Come for the politics, stay for the snark.
Won’t watch.
Can’t watch.
Yeah–I’m a wimp.
But my point (and I do have one) is that it’s just fine to be wimplike in just that way.
To that end…let me share with you some of my security blanket.
Tikka the magnificent:
The captivating Champ: 
And the lonely sea and sky:
(I was on that seaside road as a squall approached the iconic Thatcher Island twin lights and by sheer luck caught this.)
My instructions to self: inhale. Exhale. Repeat.
Add bourbon as necessary.
Non-debate open thread, y’all.
ICYMI, cat rescuer Satby is looking to save five cats from an untimely fate:
A 92-year-old woman who was a member of the UU church here passed away. Her daughter, up from Texas to wrap up her mom’s affairs, is unable to take mom’s four cats back to Texas because she already has three of her own. Our rescue and other rescues in the area are full, so these cats WILL be euthanized if we can’t find a place for some or all of them.
They are:
* A bonded pair — brother & sister tabby cats, 7 1/2 years old. Must be adopted together but not
necessarily with the others.
* A tortoiseshell female, 7 1/2 years old
* And a Siamese female, 13 years oldI am willing to drive to meet anyone in the three-state area of IL, IN, or MI if they might be able to adopt any of these cats. The house is sold and the drop dead date is September 29.
Hoping we can at least save one if not more.
Here’s some photos and further info:
All are indoor cats, all neutered or spayed, and by end of next week all but one (Bunny) will have had their shots and booster shots. Bunny will have her booster the following week.
There are a tabby brother, Solomon, and his sister, Echo. They are about 7 or 8 yrs old. They’re close with each other. Here’s Solomon:
This is Echo. These two are not that alike. Solomon is friendly with visitors, Echo does a vanishing act. Solly is highly intelligent and communicative. He can be affectionate, but doesn’t like a lot of being fussed over. Won’t get on your lap. He lets you know what he wants with meaningful looks. Echo turned out, after about 3 months, to be much more inclined to give head bonks and enjoys nuzzling and petting, and will lick your hand. Both love to play. They both have a goofy side.
Two others live separately from them on the 2nd floor. They’re Bunny, a Tortoiseshell, and Siri, a lynx point Siamese. Bunny is 7 or 8, and Siri is 13.
Rescue Bleg Update: <del>Four</del> Five Adult / Senior Cats in South BendPost + Comments (43)
From indefatigable rescuer Satby:
One of the hardest situations we encounter as rescuers is the pets remaining after an older person passes away without making arrangements for the surviving pets. I think people assume their families will take them, but in most cases that’s not true.
Anyway, locally, a 92-year-old woman who was a member of the UU church here passed away. Her daughter, up from Texas to wrap up her mom’s affairs, is unable to take mom’s four cats back to Texas because she already has three of her own. Our rescue and other rescues in the area are full, so these cats WILL be euthanized if we can’t find a place for some or all of them.
They are:
* A bonded pair — brother & sister tabby cats, 7 1/2 years old. Must be adopted together but not
necessarily with the others.* A tortoiseshell female, 7 1/2 years old
* And a Siamese female, 13 years old
I am willing to drive to meet anyone in the three-state area of IL, IN, or MI if they might be able to adopt any of these cats. The house is sold and the drop dead date is September 29.
I’m trying to get pictures and vet records, but given the age of the owner the records could be missing or non-existent.
Hoping we can at least save one if not more.
Please share, and if you have any suggestions, leave a comment or send me an email.
Rescue Bleg: Four Adult / Senior Cats in South Bend, IndianaPost + Comments (45)
Rosie is doing fine. She still hides when I come in, but comes out when I sit there for a while. She is eating, drinking, and pooping, so the big stuff is ok, right now we are just figuring out consent issues. She is allowed to rub on me and loop in between my legs and be lovey all over me, but I get hissed at if I try to get handsy. Feels like I am back in High School, to be honest.
Also I slept for 16 hours and feel a ton better and do not have covid.
HumboldtBlue teased in a couple of posts that he had a meet-cute set up with a tuxedo kitten. She was adorable, but as is the way with the cat distribution system, that is not the kitten he came home with because he was chosen and he could not refuse. Meet by Noodles. And what a match it is. From HumboldtBlue:
[[[TaMara here: We even get some adorable video!]]]
Well, what a wonderful 24 hours it’s been. Noodles is a little 3-pound whirlwind of energy and non-stop movement right up until the moment it’s time for a nap, and then he just folds himself up on my chest with a series of chirps, peeps and little meows and dozes off. We’ve had a ton of fun chasing the feather and the ball on the stick, and he’s all kitten, with plenty of bristling hair and hunchback side jumps while I continually laugh at his little bow-legged back legs as he scampers across the floor.
I went to the clinic expecting to meet Cosmo, the little girl, and I did, but they also brought in Noodles (they were calling him Holland but after what the Oranje [Dutch men’s national soccer team] did in the Euros that name was never gonna stick) and from the first moment he was on my leg, scampering around and behind me while Cosmo pretty much ignored me. It became clear pretty quickly he and I were gonna be pals. I spent 40 minutes with him and then signed the foster-to-adoption paperwork (he gets neutered in two weeks) and then we got in the car and headed home. Not before a stop at the local vet to pick up some toys and food supplies, and when we got to the apartment he settled in immediately.
He was litter box trained and used mine without trouble after I showed him where it was. He spent an hour exploring every nook and cranny of the apartment he could, squeaking and peeping and just having a blast while I exhorted him on, all the while grinning like a fool at how &%$#@#@ adorable he is and just how cute a little furry three-pound2222222222222222222wq (that was him standing on the keyboard) kitten can be. He just crashed after an hour or so of play, so I am down to one-handed typing again, but so far he couldn’t be more perfect. We are just two swinging bachelors chilling in the bachelor pad and this is the start of a wonderful friendship. I can’t stop grinning at him.
Aaahhh, kittens. They are so cute so you don’t disown them when they wake you up at 4 am because they think that’s the best time for pets, or dump over the kitty oat grass and dig out all the dirt, spreading it all over the kitchen. Not that I’m speaking from experience or anything.
Speaking of cute friends, this happened here a month ago, if you haven’t already seen it:
Tell me that Elk isn’t playing with those kids. He/she is clearly tossing that ball back to his new friends. And the boys behave appropriately – they keep their distance and when they toss the ball back, they toss it away from their elk friend, so as not to spook.
Speaking of nature – there are two different bears running around within the city limits. I feel like I’m on the wrong side of town for a visit, but my house is near a major waterway, which is usually how they navigate busy locations.
This is a respite open thread.
A Little Respite: Another New Balloon-Juice Kitten ArrivalPost + Comments (54)
Long time no see! I’ve been pretty disconnected from politics ever since I left Twitter, and weighing in on any of the threads here has just felt like a heavy lift. Been working a lot, writing/programming a lot on the video game (website btw, more on that soon), house stuff, travel (nowhere exciting). You know how it goes.
But, I have been meaning to drop a note about my garden, so, here it is! For all pictures, click to embiggen; the small versions are a little blurry. I’ll start you off with a picture of these lovely irises that TaMara gave me last fall:
When we bought this house, it was just surrounded by a dirt lot. The builders put some low-maintenance stuff out front, but the rest has been up to us, which is to say, up to me. I’ve been throwing stuff at the proverbial wall to see what sticks. It’s been pretty tricky—we get a crazy amount of sun in a lot of places, even on the narrow strip between houses because of the way we’re facing, and I’ve been avoiding bluegrass, because it’s boring and so thirsty. So I’ve been shotgunning ground covers around. The creeping thyme and sweet woodruff have been big successes; the phlox isn’t creeping like I’d like it to, though it still has lovely flowers in early spring. So this year, I planted a bunch more thyme, and phlox, and some strawberries for good measure. Hopefully I’ll have a nice jungle going on in the back by this time next year.
I have had pretty good success with my roses. They didn’t do so hot last year, but I did plant them in June, which is not ideal. This year, though, my hybrid tea and top gun roses are looking great. I have a floribunda that’s underperforming–thrips, I realized. Trying to get rid of them. I also planted some columbines this year. Wasn’t expecting any blooms, but it looks like they managed to get one out. Er, ignore the bugs… still figuring everything out!
Tuesdays after a three-day weekend always manifest like…
void vortex 🌪️ pic.twitter.com/9XjON3xNTn
— cats being weird little guys 👅 (@weirdlilguys) May 25, 2024
Biden says each generation has to 'earn' freedom, in solemn Memorial Day remarks https://t.co/CzJUDlVkcb
— The Associated Press (@AP) May 27, 2024
Whether it's Joe Biden sending Memorial Day greetings to Gold Star military families or Donald Trump sending his own greetings to "human scum," both candidates have marked Memorial Day with public messages.
— New York Times Pitchbot (@DougJBalloon) May 27, 2024
Tuesday Morning Open Thread: Get Ready for A Long ‘Short’ WeekPost + Comments (136)
