
Kind of reminds me of shashuka. Which is super delicious.
I do want to try this dish out. What’s the name?
Melancholy Jaques
A niece is having a 1 year old’s birthday party tomorrow. I just found out 48 people were invited. The whole family is seven adults and two children including her & hers. Is this normal? I don’t recall big parties for children that young, Am I just totally out of touch?
Aziz, light!
Feeding hummers is the right move John. There’s nothing more pleasing than watching them from two feet away. They are fearless and fearsome little guys. When they want me to freshen up their food they will hover right in front of my eyes and glare at me. Our resident Anna’s hummingbirds have forgotten how to migrate and they stay in our Portland yard all year. I keep them alive during rare freezes with ceramic terrarium heat bulbs on long poles under each feeder.
piratedan
@frosty: covered most of what’s in it (I do the prep, the boss does the measurements)
we usually make a large batch so we can eat it all week….
usually start off with four boneless/skinless chicken breasts neatly trimmed. Cook them in the skillet, seasoned lightly with whatever items strike your fancy. Then dice them into cubes/chunks. Some folks like to shred them.
One trimmed bunch of celery (this adds a slight bit of flavor but mostly just adds some veg and volume to the mix.
One large white onion diced (crying optional)
three cans of white beans
16oz can of Las Palmas green chili enchilada sauce
two cups of Hatch 505 green chili
One full block of Philadelphia cream cheese (gives you that creaminess factor). Also top with grated Monterrey Jack if so inclined while serving. Sour cream is another option, or both.
I tend to put a fair bit more veg into my beef chili, but I find the green chili, onion and celery to be a “just right” blend.
I’ll come back with the cumin/spices/boulion ratios after I speak to the spouse.
namely all of it goes into the crock pot on medium for a few hours. Naturally there’s some seasoning to taste. Sometimes we toss in carrots or substitute some pintos depending on mood and what is available. What makes it or breaks it are the spice interactions with the green chilis. Try not to let it go more than 4 hours or else the beans get too soft (unless you want them that way). What makes it fantastic is that it reheats as well as it tastes on the first pass. It’s one of those rare meals that I can eat three, four times in a row although I will admit that when you get to day four, the beans can get a bit mushy.
will follow with more specifics when I have them.
eclare
@Melancholy Jaques:
I never had a party that big, but I am not clued in to what people do these days.
Shane in SLC
Mexicans have the best food on the planet, full stop.
prostratedragon
Maxwell does look rather adorable.
Old Dan and Little Ann
@Kristine: The end of autumn can be fairly chilly.
Juju
I wish Joelle a great recovery on her second knee replacement on Tuesday. I am having my second knee replacement Wednesday. My first was this past November 3rd. It’s a rapid turnaround but I have no choice. I made my deductible and at this point I won’t have health coverage until August when I turn 65. My doctor and I both hope I don’t have the same issue I had with the first knee, which was something that happens once in around 4 million knee replacement surgeries, but there is a chance because it happened the first time. All the people who dealt with me after the surgery were surprised and impressed with how well I have recovered from the first surgery. I just followed directions and made sure I did all the exercises I was told to do and I plan on doing the same with my next knee. My main physical therapist has said he will help make sure things go as well with my second knee. I feel better about things in that regard.
Anyhoo, I will be thinking only good thoughts about Joelle’s knee replacement surgery Tuesday.
eclare
@Juju:
Good luck on Wednesday and with the recovery!
MagdaInBlack
@eclare: I was just out on the balcony, for all of 1 minute. It is big fat zero degrees out there. Just saying welcome to my insomnia hour =-)
p.s. the stars are out and there is a wee sliver of a moon hanging low in the south east.
Bruce K in ATH-GR
@Juju: Good luck to you! And to Joelle. Jeez, how many of us have gone under the knife in the past year?
(Hopefully the last time for a long time for me. Recovering well, from what I can tell, although I have a new definition for a sore throat. Also, I am now a living argument both in favor of modern medicine and against Intelligent Design; no intelligent designer would have wired up the human nervous system so that the nerves controlling the voice box would run halfway down the chest and back up to the neck.)
Juju
@Bruce K in ATH-GR: I’m glad you are doing better, and thank you. It’s interesting how the nerves feel when recovering from surgery.
Juju
@eclare: Thank you. I appreciate your well wishes.
rikyrah
Hey Maxwell🤗🤗🤗
WTFGhost
@Melancholy Jaques: That’s weird, and pretty lavish sounding, but it’s becoming “a thing” now, and maybe it’s a big event for a bunch of kids, and your niece loves watching children play, or, more a social circle for the grown-ups, or… I dunno.
I’ll explain BDSM and some paganism to you, but the ways of 48 person, 1-year-old, birthday parties are foreign to me, and while they are not my ways, I will not call them bad ways until injuries are occurring. So if they’re holding “run with scissors” events and “see how many electrical sockets you can stick a fork into,” contests, Imma registering my objections now.
eclare
@MagdaInBlack:
Currently 24 here, it was in the 50’s most of the day. I’ll take your word for it about the moon and stars, I’m not going out!
1,000 flouncing lurkers (was fidelioscabinet)
@Melancholy Jaques: I am hoping this is because they have a lot of friends & extended family they haven’t had time to visit with lately, and this seems like a good chance to hang out/play with the baby/catch up with everyone.
The alternative is that they hope to score a lot of gifts from everyone, or possibly do some competitive too-much-too-costly entertaining.
TS
Off topic
Australia has another mass shooting – didn’t think it would happen here again – at the iconic Bondi Beach
abc.net.au/news/2025-12-14/active-shooter-bondi-beach-sydney-nsw/106141580
10 dead (including a shooter) 12 injured. 2 people arrested. Our world is so full of hate.
NotMax
@Melancholy Jaques
Baby luaus are a tradition in Hawaii.
In Hawaii, first birthdays get a lot more than cake and a “Happy Birthday” song.
eclare
@TS:
Oh how awful!
TS
@eclare: I have family there – they are all OK for which we are thankful. Bondi has a large Jewish population & Chanukah by the Sea started just before 5pm.
eclare
@TS:
I just read about the Jewish service there. I’m glad your family is ok.
TS
@eclare: It was only yesterday, with the shooting at Brown University, we were thinking how lucky we were to not have such things happening here – and there is is, less than 24 hours later. Some of the states were wanting to relax gun control, about the only positive from this – that isn’t going to happen.
Thanks for reading, we heard this very late (state news can be parochial in our states) and I think I am still in shock at the thought of what happened.
It’s top page WaPo – no doubt the comments will be full of – “see gun control doesn’t work”.
eclare
@TS:
I wonder how they got the guns. I’m sure that will come out.
Princess
@TS: Worth noting also that the victims at Bondi were not random — the killers attacked Jews marking the first night of Hanukkah.
ETA:I see this got added. On the guns — one way to get them would be if they were supplied by a foreign government.
prostratedragon
Milonga Nocturna
TS
@Princess: It has been declared an antisemitic terrorist attack. On shooter is dead, the other in hospital. There is talk of a third but this is not confirmed. The communities from where the shooters originated will be under police examination for some time. It is so heartbreaking that the few can so ruin the community they attack and their own group.
@eclare:
There are thousands of illegal guns in Australia. Most killings are within the criminal community or related to domestic violence, it is not so difficult to get a gun. There are also many legally held. There are not, fortunately, many automatic weapons with large shot volume (I don’t know the terminology, have never owed a gun, rarely seen one) so this reduces the death rate. There is film of an incredibly brave man disarming one of the shooters.
Baud
@TS:
Very sorry to hear this news.
snoey
@eclare: There are over 4,000,000 legally registered long guns in Australia.
eclare
@TS:
I saw that video of the man disarming one of the shooters. All I can say is wow.
eclare
@snoey:
Thanks.
Baud
@eclare:
A good man without a gun.
eclare
@Baud:
Yep. No doubt he saved lives.
Joey Maloney
I’m surprised he could run at the shooter that quickly given the enormous balls he must be packing.
mrmoshpotato
@Bruce K in ATH-GR: Full recovery (with no issues) to you.
mrmoshpotato
@Juju: All the best with surgery and recovery.
Viva BrisVegas
@Princess: There are plenty of guns in Australia, both legal and illegal. Rival criminal gangs frequently target each other, but the victims are usually fellow criminals.
There is a great deal of ethnic overlap in the organised crime community and radicalised religious elements. It would not be at all difficult for weapons to pass between such groups.
As to where the guns are coming from? If you can get away with importing drugs into a country, you can get away with importing anything.
Princess
For some context — I am NOT saying Iran was involved in attacking the Jewish community in Bondi, but the Iranian ambassador to Australia was recently expelled after Australia identified other Iranian involvement in antisemitic attacks there: bbc.com/news/articles/c9d085n75q3o.amp
Baud
@Princess:
Something seems coordinated.
eclare
@Baud:
Damn.
sab
@Melancholy Jaques: I would never have that many people around a baby. Stress and infectectious diseases.
prostratedragon
@Baud:
Some day these guys are going to figure out that they are most likely being used. Then the world will end.
Geminid
I see Lindsey Vonn’s titanium-reinforced knee is holding up. Vonn won a World Cup race at Chamonx, France Friday and came in second in another one yesterday. She skis the Super-G today.
The 41 year-old Vonn had a partial reconstruction of one knee two years ago, and is skiing competitively again. She hopes to compete in the upcoming Winter Olympics.
mrmoshpotato
@Geminid: When are the next Winter Olympics?
Baud
@Geminid:
Now I want a titanium reinforced knee.
prostratedragon
Brown Daily Herald live feed. There is a suspect, man in his 30s, in custody.
Baud
@prostratedragon:
Good. Hopefully the right guy.
Barry
@Kristine: my car says 1F right now, at 8 AM.
Gin & Tonic
@mrmoshpotato: This coming February.
mrmoshpotato
@Baud: “Doctor, will be able to ski with a titanium knee replacement?”
“Yes.”
“Well, I couldn’t before.”
mrmoshpotato
@Gin & Tonic: Will there be ice break dancing?
lowtechcyclist
@Melancholy Jaques:
Sure seems like overkill to the N’th power to me – none of the kiddo’s birthday parties when he was little had anywhere near that big a crowd. If we ever broke double digits on the number of kids or the number of adults, it was just barely.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@Melancholy Jaques: That sounds like a madhouse in the making.
Geminid
@mrmoshpotato: I think the Winter Olympics are this coming February but I’m not sure.
According to one of the articles I read about Lindsey Vonn, she says she put on 12 pounds of muscle this summer and follows a very strict diet. She sounds determined.
Josie
My oldest had the same birth date as a very good friend. For a number of years, we had a combined birthday party for Kirk and Sally that included children and adults of all ages. It was great fun until he got old enough to be a little embarrassed by the whole thing.
Matt McIrvin
@Melancholy Jaques: Sounds like she just wants to have a big party. That’s fine but the kid’s birthday doesn’t require one.
Percysowner
@Kristine:
My weather apps don’t totally line up, but the average of them is that we are about 3 degrees with a feels like of -13. I will have to go and clean my drive today, but not until this afternoon at least.
WaterGirl
@MagdaInBlack: We are -5, -23 with wind chill.
Brrr.
Joey Maloney
Update on the man who rushed one of the Bondi shooters and disarmed him:
bsky.app/profile/bnonews.com/post/3m7x6gheb322c
Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, has been identified as the man who disarmed one of the Sydney attackers. Ahmed was shot by the second shooter, who was firing from a bridge. He suffered 2 gunshot wounds and is undergoing surgery.
different-church-lady
Huh. Well, I guess I will grudgingly accept cheerful-Cole.
frosty
@Melancholy Jaques: Rule of thumb that I remember when our boys were young was that the number of guests should match the age. So one guest for a 1- yr old, 8 for 8-yr, etc.
prostratedragon
From Lalo Alcaraz, “Corrupt-o-matic”
zhena gogolia
@mrmoshpotato: I tried that on my arm surgeon. He had never heard the joke. (I asked if I’d be able to play the piano. BTW, I can, as well as ever.)
Professor Bigfoot
@piratedan: Screen capped, printed, and now hanging in the kitchen waiting for me to git busy.
TRULY a full service blog!!
Professor Bigfoot
@Shane in SLC: Wait ‘til you eat in Shanghai. 🤤
Mexico is WAY UP THERE, but… 😉
mrmoshpotato
@zhena gogolia: How young was your arm surgeon? 😁
Baud
Reddit comment. No independent confirmation.
Baud
@mrmoshpotato:
I’ll have you know that Dr. Howser is one of the best in his field.
Professor Bigfoot
@TS: I’m really late to this thread; but I’m so glad your folks are OK.
Prayers for the victims, and big huge props to Ahmed el Ahmed, who bravely took down one of the shooters though he took bullets himself.
AND— when someone says “globalize the intifada,” THIS IS WHAT THEY MEAN.
frosty
@piratedan: Thanks! I copied it.
Professor Bigfoot
@Baud: hell, I want two! I wanna ski like Lindsey Vonn!!
(no, even when I actually DID ski I was never in the same skill level county as LV. 😂)
Professor Bigfoot
@mrmoshpotato: I wanna make a joke about “only if the Australians are competing” but after what happened at Bondi Beach yesterday, I’m gonna leave them folks alone… ☹️
Gvg
@Joey Maloney: I would like to hear about the results of surgery, hopefully it goes well?
zhena gogolia
@mrmoshpotato: Very young!
Gvg
My sister had a cat that would not wear a collar. Got them all off within minutes. Since we do house cat only it wasn’t too much of a concern, but cats do get out, so from time to time we would check to see if she had mellowed on the issue.
When she was around 10 or so I wanted cute Christmas pics of our pets and bought Christmas collars at PetSmart. I knew she would get hers off fast but I planned on snapping the picture quick and the holiday cat collars were cheap but unusual. They were a kind of large scrunchie in red velvet with some extra ruff sort of like Maxwell’s collar. She didn’t bother to take it off and it was still on her a month later. Evidently it felt loose enough not to bother her or something. After the holidays we went and found “normal” collars in the scrunchie style and she wore them just fine for the rest of her life. Cats.
The pictures all came out cute too.
eclare
@Joey Maloney:
I hope he comes out of surgery ok. So brave.
Baud
@Joey Maloney:
Thanks. I didn’t see your comment before.
comrade scotts agenda of rage
@mrmoshpotato:
Winter sport nerd here.
They’ll be in Feb in Italy in two different places, Milan for things like ice skating, hockey, etc., and Cortina for the outdoor (Alpine, Nordic) events.
I’ve skied Cortina, awesome place.
Percysowner
In a totally unexpected, and unnoticed win An out nonbinary candidate just won a seat in their ruby-red Ohio town by 13 votes. They didn’t believe it, either. The Democratic trend continues.
Baud
@Percysowner:
Whoa.
And the Republican conceded defeat graciously!
What a strange new world!
OlFroth
After looking at the menu for Chilaquiles, this Yinzer is looking to trying it if I’m ever out that way an’at!
Jackie
@Percysowner: That’s awesome! People/voters are rejecting trumpism/republicans.
Gin & Tonic
A “person of interest” has been detained in the Brown University shooting, which was the 389th shooting incident with four or more victims in the US this year. If we buckle down, I’m pretty sure we can easily top 400 for the year.
Baud
Via reddit, the new CBS News trying to make Charlie Kirk happen.
p.a.
@Baud: CBS, behind the curve as always.
Baud
@p.a.:
I’m curious to see who they interview for our side of the divide, if anyone. Maybe Joe Manchin.
eclare
@Baud:
I read an article that said Madison Ave. is not on board. The ads were for things like sugar beet supplements and, I can’t believe it, chia pets.
variety.com/2025/tv/news/advertisers-wary-cbs-news-bari-weiss-town-hall-1236608265/
Baud
@eclare:
I didn’t realize that was on last night. That post was the first I heard of it. I guess that’s good that it didn’t make a splash.
Capitalists are the best
ETA
Wow.
Scout211
@eclare: I read that Variety article this morning with a laugh. Bari Weiss’s overlord will be pleased with the interview and all those future interviews to come. But if the network news division can’t attract the big name sponsors, will Ellison change his tune? Ha ha. Not likely. But it will be interesting to watch.
ETA: I also saw pics of Erika during the interview with tears running down her overly-made-up face with smoky eye and all. Perfect makeup for going out to a club, a news interview? Nope.
Professor Bigfoot
We finally got enough snow for me to break out the EGO power snowshovel/mini snowblower.
Somewhere between 2 and 3 inches, not really that much; but thing thing went through it like Sherman through Georgia (an image what will never not make me smile), only a whole lot less fire.
eclare
The Guardian is reporting that the guy who tackled the shooter was shot in the arm and hand. A relative said he is recovering well.
Jackie
@Scout211:
I’m hoping the rating for that town hall comes out soon. Outside of FFOTUS and Kirk followers – who watched it?
Percysowner
@Professor Bigfoot:
Yeah, I’m going to break out my SnowJoe in a few hours. The snow isn’t bad, but I want out of the cold as soon as I can be.
Professor Bigfoot
@Percysowner: I was almost having fun with it… so I did the neighbor’s sidewalk, too.
JustRuss
@NotMax: I spent a few years in Hawaii and was invited to a couple first birthdays. They are a big Biden deal. And quite fun.
Baud
Looks like front pagers been raptured.
JustRuss
@p.a.: Democracy vs. authoritarianism, the new frontier in “Both Sides!” I’m confident they’re up to it.
RaflW
The news this morning is terrible. But I want to highlight some quiet hope:
BF went to a five hour long training-organizing event in Minneapolis yesterday. 5,000 people (yes, five thousand) attended – in person, in the Mpls Convention Center. The breakout group BF joined was 500 people! One of his colleagues had 40 people from her congregation of about 350 sign up.
The organizers are an interfaith group working on broad-based issues, so this wasn’t specifically about ICE. But it is about preserving democracy, holding politicians accountable for the ACA defunding, and more. BF said it was really well run (I’m out of town for a few days or would have gone).
They have a whole series of actions planned for the state legislative term, and have a solid pressure campaign strategy. The next step is having those 5,000 people each invite their networks. They want to have the biggest rally ever held at the MN Capitol.
And they have specific asks. It wasn’t a dig on No Kings, but by having a state-level focus, it’s more logical to have asks (demands, really) and a plan to put specific, sequentially ratcheted pressure on elected officials (I think both state and from our D.C. caucus).
I’m pretty optimistic to see that this sort of thing is happening. I wonder what other states interfaith groups are doing?
Matt McIrvin
@Baud: Even the liberal Alan Dershowitz, here to talk about the trauma of being shunned in the Hamptons
Matt McIrvin
@Professor Bigfoot: I have been coveting that thing ever since you alerted us to its existence. I wish I’d known about it early enough to get it on the Christmas list.
p.a.
Posting here on a moribund thread just because I have to but don’t want to bring down a new thread:
12/6 coworker/co-retiree, Grammy-nominated musician (Roomful of Blues) and all around great guy killed walking his dog by a driver with 100-ish priors including other driving infractions.
Yesterday’s shooting at my alma mater.
Merry effing Christmas.
EntroPi
@Gin & Tonic: I’m a 10 minute walk from the shooting, and in what was the lock down zone. Fun night.
zhena gogolia
@p.a.: I’m so sorry.
Paul in KY
@SpaceUnit: That’s only Ultimate Cat Show (UCS).
Paul in KY
@Melancholy Jaques: Looks like they (the parents) want some presents. Or they just like a reason to have a good time & invite their friends, etc.?
Paul in KY
@TS: The murderers are just so cowardly. Shooting at unarmed people. The hero who tackled/disarmed one of them should be given Australia’s highest honor.
Paul in KY
@Joey Maloney: True dat.
Paul in KY
@Geminid: I just can’t imagine someone having the skirt to do that again after the horrendous wrecks she’s endured. One of the all time greats!
Paul in KY
@Joey Maloney: Should get the ‘Grand Cross of Australia’ or whatever they have for extreme valour! Plus I hope he drinks, as he’ll never buy another beer downunder for the rest of his hopefully long life!