At least I have the excuse of awful weather, and the church not churching this morning!
[quote=“scareyfaerie, post:396, topic:995761”] cupcakes your church made a good decision - even if it’s not all that bad for driving, the olds still have to get from the car to the building and that’s when the accidents will happen. My mum broke her hip many years ago when she slipped on a patch of ice in a church car park. The second time she injured herself (hip and wrist broken) was in a church too. I told her religion was a bad idea! [/quote] Bolding mine.
I’ll try to keep an eye on the bird feeder. It’s dreadfully cold out there.
Weather conditions in no. Illinois are about the same as Bbboo and hippie. The sheriff’s office posted in FB saying don’t go out. Whiteout conditions on open roads. I slept lousy last night. I have a down comforter and I was either hot or cold. I need to get myself into Baby Bear mode. Juuust right. Today is another sloth day. I foresee a nap. It’s 10:30 and I’m already bored.
What is a typical litter size for ASFs? And how many survive the first couple weeks? Is cannibalism an issue? How soon do they wean? etc.
Is Pretzel still pissed at you from the hunger games a couple months ago? I know diddly about snakes besides that they’re cool to look at and handle. But I’d be surprised if they have the brains to remember to be pissed.
If the weather holds as forecast, our trip on Thursday will be, um, interesting. No storms of concern, but it’s supposed to be upper 30s/low 40s here and mid-90s in Santiago. So we’ll look pretty silly getting off the plane in leather coats and gloves! Dressing for the flights will be interesting - I foresee layers.
I watch a ton of Maine Cabin Masters. I’m from Maine. My brother-in-law has been a builder in Maine for decades - he knows these guys (or knows them by reputation anyway). So I’m always keen to see locations I recognize and I’ve been waiting to see a person I recognize and it finally happened. First of all, I may have met that guy Lance on the show - I’m not sure (I met a guy named Lance who ran backhoes and excavating machines - it may be the same guy; I used to smoke pot with him at band practice down in Harpswell … but I digress).
I’m watching a repeat episode this morning and lo and behold, there’s my old boss at TD Bank. She was a bit of headcase - she once told me that he ex-husband was the model for Oglethorpe in Slap Shot, so I’m not really sure what her bone fides are, but goddamnit, that’s her right there on my TeeVee paying these stoners to spruce up an outhouse on a pond.
Sunday is my one sleep-in day of the week. Today couldn’t be lazier, which is exactly how I like my Sundays. Slept in late? Check. Still in pajamas at 1pm? Check. I got to work on my jigsaw puzzle which is the first time in a while I’ve made any progress on it. My son has discovered a love of show tunes, so we’re going to watch Annie in a bit. One of my favorites. I used to sing it with my grandmother when I was a little girl. She was an orphan after her mother was institutionalized.
I’ve accepted that we’re having a birthday party. I think it’s pretty clear to my husband he’s doing all the work. He conceded that two parties was overkill, though we’re hoping to do a little celebration on site with the ABA kids.
I feel like my emotions have been all over the place lately. Maybe hormonal.
Be careful please. Those are some seriously dangerous temperatures.
Also, go Honda! My husband has a 2008 Civic and mine’s a 2016 CRV. They last forever. I think it’s all we will ever drive.
We have -11F wind-chill today but somehow doesn’t seem like a big deal by comparison. Stay warm, folks.
There’s a truck in front of our house and a chainsaw sawing away. Dunno if our neighbor hired someone or if it’s the county or what. He works for the electric co-op - maybe he’s got friends there who are taking care of it? No matter - it’s going away.
Do people order take-and-bake pizza in advance of storms so they don’t have to go out?
I’m glad you still have power and heat. If you have the makings for soup, it wouldn’t hurt to get your crock pot going so you will have warm food if you do lose power.
Can you get management to do something? If not, folks out here cut pool noodles to fit their leaky windows in the summer because AC is so pricey. I’ve been in homes with noodled windows and it seems to work very nicely and doesn’t look that horribly redneck.
He’s a jerk. He reminds me of a petulant toddler when he’s not being a cuddlebug. GG also has separation anxiety, he was raised with his siblings and cousins until he was 12 weeks old and then came to live with a couple of old homebody retired folks and VBC who became his new mommy. She has been to the vet twice since he’s come home and the meltdown when she leaves has not been pretty.
Thankfully, he just wails, he doesn’t start destroying things to take his mind off his troubles.
FCM I certainly do hope things settle down so you can go on your cruise. You really do deserve some down time.
Wow. Just wow. I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere that cold. Looking out the windows of the airport in Alaska doesn’t really count.
It is 51F here, bright and sunny. We haven’t had enough moisture this month to allow me to miss watering the baby trees on schedule and I doubt we will be getting the other half inch we need tonight so I’ll be dragging hoses around in the morning.
Thank you Boo!
Yes, Ruger is a Miniature Doberman Pinscher. He is very handsome and thoroughly spoiled. He’s almost 5 now and still eats rocks, so he has to wear a muzzle when he goes out. His dad thought the muzzle makes him look like a badass so he bought Ruger a spiked collar and a studded tactical walking harness to complete the look.
Ruger might not be able to leap on a bad guy and rip his throat out, but he can leap crotch high which would keep the bad guy busy for a while.
He’s a man. You already had one in that color scheme so he wanted to change things up for you!
Oh yes, a miniature pinscher looks to me like someone put a shrink ray on a doberman pinscher. We used to have one named Tyson that came to the local dogpark, and was expert at catching Frisbees, jumping high into the air. I asked his owner if he was named for the brand of chicken. as my dachshund Nathan was named for the hotdogs. She said no, that when Tyson was a pup he liked to chew on his tittermate’s ears, so he was named for the boxer Mike Tyson.
When I was a baby my parents got a full-sized Doberman pup. Best dogs in the world by far. Smart, fearless, unflappable, not aggressive, don’t shed, and don’t stink. If we could fix the pooping part they’d be perfect.
We grew up together and he lasted until I was 12.
I know what “miniature Pinschers” are. I’d just never heard one called a “minipin”. Fine animal breeds should not have cutesy names.
OTOH, some breed named something like a “Maltipoo” you know is just nothing but a useless neurotic shedding yapping machine. One that any self-respecting dog owner would properly call “Doberman chow”.
Management is pretty responsive. These windows are original to the building, but I’m positive (from looking at the brittleness of the insulating strips) that they have never been reinsulated. It would be a big, expensive job to do all the windows for a 15-story structure, but if they could at least do the operating windows, it would sure help.
I spent two years at the University in Fairbanks back in the 60s. I remember one Thanksgiving weekend when temps hit -61F and there was ice fog right down to the ground. Frostbit both ears that weekend.
Thanks~I very gingerly drove the 5 miles to my daughter’s and grandkidlet’s. We’ve been trying to have our birthday celebrations since the 19th of December and it’s getting to be ridiculous between Covid contagion and blizzards.
It’s low key, I hand her her present (December 19th, a pair of dichromatic fused glass handmade earrings [the Trader Joe’s two winter berries candles I’d already delivered]), the grandkidlets will hand me my present January 10th). There probably will be a special gluten free dessert (last year I got creme brûlée), there might be bubbly wine (also a favorite of mine and we never did get to that on New Year’s Eve). If I’m lucky my son-in-law will prevail on dinner menu choices and there will some big chunk o’ beef of some kind since its birthdays. Usually said beef is steaks he grills outside but his gas grill is drifted 3 feet over on 2 sides, so grilling or smoking meat isn’t happening. Oh, well. He’ll do it for me first chance he gets. He’s probably going to be a tad cranky today since he can’t go to Omaha for his curling practice and game (1st, it would be outrageously ill-advised to drive 10 miles in these conditions, much less 110, for an optional sports dealie, even if it is curling and 2nd, our governor has declared it a winter emergency and asked everyone to stay home and not travel. One of the very few things he’s done that I agree with). Notice it was not unreasonable for me to drive 5 miles to grandma and birthday, but more than that for curling was uncalled for. Bad ass girls can decide priorities like that and override politicians. Right nellie, shoe and JtC?
Afternoon all. Dinner has been dined upon at Golden Corral, soup, salad, entree and two desserts for about $20, so a fair deal IMHO. Also wanted to stop for gas at Kroger and use my points, but seems like everyone in the city had the same idea and the lines were 3-4 cars long at each of the 16 pumps, so came home and will try again in an hour. Then on to soccer and that will complete the activity for the day. Up to 38F now so can get by with the middleweight jacket.
BBBoo, shoe, best of luck getting your respective cars out of the snow. .
FCM, now THAT is a Roadblock! Glad it wasn’t any addition to your concerns. And traveling someplace warm in the winter usually requires some forward clothing planning.
Pilot, thanks for the info, I’ve never been gone longer than 3 weeks at a time, and I always turn the water off but don’t do the rest of the stuff…probably should. Do let the neighbors know I am gone and they keep an eye on the house for me.
Yeah, but these were right in the middle of the parking spot where the car would have been, so not the driver.
boo fae, hope the car passes with flying colors.
shoe, best to Pretzel and her appetite.
J-Bats, not sure if anyone I worked with was ever a TV personality, but enjoy.
Spicey, enjoy your day of sloth.
And back to internettin’ again for a bit. All you Mumpers north of me bundle up and stay warm (we get the cold air Monday night).
Poodles don’t shed, so anything “-poo” (I know, I hate the cutesey cross-breed names, too) if it inherited the poodle genes, also won’t shed.
Neurotic is almost entirely up the owner, or whoever raised it during its puppyhood and young-adulthood.
You ever seen a neurotic, yapping Rottweiler? No? That’s cuz they’re trained out of it and/or never allowed to have that behavior manifest itself, or else they’re put down.
… or they’re junkyard guard dogs, not family pets.
Nobody puts up with that shit from Rotties.
Small dogs suffer simply by being born tiny enough to fit into the purses/pockets/hoodies of people who should never own any creature, let alone a domesticated hunting predator.
(Your average Yorkie? Descended from wolves. Imagine how frustrating that life must be.)
That would require planning ahead. No such orders last coupla nights.
** Sweet Manager** is scooping me up in about an hour. Gotta go put on clean pants and warm socks and stuff. Having some hot soup (semi-instant chicken pho FTW!! doctored up appropriately) to schlurp up in the meantime.
I have a coupla cross-stitch bags stashed at work, plus snaxxx.
Anticipating another slow, boring-ass day. Ain’t nobody drivin’ in this shit today unless they have to.
Closing early isn’t up to the working stiffs, before anyone asks. That’s the GM’s call - even Sweet Manager can’t close early without the O.K. from a higher authority.
Howdy Y’all! We have indeed been in high sloth mode today. Well, OYKW, did get somewhat productive. Unbeknownst to me (I am sometimes not real observant) he put butter and cream cheese out to soften last night. This mornin’ he made a cheesecake. He also took some macerated strawberries outta da freezer to thaw as well. In a little while we shall have cheese cake with strawberries and real whipped cream. A marvelous treat to eat whilst Netflixin’!
Been a cold (hasn’t gotten above freezing), lazy, indoor day. I made a pot of aigroll soup for Sunday dinner, just because it’s a comforting cold weather meal.
Nelson’s settled down a bit (haven’t put on more animal videos since this morning) and will, no doubt, be napping in my arms shortly.
Speaking of cross-breeds. Did you know that if you cross a laughing hyena with a labradoodle you get a … wait for it … … snickerdoodle?
My building has about 450 apartments. About 200 of which are occupied by 30-something to 50-something single women of whom a good 90% own spoiled yappy dogs (sometimes plural). Many of the women carry the dog everywhere lest their tiny feet touch something scary or icky. Like the freshly cleaned marble floors. There are a few of these dogs that are not noisy aggressive PITAs. But they are by far the exception, not the rule.
If I had a magic wand I’d turn all the dogs into Dobermans and all would be well.
I guess you missed, or were too busy to address, my vital questions from earlier:
As to me (sorta) …
Two bits of medical news: one great, one horrible.
I mentioned last week that the wife of one of my pilot pals was getting a knee replacement, the first of two. The process went perfectly and here 10 days later she’s healing up rapidly with no significant untreated pain and needing only minor meds for that. They’re on track to schedule the next one more or less ASAP, during their upcoming checkup some time this week. So probably 2-4 weeks from now the second will be done.
In less happy news my other good friend here, the one with whom I go for Big Boy lunch or dinner is having a family crisis.
His 70-something Mom had a severe stroke at home alone on Thu or Fri (details unclear) and she wasn’t discovered until late Sat by one of her daughters, my pal’s sister. So 24 to 48 hours laying there alone trapped on her floor.
Now hospitalized of course, no sensation or motor control on one half the body, more clots in the brain the docs don’t dare disturb, etc. She is alert and can talk badly but mostly understandably. Cognition isn’t great but not bad.
I’ve met Mom. She was a vigorous woman who was finally and happily climbing out from under the physical and emotional wreckage of caring for her massively depressed, chronically unhealthy, worthless, and aggressively assholic husband who’d finally and mostly unlamentedly died about a year ago.
She was blossoming again after all that. Now this.
Mom’s in Orlando and my friend is a small businessman near me here in the greater Miami metroblob. So a 4-ish hour drive apart. He can’t just drop everything at the business for days or weeks, but he’s by far the most effective of Mom’s four 40-ish offspring. Gonna be a shitshow in all their lives for the next couple weeks if not months, and in Mom’s for much of her remaining time on Earth be that great or small.
If anyone has any good thoughts to spare, these folks could sure use some.
Life is cruel and can take a turn in an instant. {{Hug}} your people while you can.
At least a labradoodle isn’t such a strange crossbreed. Both the standard poodle and the Labrador Retriever were bred as water retrievers. So it’s not like crossing, say, a doberman and a chihuahua.
Wow. Just whisper “snow” around here and the stores practically run out of frozen pizza along with milk, eggs, bread and booze.
I’d marry him for some homemade cheesecake!!!
Ruger is small enough for me to pick up with one hand, or catch with two when he jumps up for lovings. All of the (admittedly few) mini-pinschers I’ve known haven’t turned into puntables but I think that’s because they look like “real” dogs so their people are more likely to treat them like dogs need to be treated.
When I go into his den, Ruger barks and bounces, but that’s just to warn me that he’s going to fling himself into my arms so I’d better be ready to catch. Yes, I do often have cookies in my pocket, why would you ask?
I’m so sorry for everyone. That really does bite.
I’m currently struggling with a very difficult (to me) issue and I’m not sure how I’m going to resolve it. I will be happy to listen to all words of wisdom because I’m very sure I’m in the wrong.
So, as a few of you folks might have noticed, I’m pro-vax. I also live in trumpland where most folks are rabidly and vocally anti-vax.
A local family, typical trumpies down to the red hat for dad and bumper sticker on mom’s van, came down with COVID over Christmas. The un-vaxxed parents and four of the un-vaxxed kids have pretty much recovered, but the fourth child has been hospitalized for several weeks with pneumonia and a collapsed lung.
The family has asked the community for help. They want money, someone to prepare meals, someone to clean their home and do chores so they can focus on getting their child well.
Usually I’d sign right up, I’m the neighborhood casserole queen and can cook for adults as well as children.
I don’t want to.
The child is in the hospital, she will be cared for no matter what I do.
The parents are the ones who caused this, I don’t feel the need to help people who mock me for being vaccinated, this was their choice.
But…children. Possibly hungry children who might really want a real meal instead of whatever fast food the still working parent brings home after work.
If I was a better person, this wouldn’t be an issue at all.
It’s the fact you’re a thinking thoughtful person that makes this a dilemma. Some rescuer queens would dash into the burning building to rescue the arsonist who set it on fire. You’re smarter than that. Way smarter. You’re better for questioning; it’s be worse to be Mindless Rescue Queen.
They’ve been mistreating their kids with fast food for years. This isn’t new. And abusing them by denying them life-saving (or at least health-saving) vaccines. Decisions have consequences. And their decision to risk everyone’s lives, not only their own, includes the right for them to mis-feed their kids and to fill their minds with hate.
If you really wanted to help the kids, don’t waste effort feeding them. Instead sabotage their minds with facts. Become the nice reading lady they can visit when Dad has Faux news turned up too loud to do homework. Etc.
