Welcome to another weird weekend, Cutetropolitans! Reader Muppet2171 and her cats Penny and Teller share how they’re coping with the Great Lockdown. First up, Penny seems to have found a way to cash in:
I FINALLY got hold of some of the good stuff (street value approx $575) and Penny has agreed to guard it with her life… until it’s actually threatened, of course. Then all bets are off.
While Teller, on the other hand, looks about ready to cash out.
I don’t know if it’s me stuck at home that he’s sick of or the fact that I’m totally addicted to Food Network, but this is him being bored while mommy watches yet another episode of Chopped.
Good morning, Cutetropolis!
Wow, kitties and quokka. What a great way to start the day. Hank you Allein for those great pics. We all need a smile today.
Always love seeing Penny and Teller, and Penny can come do some guarding at my house. Been watching lots of Chopped too. Gotten a few ideas on new things to cook but some of them I’m like ewww, how can anyone eat that. Plus my new pet peeve of that show … why doesn’t anyone ever make a soup for the first round???
Well after the deluge yesterday, it looks like it’s clearing up this morning and I get to get out of the house.Yippee!! Heading out for grocery shopping, picking up my CSA box at the farm, and Target tomorrow. Don’t forget about the Andrea Bocelli concert tomorrow on YouTube. Happy Easter and Passover to those who celebrate.
One of my operatic favourites:
I woke up this morning thinking it was super-late and I had even managed to sleep through both my clock radio and my alarm. Then I looked at my phone and it was 7:48. I made a list of chores to do yesterday, told myself I would cross off at least three yesterday afternoon, and managed to cross off one around 9pm. So, we’ll see how today goes.
…..
Policin’ is exhausting…
https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/k9-puppy-sleeping
Watching Brody sleeping through his swearing-in as Bristol’s comfort and therapy dog was comforting and therapizing.
Isn’t it?! He looks so soft.
Penny & Teller. Quokkas. Now Brody. I’m ded.
Good morning all! It’s a cold and snowy day here in Montana (pleh) so I think it’s an opportune time to stay in my pajamas, fleece robe and fox slippers and read all day. I’m currently re-reading The Return of the King and have six contenders for my next read laid out on the couch. Decisions, decisions!! Just out of curiosity what’s everyone else reading these days?
I’m reading The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman.
I also have a Time magazine special edition on habits that I want to read..
I finished reading Frances Mayes “See You in the Piazza” last week. Interesting book where she travels throughout Italy to the less visited areas and basically eats her way through the country. Lots of information on places to stay, where to eat, and what to see. Includes recipes too. Now, since I have a hard time concentrating, I’m just reading several magazines.
Sounds like a good read. Visiting Italy that way is the ONLY way to visit Italy. Once you’ve
tackled the art and architecture, eating is the only way to go, let’s face it ( pun intended).
I’ve (re)read every Catherine Aird book in the library (via Libby & Kindle), and have started on Ngaio Marsh. I could get through two or three of the Airds a day unless I had something else I really had to do (which hasn’t come up all that much lately). The Marshes seem to be taking a bit longer per book, but that may just be a flagging concentration level on my part.
My high school Philology teacher called Ngaio the best modern novelist ( this was
in the fifties, mind you). I alway enjoyed every one.
I have been reading “if you lived here I would know you” but have taken to reading “The Tain” translated by Ciaran Carson. The latter is one of my favorites!!
I’m rereading and relistening to some faves.
Books (on my tablet): Jo Walton’s Thessaly trilogy, where Athene and Apollo decide to create Plato’s Republic for reals. They’re amazingly good books, as one might expect from Jo Walton.
Audiobooks: How to Train Your Dragon series. Very different, and much better, than the movies. David Tennant reads con brio–I’ve been laughing out loud, extensively, at his enthusiastic performance of Hiccup learning how to become a hero by battling impossible odds with his brain and his dear friends Fishlegs and Kamikaze. Highly recommended!
I’m also rewatching Life on Mars and Ashes to Ashes. British police TV with an intriguing time-travelling twist. Amazing stuff. When I first discovered these shows, maybe 10 years ago, I bought a region-free player because they were only available on Region 2 DVD. Now one can get Life on Mars through Amazon’s BritBox.
The Splendid and the Vile, by Erik Larson. About Churchill as he assumed prime minister position. Anyone interested in history must read Erik Larson.
I have Dead Wake on my TBR pile…
Could not put that one down….
Maybe that’ll be next, then..
I read that recently, too, Nancy. A wonderful book!
That must be his new one? I LOVE his books! The amount of detail…I can’t imagine the time he spends researching. I HIGHLY recommend Devil in the White City which takes place at the World’s Fair in Chicago at the turn of the last century. It was the first of his I read and its made me hooked—I’ve now read almost all his books.
One of my favorite books. Lead a book group on that.
Oh, I would have loved that, Faye!
Coming late to this: Erik Larson is a superb writer. I have In the Garden of Beasts in paperback, but just can’t bring myself to read it. I started, but the topic is too upsetting right now. I can’t manage anything but phonetics books and “comfort food” escapism at present.
I’ve read The Devil in White City, Thunderstruck, and Dead Wake. I think I may have read Isaac’s Storm, too, but I can’t remember (which feels odd).
I just finished reading “A Woman of No Importance, about an American woman with a wooden leg who was the most amazing female agent behind enemy lines in France during WWII. So admirable! When her superiors, a diehard bunch of chauvinists beyond belief, tried to push her down into what they thought was a woman’s place, she just ignored them and got on with the job. I think I’ll be ready for a complete reread of Lord of the Rings after this!
It’s a good day to watch some sports…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06ryVHUTCqo
LOL!! “…a bit of showboating…”
I was wondering how long it would take for that video to turn up here…
It’s a glorious day here in York and I’m spending it indoors making clothes for my cat dolls. What I wouldn’t give to run outside, kiss total strangers and lick door handles!
🤣🤣🤣 Alice!!
I feel you, Alice. I feel you.
Then you’re too damn close. Keep two metres away from me at all times!
Hi, all. The cats are, as always, gorgeous!
I can understand our animals’ confusion at all of us being home All. The. Time. Ours are, too, although Yoofi, as always, finds new and creative things to eat to entertain us. Like the other day when she dug down deep and found my secret stash of fruit-flavored Mentos. She ate all but one lonely little candy…if you can, try to imagine an already hyperactive dog on a sugar rush. It’s easily worse than your worst imaginings!
Plus there is only ONE dog park still open in our county and the neighboring one. We live in daily dread that that one, too, will close, leaving us with a dog who believes that more than 3 days in a row without a good run-and-play session at a dog park is a very bad thing and a good reason to create new and ever more inventive ways to be destructive. 😖
So other than dealing with our idiot (but very happy) dog, we’ve just been watching too much TV/Netflix and enjoying audiobooks. And in my case, knitting. I’ve knit enough hats to outfit half the people in my daughter’s small town. But it’s a change from socks and I don’t have the wherewithal to knit lace or a sweater right now. So it’s hats and mittens. Lots of hats and mittens.
I hope everyone is hanging in there .I read that the British scientist who’s fastest in developing a vaccine says it should be in trials by September and she’s 80% sure it will work. Fingers crossed!
I love this guy so much. And his sweet goggies.
Y’all might enjoy this remake of one of my favorite songs, quarantine-style:
I wish I knew how they did this. Regardless, I’m glad they did! Thanks for posting it, DebG!
Hey Mike – I left you a tip yesterday and since there isn’t a “comments section” anymore…
I want to say Thank You for keeping me sane for the past few weeks. This community you have created is truly wonderful. We’ve all said it before – that it’s pretty incredible to find a place on the Internet where everyone is genuinely nice to each other (complete strangers!!).
I second that sentiment! 💜 Even when I don’t comment I read all the posts, and laugh or feel connected with others here. This is a very warm and welcoming place, and proof that people can be nice on the internet! Thank you!🥰
Thank you!
I left you a tip the other day also. It’s the least I could do to help keep this much needed website going. I check in often to see the pics, read your clever stories and to see what other fans have to say. Your “ open until further notice“ I hope stays that way. Thanks again.
Thanks to you as well!
What Julie said. You all are so special to me. This site is a panacea in ordinary times, and in times like these, it’s truly saving my sanity.
Ditto Julie. Last week I felt I could easily have assassinated a certain someone. Fellow Cute denizens, sweet animals, and Mike’s humor got me through it. (And of course social isolation keeps me from traveling across the border! 😁)
Allein, loved the sports commentator! 🤣
I really do not get the whole run on toilet paper deal. I order from Amazon cos it is the best deal and so haven’t had to deal with lack of tp, but still…
Kitties are, as usual, beautiful!
It’s cloudy and drizzly today, but there has been glorious sunshine all week! I saw this on one of my afternoon walks around the neighborhood. I’m glad people are still having a good time during the shut-down!
Big chicks rule!
We are doing fine here in our wee abode during the shutdown. Few moments of irritation, cause
I believe we have good sense of perspective on what’s worth fighting over and we share a lot
of views of politics and share a sense of humor. All of which is needed these days. I started to
get out some warm weather clothes and startled a silverfish in the t-shirts. How do I eliminate
them without going to the store for something? Don’t want those little suckers eating my duds!
Spinners know all sorts of tricks for eliminating wool moths and other destroyers of fabric: https://spinoffmagazine.com/combat-wool-moth-invasion/
I’ve seen silverfish mentioned in my spinning books. Can’t remember if freezing will do the trick for them, but you can try it! Or look on the Google.
Happy Saturday!
In a great deal of pain, but the reason for it is so good I don’t care, and I have to share.
Yesterday I took Duckie, cage and all, into the bedroom, as it is a safe place to let her out. She did her usual flop out the top, but this time she waited for my hand to encourage her, which is positive. She landed on the bed, then flopped to the pile of blankets on the floor. She sat there for several minutes, looking around and commenting on my housekeeping, but no stress, so I quietly went over and lay on the floor beside her. Instead of putting my finger in front of her to perch on, I slid my hand under her tummy, and she climbed right on! I brought my hand up in front of my face and rested my elbow on the floor (awkward position leading so sore back). She leaned over and nibbled gently on my nose, then tested out my glasses frame. I took the glasses off, and she nibbled my nose again. So I took a chance and kissed her on her tiny feathered head, and it was so small and soft and warm I could not believe. We must have stayed like that for a good fifteen minutes, just looking at each other and making gentle physical contact.
I am constantly in awe how much power a tiny creature can hold over a big clumsy human like me.
Rained all night, but sunny and windy now. Going to finish my tea, and go for a walk.
Have a great weekend, everyone.
Next time you kiss little Duckie, can you give her one from me?
Thanks, Duckie! ❤️
Oh Duckie!! My heart just swells!! Beautiful and precious little birb! 💕💕
I’ll join the chorus of thanks to Mike and other goodness for this site! I just came inside from pruning the azaleas out front. (Here when we moved in.) Yes they’re in full bloom, that way I can see what I’m doing. Too many flowers to bring in, so I left them beside the road, hoping people out walking will take some. I almost wish there was a sidewalk; people are drawing hopscotch grids on them, some places. I’m not going to encourage people to play in the street!
It’s just after noon here, so I’m late to the party today. Muppet, I’m down to my last 3 rolls of TP and don’t know when I’ll be able to get more–$1000 doesn’t seem that outrageous, considering! I really messed up on the TP front.We’ll see if this Amazon order actually gets delivered (the last one didn’t).
It was a busy week for me. I don’t know if I’m relieved to work 40 hours per week or envious of all of you who suddenly have so much free time! Seriously, I’m super-grateful to have a job, but I’m also wishing for some time off.
My new skills at video editing have been put to the test on a second video, this time about warping our new tapestry loom. Learning something new and challenging has been a great way to focus my brain away from all the horrible news.
Stay safe, everybody!
I was supposed to be off the week after next (which I scheduled in early March) but now that the person who would have covered most of my stuff is furloughed (and I have to cover most of his weekly reporting), I can’t take the whole week off. So my supervisor cancelled the Monday and Tuesday and I’ll have the other three days. I’m also going to look at the calendar and just sprinkle my days through the summer (I have 22 days to use by September 30, and my coworker also has to use her time by the same date). I’ll be taking a lot of Thursdays and Fridays, I think. With any luck I’ll be able to take the last week of September like I usually do, but who knows what’ll happen this year.
Managed to get out on the porch with Millie. We sat out for about an hour. It’s sunny but cool. Lots of individual people walking without masks but keeping their distance.
Basically my life is exactly the same as before the lockdown. I buy everything online and hardly go out to eat or anything. So my only lack is easy access to doctors visits until things settle down. I’m due for occupational therapy, eye doctor, mammogram, MRI, etc. So I worry about my health. But I can wait and be safe until I can get easily tested.
Imagining I’m in my cabin studio…
We had a bit of a scare with Miss Penny this week. She got a really bad hairball and stopped eating for a few days. Scared the bejeezus out of me because she not only wasn’t eating, but also hiding from me. Finally found her favorite spot and was able to give her hairball gel and room service.
Took a couple days to cough it up and start eating again. She’s finally back to normal and I’ve stopped trying to decide which shirt to sacrifice to the mask gods for a vet visit.
Who made this?! This is FANTASTIC!👍🏼 Well done!👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
But they’re all sitting and standing so close to one another!
Did you see the other one?
Absolutely agree that this place has been a wonderful balm to living in isolation. So glad that we’ve been to share the joy and laughs. Even more so that we’ve been able to show some support when we’re feeling down or tired or just over this whole pandemic new normal
Stay safe my peeps!!!
(sorry, this came out smaller than I expected but it’s the only link I found)
Happy National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day, everybody! I just finished a lovely GCS, toasted first then fried, and I’m ready to share some wonderful news. Teddy and Ani have been getting friendlier with one another. Ani will sometimes run up to Teddy and lower her head, a signal that she wants to be groomed. Teddy has finally figured this out and will lick her on the head, and I was lucky enough to get a picture of one such lovefest.
Teddy doesn’t always mind his manners, however. After some time spent licking, Teddy will try to nip at her, but Ani shuts that down fast and hops away.
Aw, it’s an Easter miracle!!
So wonderful they have become friends!💕👍🏼
That’s lovely! Thank you a zillion times, Mike, for creating Cutetropolis—the safest place in the universe!
Interspecies Snorgling!
Thanks, Mike! This is so cute!!