Weekend Open Thread

It’s Picture Day in the Caturday open thread, so give us a big smile and talk about whatever’s on your mind.

a cat plays with a Honeywell Pentax camera mounted on a small tripod. the cat has black striped fur with white patches on chest and feet.
Say “mousey”!

Fine-tuning the focus, by Big Ben in Japan, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

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42 thoughts on “Weekend Open Thread

  1. Georgiana August 9, 2025 / 8:34 am

    Good morning everybody.

    I’ve been sick for the last 2 weeks coughing a lot and feeling tired and since I wasn’t getting better I went to see my doctor on Thursday and she said it was either bronchitis or pneumonia. She sent me for a lung X-ray and prescribed antibiotics and a cortisone pump to help with the coughing and it is already helping because I was able to sleep through the night without being awaken by a coughing fit.

    In other news we are in the middle of another heatwave again with temperature as high as 36C/96F but with humidity feeling like 40C/104F and it will be like that until Thursday, thank goodness for AC.

    Hope everyone has a good weekend!

    • 6Rabbits August 9, 2025 / 10:23 am

      I’m so glad you are doing better! Being able to sleep is wonderful!😁

      We are in the 90s with high humidity this weekend. I’d be dead without AC!

    • Ricky & Bibi's Mom August 9, 2025 / 10:49 am

      Glad you’re taking care of yourself. Get well soon!

    • DEBG August 9, 2025 / 12:17 pm

      I’m glad you’re on the men. Constant coughing is simply exhausting. Take care of yourself during the heat wave.

      • DEBG August 9, 2025 / 12:44 pm

        That was supposed to be “on the mend.” Get your mind out of the gutter, people!

        • Georgiana August 9, 2025 / 12:49 pm

          😂😂

        • Ricky & Bibi's Mom August 9, 2025 / 1:35 pm

          It’s raining 🕺👬🚶‍♂️‍➡️,
          Hallelujah …

  2. LupisLight August 9, 2025 / 9:25 am

    Just got up early for my 6am shift at work, got dressed, had breakfast, etc. Got to work, only to be told my shift is at 6 *PM*. My bad for not paying attention to the schedule. (Hey, I usually DO work 6am shifts, so I didn’t think to look closer.).

    Anyway, since work is McDs, I at least got an extra bit of breakfast out of it, so that is something.

    • DEBG August 9, 2025 / 12:18 pm

      AM and PM are important distinctions! My boss figured out that I hadn’t worked from midnight to 3 when he did payroll–I had requested time off in the AM instead of the PM.

  3. allein 🐾 August 9, 2025 / 9:25 am

    Glad you’re starting to feel better, Georgiana! It’s been relatively cool here the last several days, but next week we’re supposed to be back in the upper 80s.

    So we had an issue with data for one day last week, which we didn’t discover until Monday, so on Tuesday it was fixed and I had to basically start all over and redo all the work I had done on Sunday. But somehow I still managed to finish all my entries by Friday (usually I’m supposed to be done by Thursday). And I had to go into the office on Friday when I usually work from home (well, I didn’t have to, but my boss did and it’s just easier if we’re both there). Next week I work four days, then I’m off Friday and all the following week.

    Here’s a squirrely little puzzle if you’re bored.
    https://www.jigsawexplorer.com/online-jigsaw-puzzle-player.html?puzzle_id=chipmunk-picnic

    Fifteen good dogs‽ Or maybe 14 and one unicorn..

    • Georgiana August 9, 2025 / 10:07 am

      I did that puzzle yesterday! I love their puzzles, you can choose the number of pieces to make them easy or hard.

      • allein 🐾 August 9, 2025 / 10:29 am

        Normally I just do the default number of pieces, but sometimes I pick the max number of pieces and it takes me a few days.

        • Ricky & Bibi's Mom August 9, 2025 / 10:51 am

          I now have the puzzle site bookmarked, thanks to you. Is this a good thing, or a bad thing? I don’t know, but it sure became a thing quickly!

          • allein 🐾 August 9, 2025 / 11:27 am

            I have the “Recent Puzzles” page bookmarked. They post two new ones each day plus the mystery puzzle on Friday. I usually do them after work (or whenever I have time if I’m working from home).

            • DEBG August 9, 2025 / 12:19 pm

              I keep waiting for them to release their app, so I can do puzzles on my iPad. It seems really good for my brain, to figure out how pieces fit together, and how perspective works, and how colors/patterns line up.

              • 6Rabbits August 9, 2025 / 2:50 pm

                I do them on my iPad? I just have permanently bookmarked it on line, and so click on it whenever.

        • 6Rabbits August 9, 2025 / 3:22 pm

          Love the squirrelly puzzle🍓🐿️
          I used to try and “beat my time” but now I’m trying to increase the amount of pieces I do. Did this one at 110 pieces.
          My mom used to have a puzzle set up on a card table, especially around any holiday, and she had So Many puzzles! Like 1,000 piece ones! My sister and I weren’t into it, but my younger brother was from about 5-8 yrs. I’ve only come to really like doing puzzles in the last ten years.

    • 6Rabbits August 9, 2025 / 10:35 am

      Hash is hysterical! I love watching him💙 It’s like he is paying tribute to the treat before eating it😁
      And small dog chasing out bear😂 The bear knows those small yappy dogs are the worst!

    • DEBG August 9, 2025 / 12:43 pm

      I saw Goth Mike Wazowski yesterday and laughed myself silly. That may be my favorite thing of all time.

  4. AJ August 9, 2025 / 9:59 am

    I usually hated picture day at school, I almost always seemed to be at an awkward stage no matter when it was scheduled. Plus my dad was one of these camera/movie/camcorder enthusiasts so there was always some type of camera recording me for posterity. I wonder why me and my brother still don’t like having our pictures taken?

    We’re on week 3 of poor Miss Valkyrie still in the cone of shame. She has something going on with her eye, a corneal ulcer, and it’s just not getting better evenwith the meds. But the vet I took her too still says nothing else is going on. I’m not convinced so if there’s no real improvement this week, I’m going to schedule an appt with vets at the rescue we got her from for a 2nd opinion. Hopefully I can get her in the same day that Thor goes in for his dental cleaning. This rescue is amazing, they provide free vet services in house for all their pets that are adopted out plus they just finished built their own vet clinic building on the same property (before it was just a room in the office area of their facility). Usually my two only need an annual exam and shots but this year, they’ve had a few more health challenges so I’ve been making full use of them.

    Today, I’m off to the park where the Japanese Garden is doing their annual remembrance day lantern festival. This is the one where you decorate paper lanterns and then release them in the river, lake, etc in memory of loved ones who’ve passed. They’ll also have other performances by music groups and dancers plus food and shopping vendors. Should be interesting. Then just some errands tomorrow. Maybe cleaning and painting if it doesn’t get too hot. If it does, then reading in the pool. We’ve had an unusual summer this year where it’s been warm but not hot hot. We had one really hot day last week where it was into the 90s but mostly it’s been low to mid 80s. I’m enjoying it as we would have had a few heat waves by now. I’m just crossing my fingers and hoping that next month we don’t get hit with all the heat. Stay cool, and happy weekend!

    • DEBG August 9, 2025 / 12:20 pm

      Your day at the Japanese Garden sounds fantastic. Hugs to Val and Thor as they deal with medical stuff.

  5. allein 🐾 August 9, 2025 / 10:05 am

    • DEBG August 9, 2025 / 12:21 pm

      So very true. Their wool also lives on a spectrum.

      • 6Rabbits August 9, 2025 / 3:25 pm

        Which has the better wool?

        • Debg August 9, 2025 / 4:56 pm

          Better depends on the qualities you want. Coarser wool is usually longer, more lustrous, and less prone to pilling when it’s s spun into yarn. It can also be tough as nails so it’s great for rugs and upholstery and coats. Softer wools are more comfortable to wear, but they’re re more delicate. There’s a reason fine merino sweaters are prone to pilling around the underarms.

          • 6Rabbits August 9, 2025 / 5:30 pm

            I’ve never had a real wool sweater cos they were too expensive as a kid, and as an adult I get waaaay too hot too easily! I hate pilling also!
            So if I was crocheting with wool, what name brand would I need to get if I wanted to use coarser wool?

  6. Tara August 9, 2025 / 10:07 am

    Hi Everyone! Happy Caturday.
    I’m back home in Philly. Butch wouldn’t talk to me when I got home last Sunday. (You’ll remember he broke out while I was gone). He turned around and stalked away from me. Sat down with his back to me, but he can’t resist a psspsspss and wiggling fingers. He came over and forgave me. It took a few days to get back into the swing of things. Jacques was very helpful, making sure I was awake at 5:50am every morning before my alarm went off. Jacques has also decided – nope – doesn’t like the greenie pill pockets anymore! Now what?! We haven’t tried the catnip ones yet, so I’m going to order those. Does anyone else have any pill pocket type suggestions? I can pill him, but we both don’t like that process.
    As Allein said, it was a nice week weather wise. Thank goodness! It kind of eased me back into the humidity without wiping me out. Bracing for next week’s heat though. I need to spend time today catching up on cleaning, cooking, bills, and the garden. The garden is unpleasant because of mosquitos and I’m just about out of eau de anti-bug. So I might need to grab more of that before commencing weeding.
    Georgiana, I’m so glad they’ve figured out what’s going on with you. I hope the meds continue to help your recovery!

    • AJ August 9, 2025 / 10:44 am

      If you can find them, try the Milkbone pill pockets. I usually find them in Target. They say they can also be used for cats. I like them because they seem studier and don’t mush all together like the Greenies do (at least all the bags I bought seemed to do that) plus it’s easy to break them in half and shape them around the pill. Heck, I even use them for liquid meds, just fill them like a jelly donut and pop it in their mouth. Makes it so much easier than trying to get the liquid in their mouth.

      https://www.target.com/p/milk-bone-chewy-dog-treats-bone-pill-pouches-chicken-flavor-6oz/-/A-50636076#lnk=sametab

      • Tara August 9, 2025 / 6:49 pm

        Thanks for the recommendation AJ! I’ll try anything.

    • DEBG August 9, 2025 / 12:22 pm

      Ahh, the silent treatment from Butch. I know it well. Glad you got home safe and sound.

      • Tara August 9, 2025 / 6:50 pm

        😆 don’t we though?

  7. Duckie 🐥 August 9, 2025 / 11:32 am

    Sorry, pretty kitty. I don’t do pictures well. I never grew around my bunny teeth, and they make me feel self conscious.
    Still feeling lurk-ish, but seeing an end to some troubles next week.
    Last of the heat is on now, and will continue until Tuesday.
    Local airshow on this weekend, and I hate the noise. It’s no longer about showcasing the planes, but how loud they can be. All over by Monday night.
    Little Duckie has a cough.
    Hope everyone has a great weekend. Stay safe.

    • DEBG August 9, 2025 / 12:36 pm

      Hugs. And tell lil Duckie that I share her pain.

    • 6Rabbits August 9, 2025 / 3:26 pm

      Is it a danger for birds to have a cough?

      • Duckie 🐥 August 9, 2025 / 6:03 pm

        I’m keeping an eye/ear out for other symptoms. She’s seven years old now, and just coughing doesn’t seem to be too serious.

        • 6Rabbits August 9, 2025 / 6:16 pm

          That’s good! I’ve just never heard of a bird coughing.

        • Ricky & Bibi's Mom August 9, 2025 / 6:19 pm

          Where does the time go???

  8. DEBG August 9, 2025 / 12:30 pm

    Happy Caturday, everybody! What a cute photographer.

    I’m still coughing from my recent cold, but it’s getting better. This weekend, I’m trying to finish up a bunch of projects: a gift sweater that needs a zipper, the last bamboo scarf on my loom, and embroidery on a handwoven cardi made from my handspun yarn. Plus I have to pull out my charity yarn box so I can knit hats for local donation. Oh, and I have to catch up in my latest handweaving class. Maybe I should have taken Monday off!

    I think there are a lot of Jane Austen fans among our Cutetropolitan family, and I’ve got some reading/listening suggestions. Y’all might already know about them, so forgive me for passing on old info:

    Miss Austen by Gill Hornby, about Cassandra–there’s also a good PBS show based on the novel. Juliet Stevenson reads the audiobook, and she is my hands-down all-time favorite reader of Austen’s novels

    Godmersham Park by Gill Hornby, about the real-life governess to Jane’s brother’s family. Just started this audiobook

    Longbourn by Jo Baker, a retelling of Pride and Prejudice from the servants’ side

    Hugs to you all.

    • Duckie 🐥 August 9, 2025 / 2:50 pm

      I’ve been caught up in Pride and Prejudice alternatives for over a month now, and I can’t stop buying them. My favourite so far end up with both Collins and Wickham dead.
      Must look into that P&P servants version.

    • 6Rabbits August 9, 2025 / 3:29 pm

      I love Pride and Prejudice! I do remember us discussing this here before. There are a bunch of Pride and Prejudice-like books. Some good, some not-so-much🙄.

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