If you’re one of those Extremely Online people, you’ve probably seen the Wall Street Journal dueling op-eds from a couple weeks back. The woodcut-type illustrations say it all:
I don’t have a thing against cats, but I’ve never had one. Alan’s allergic (he claims), and so we’re a dog family. Needless to say, Wendy has been a perfect colleague over the last seven weeks, better than an Apple watch for suggesting, maybe it’s time to stand up, stretch your legs, and…maybe take a stroll around the block? If that doesn’t work, she’s always up for a nap.
People do a lot of dog-walking around here, and when the weather was chilly, it was one place you might run into your neighbors. At the very least, you see another dog-owner, and you nod, or wave. If a person has a dog, there’s a good chance — not a perfect chance — that they have some decency to them. I respect anyone’s choice not to have a dog or cat or bunny or hamster, but someone who simply dislikes animals? Can’t trust ’em. Pets undeniably bring complications to a human life — vet bills and hair and more hair and sometimes middle-of-the-night barfing (thanks, Wendy). But there are so many rewards; they really do enrich your life.
So I was interested to read this piece in the NYT about presidential dogs. Especially this passage:
It’s true many presidential dogs have been used to help shape a politician’s image — cue Richard Nixon and his Checkers speech, or Herbert Hoover’s campaign photo of himself posing with his shepherd, King Tut. But surely the presence of an FDOTUS has other, less cynical effects. Is it so wrong to think that Donald Trump’s character might have been changed — just the smallest bit — if there were a dog beneath his roof?
It almost happened. On Thanksgiving in 2016, Mr. Trump’s friend Lois Pope told the president she wanted to give him a Goldendoodle named Patton (after the general). Ms. Pope thought it might be sweet for Barron Trump, the president’s son, to have a dog in the White House. She showed the boy a photo of Patton, and she said later, “This big smile came over his face, and it just brought tears to his eyes.”
But Mr. Trump told Ms. Pope he was too busy for a dog. Later, he told supporters he didn’t need one. Because “that’s not the relationship I have with my people.”
Maybe. But if he’d become the owner of a Goldendoodle, maybe he’d have had a different relationship — and not just with “his people,” but with all of us. Because a dog might have encouraged Mr. Trump to take himself just a little less seriously. Because a dog might have given him someone to love besides himself.
A man who watches TV all day, has a vast staff to take care of his household needs, including feeding, cleaning up after and walking the dog, gives a refusal that is not only insulting, but like everything else out of his mouth, fundamentally dishonest. And narcissistic. But not a bit surprising.
But you knew that.
A good weekend here. Got one room cleaned down to its individual molecules. Got a bike ride. Got Wendy walked a few times. Got groceries. Can’t ask for more than that.
And now week eight begins. Hard to believe, but there it is.
Dorothy said on April 26, 2020 at 10:04 pm
I know in my heart of hearts that if Trump were in a room where there was a dog, he’d kick it when he thought no one was looking.
I don’t want to be in the world without a dog living in the same house as me. Sometimes we talk about how old we should be when we stop owning a dog. But I am confident that if we have one and both my hubs and I depart this world, one of our kids will take in the dog. If I didn’t have Nestle around during these past 6 or 7 weeks, I’d have bought the farm by now. She is the Great Stress Reliever Extraordinaire.
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Peter said on April 26, 2020 at 10:29 pm
Dorothy, that’s the first thought that came to me as well. But why have a dog when you can kick Mike Pence?
Although I have to be careful about the accuracy of the story (as an aside, I’m still floored how Checkers wound up with the Nixons), but if it’s true that Barron was teary eyed about getting a dog and then…well, as if I needed another reason to hate the guy…
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beb said on April 26, 2020 at 10:50 pm
The dog story is entirely believable because it encompasses everything we know that wrong about Trump. He ignores Barron so the boy would be ecstatic to have a pet. Dogs demand attention in a way that cats don’t so yes, a man who ignores his son would prefer to ignore a dog. Etc. It reminds me of a story I once read where Donald when to see Junior in college tp take in a football game. Trump came wearing s suit, junior answered the door in a sweater and Trump slapped him to floor for not dressing properly. Apocryphal? Yes. Believable, completely.
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Heather said on April 26, 2020 at 11:33 pm
I dunno, my cat is loving the lockdown. I was working from home before, but she would be happy sitting on my lap 24/7. I can’t imagine having to go through this without her–it would be awful. Makes the $$$ I’ve spent on allergy treatments over the years more than worth it. But we don’t get to go out for walks. I do let her sit out with me on the balcony occasionally (under strict surveillance).
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LAMary said on April 27, 2020 at 12:31 am
I haven’t been without a pet very often in my life. I had a little mutt from age 11 to 19, nothing for two years of dorm life, then cats from 21 to 29, cats and dogs after that. My animals give me great companionship and entertaining company. My 16 year old Lab is like a sweet old uncle or something. Flatulent, insistent about his schedule. Clementine the cat only likes me, sits on the arm of my chair and leans into my face once in a while, purring, for a little affection. The two boy cats chase each other around and play with the other dog, Georgia, who is very smart and well trained by the staff at the shelter where we got her. She was a staff favorite and she learned well. The old Lab, Smokey lets her rest her head on his hip while she sleeps at night. They both dream a lot, legs moving and little yips and growls in their sleep. I didn’t mention the two boy cats names. Hero and Potato.
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LAMary said on April 27, 2020 at 12:40 am
Dogs cheering people up.
https://tinyurl.com/ycsl7ecv
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Dexter Friend said on April 27, 2020 at 2:56 am
Two lovely animals here, Friendo Catt and Pogo Dogg. Daughter Vanessa dropped Pogo off as a surprise in March, 2011, 21 months after my dear companion P-Dogg passed peacefully here at home, of old age. Pogo was very lively and escaped 19 times over the years. A few times people helped me; 4 times the local city cops helped me, and the last time they told me I had to secure her some way because they were done with my calls for help with the dog.
Sunday we picked up a load of groceries from Walmart. I had Pogo with me, and I popped open the back gate and the lady loaded in the stuff, and asked me how I ever trained this Labbie to not jump and run. I said she is just old now and is content not to jump and run these days. I regaled her with the tale of the night Pogo ran the streets for 22 miles. I had just rolled over an even hundred on the odometer and when I got her, totally exhausted,22 was on the odometer. That night was one of the two nights the cops brought her to me in a squad car. The escape-proof dog lead , a rope with loops and a tightening rubber ring , ended her escapes. I call it The Houdini Leash.
Friendo Catt was a freezing baby kitten at our doorstep. After he begged incessantly, we let him in, and adopted the little sweetheart. He escapes very rarely but never goes off our lot anymore. I believe he is 12 1/2 now.
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David C said on April 27, 2020 at 6:57 am
Most of the time, I have one or the other of our cats on my lap while I’m working from home. I always thought work would be better if I had them around while I worked. I was right. Even when they’re sleeping, cats bring energy to the room. They seem to like having me here. They don’t like it as much as when I hurt my back and was flat on my back on the floor. I was one of the gang then. I think they’ll be a little freaked out when I go back to the office.
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Jim said on April 27, 2020 at 7:53 am
(Being polite) – Mr Trump HATES dogs and they hate him .
Animals ALWAYS know what you are like as soon as they *meet* you .
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alex said on April 27, 2020 at 8:13 am
I’m allergic to cats (fer reals) but enjoy them. We have a semi-feral one that took up residence on our property many years ago and she’s still going strong. Strangely skittish and lets very few people pet her and then only sometimes, but she follows us around in the yard just like a dog.
I prefer dogs but after my last one I decided that we weren’t home enough and it wouldn’t be fair to take another one in until we’re retired or could work from home for the most part. I had taken in an older Doberman who was very needy and she would cry mournfully all day when I was at work. So I let my parents dog-sit and she ended up preferring their house because she had 24/7 attention. But as she aged she got hip dysplasia (a common problem with the breed) and eventually was unable to stand or walk. It still brings me to tears to think about her demise, especially as she went from being incredibly agile to completely disabled in a very short time. She had a long but sad life, the first half of it spent outdoors as a guard dog for an unsympathetic owner who gave her zero attention. She was extremely sensitive and would get quite upset when my father and I would bicker about politics.
If I could continue working at home as I’ve been doing of late, I would adopt a dog without hesitation. I’m inclined toward mutts. We always had dogs when I was growing up and the purebreds were mostly stupid whereas the foundlings that showed up at our door were always extremely intelligent and more intuitive than the pedigreed dogs who’d been through training.
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ROGirl said on April 27, 2020 at 8:44 am
A dog would take attention away from the big orange baby. Never mind that it would give the appearance of a shred of humanity. Let’s face it, he could never fake that. Indeed, the dog would know.
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Mark P said on April 27, 2020 at 8:46 am
I have probably told this story but here goes again. Years ago there was a young woman at work who would tell the other younger coworkers about her failed dating. I told her to find a guy with a dog. She started dating a guy at work who was a dog lover. They have been married for years now and have three kids. I’m so smart.
My wife is a cat person. I’m obviously the dog person. I can take ‘em or leave ‘em, but I have always said that the cat most people like the most is the one that is most like a dog, so why not just get a dog? Yes, I know, some people like the aloofness and contempt of cats, but I’m not one of them.
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4dbirds said on April 27, 2020 at 9:05 am
I have three dogs, three chihuahuas from the same litter. My daughter brought them home begging me to keep them. Although the idea was that they would be hers, of course they became mine and 12 years later I call them my dragons. Snickers, Odie and Tapioca. They cling to me when I’m home. I’ve been home since January, teleworking through my kidney stone issues, my recovery from sepsis and now for the lock-down. They love it and so do I. I have no problems nesting. Tonight I look forward to watching “My Brilliant Friend” and I’m making a coq au vin with fresh mashed potatoes. I’ve watched just about everything on the Curiosity Stream channel, am binging Barry and currently deciding what my next binge will be. Love hearing all about your pets. We didn’t have any while I was growing up but sure do love my little dragons.
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Suzanne said on April 27, 2020 at 9:05 am
We had a dog when I was a kid. When we had kids, we got cats. I like both. Cats are low maintenance. We could leave for a week, hire some teenager to come over and make sure they had water and food and scoop out the litter boxes and the cats really didn’t care. We’d return and they were like “How nice of you to return. Pet me a bit and feed me. I need a nap.” A dog is more work but dogs always joyfully greet you and are more companionable. They like you; they really, really like you!
Our cats passed on a few years ago and my husband & I sometimes discuss getting another pet, but I really don’t want the responsibility right now.
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Julie Robinson said on April 27, 2020 at 9:13 am
Couldn’t agree more with everyone’s assessment of Trump re dogs, but will disagree that cats are aloof. My family always had cats, sometimes lots of cats, and many were lovers who wanted nothing more than to sit on a lap all day long.
It turned out I was allergic to cats, and dogs, and all animals, super allergic even after years of shots. But I sure do miss them, and when we come home after visiting the kids I get lonely for their critters. (Since they only had hamsters and fish as children, they each immediately adopted animals when they left home and between them they have two cats and a dog.)
Coincidentally my mom rescued/was rescued by her newest cat three years ago today. ‘Twas a good thing all around.
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Snarkworth said on April 27, 2020 at 9:15 am
Trump hates dogs. But he also hates the Post Office. Hmmm.
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David C said on April 27, 2020 at 9:21 am
If Bull Connor had sicced cats on the freedom riders it would have been adorable. He chose dogs because dogs happily do whatever fascists want them to do. Plus, cats shit in a box.
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SusanG said on April 27, 2020 at 9:29 am
We were dog people. I trend Cat, but asthma and age keep me from any in door pets. I have a dog run outside my patio, so that’s how I get my animal fix. My grandfather worked for Parks & Rec’s in the Fort; we used to hang with raccoons and cougars. I wanted a chimpanzee and my grandfather was with me, but , instead, I got my sister.
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Deborah said on April 27, 2020 at 9:47 am
Cat person here. I miss our lovely little black kitties. They lived quite long, but my husband became quite allergic, so after they passed on we won’t be getting anymore. Plus our living conditions, very small places means no place for a litter box. LB is allergic too. She wanted to get a dog for a while until she started pet sitting. She likes pets but is now happy to have them owned by someone else.
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LAMary said on April 27, 2020 at 11:19 am
It’s been very hot here and Smokey the geriatric Lab woke me up at 3am to let me know he needed more water in his dish. He did it very politely. He’s a gent.
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Bitter Scribe said on April 27, 2020 at 11:31 am
To me dogs are like kids. They’re cute, but I’d prefer someone take the responsibility.
As for cats, the New Yorker had a hilarious (to me anyway) cartoon titled “If They Were Cats”:
Lassie: “Your idiot son is in the well again. You ought to feed me.”
Rin Tin Tin: “Gentlemen, I believe it’s time we revisited my contract.”
Toto (rubbing against the Wicked Witch): “I liiike you.”
Old Yeller: “Just a little closer, Travis…just a little closer…”
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Joe Kobiela said on April 27, 2020 at 12:27 pm
Have had at least one and sometimes two golden retrievers in the last 37 yrs, Baron, Dixie, Carling,Piper,Baxter, and now Toby who came to us as a rescue 4 yrs ago he was found in a field up by South Bend most likely a turnout by some smelly Amish breeder, so not sure how old he is, most likely 11, and he is a mommas boy never leaves my wife’s side. Also now have a cat for the first time, Danger Kitty who thinks he is a dog.
Pets give you a life time of love and one bad day, I miss them all
Pilot Joe
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JodiP said on April 27, 2020 at 12:36 pm
Loving the sharing about pets and people’s thoughts. I love both cats and dogs. We have had our first dog for nearly 10 years, and we got her at age 4. We can tell she is slowing down and I’m going to be a wreck when she dies. I don’t think we will get another dog, partly because she has been so wonderful. Also, pre-COVID we were contemplating moving abroad upon retirement, which is about 8 years away, and don’t want the complication of getting a dog to where we’re going. I hope our moving dream will still be able to come true.
Both of us have had cats since about 1995. The latest is a little spitfire we got from Puerto Rico in 2019. She does hilarious things every day, but is also so sweet. She needs a playmate, and I hope we can get going on this soon–there have been various reason why we haven’t done this yet.
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ROGirl said on April 27, 2020 at 12:55 pm
One 18 year old cat I’ve had since she was 6 weeks old. She still tolerates me, always lets me know when she needs attention, even when I’m asleep.
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LAMary said on April 27, 2020 at 1:00 pm
I had a cat that would wake me up by tapping on my eyelids.
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Julie Robinson said on April 27, 2020 at 1:08 pm
Keep the pet stories coming; they are much better than reading the news. The Stratford Theatre Festival will not happen this year, unless they can do something in the fall. They built a new theatre this year, named it after the festival’s founder, and were to dedicate it on what would have been his 100th birthday on June 11.
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Peter said on April 27, 2020 at 1:10 pm
Pilot Joe, that was such a nice comment you made.
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Deggjr said on April 27, 2020 at 1:54 pm
Yes Pilot Joe, nice comment, one bad day. We’ve had two dachshunds. I know everyone has their favorite breed but I have to write it anyway; we love dachshunds.
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JodiP said on April 27, 2020 at 2:52 pm
One of our cats used to wake my wife by gently tapping one claw on her nose!
I made good friends at the off-leash dog park. I miss that place so much; we had to stop going because our dog became aggressive with golden doodles. Now we take walks around different neighborhoods, and there are a lot of pretty ones around.
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Scout said on April 27, 2020 at 2:52 pm
Not liking animals is a character flaw I cannot overlook. Once, years ago when I was dating, I went out with someone who, when I mentioned my four cats, said, “Why so many?” Deal breaker, that was my last date with that person.
It’s a blessing for the G-Doodle that he/she did not become part of that awful family. They’re all a bunch of narcissistic, vapid fucks. Maybe not Barron, but his gene pool is such a swamp I don’t have hope that he’ll turn out any better adjusted than the rest of that… that… that THING’S spawn.
I’ve always had dogs and cats simultaneously, but after our last doggo crossed the RB 10 years ago we decided that we’d stick to cats only because we also wanted to travel. I really miss having a dog but at this point our current kitty crew is pretty set in its ways and we would feel guilty harshing their catly wahs. We are, however, special aunties to several of our friends’ dogs.
All of my cats are loving me working at home. Mr Sacha thinks my mouse pad is there for him to rest his head. I posted a picture on FB of him assisting me today. He and I were reading today’s post and discussing that he is definitely not That Cat.
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LAMary said on April 27, 2020 at 3:52 pm
I know they’re nice dogs but Golden Doodle sounds like a cheese snack from a vending machine.
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Suzanne said on April 27, 2020 at 4:00 pm
Y’all are making me nostalgic for my cats.
But not the litter box. Not nostalgic for that.
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Joe Kobiela said on April 27, 2020 at 4:11 pm
Our next door neighbor also have a Golden Retriever who is my back up dog, he actually comes over and bangs on be our front door when he wants Toby to come out and play and will walk over and sit on the screen porch when I’m out and have let him in during thunderstorm s, the owners always know where he is. The golden doodle and lab doodles are fine dogs, but people pay a high price for a dog that isn’t AKC recognized, basically a high priced Mutt.
Pilot Joe
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David C said on April 27, 2020 at 5:21 pm
That’s for sure Joe, but if you have to it’s probably a better choice for the health of the dog to get a brand-name mutt than a purebred. The AKC probably needs a good shaking because they seem more concerned with the standards than the health of the dogs. Cats are getting the same way too. I know Scottish Folds are that way because of a genetic flaw that affects the cartilage in their whole bodies, not just their ears. So yeah, they look adorable but suffer from terrible arthritis at a very young age. Siamese are prone to deafness. Our ideas of inbred pet perfection are pretty weird. Seems like some of the best pets I know are of the I found him or her eating out of a garbage pail or found cold, shivering, and alone type.
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LAMary said on April 27, 2020 at 6:45 pm
My Lab is from the city shelter so I don’t know if he’s a purebred. I doubt it. My other dog, Georgia has some great dane, some lab maybe and something a little smaller. She’s a big dog but not great dane big. Terrific smart dog and very sweet. I’ve had three dogs that were at least half great dane before my current pack. All were shelter dogs. I had one dog the shelter called a golden retriever but she was too small for that and another the ASPCA called a lab puppy but she was definitely not a lab. All these were good dogs and other than the “golden” all had long lives with few ailments. The golden had a heart defect, we think. I hear people say that when you adopt a shelter dog you’re getting someone else’s problem, but that has never happened to me. Charlie, Smokey, Georgia were all wonderful dogs. Max, well he took a while to settle in but once he did he was great. Poppy didn’t live very long but she was sweet, and Sarah and Rudy were dogs who needed a home. They were both very protective of the family so they had to be walked very carefully. And there was Sophie. Pain in the ass but very sweet. We found her with the rest of her litter dumped in a vacant lot in the rain. We kept Sophie and the vet found homes for the other three.
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Joe Kobiela said on April 27, 2020 at 7:11 pm
Best bet if you want a pure bred of any type is go to a reputable breeder, interbreeding is definitely becoming a problem especially among the Amish, big surprise there. Absolutely nothing wrong going the rescue route, I think any future dog we have will be a adoption.
Pilot Joe
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Julie Robinson said on April 27, 2020 at 7:22 pm
The concept of anything other than a mutt from a shelter or a stray is completely foreign to me, and I so agree about the dangers of purebreds. As a kid most of our animals were of the dropped off in the country variety, and some of them did suffer PTSD, but we loved them through it the best we could.
One of the pregnant cats dropped off was very young and very small, and one of the kittens seemed to suffer oxygen deprivation during his difficult birth. What he lacked in intelligence he made up for in sweetness, and was never anything but a cuddlebug. When our kids were just toddlers and could barely lift him, they’d carry him around in all kinds of awkward positions and he’d purr. Our son loved to plop his diapered little butt right on top of him, and never did he try to get away. RIP Adam, beautiful black love.
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David C said on April 27, 2020 at 7:43 pm
I never knew the Amish were so deep into the puppy mill thing until I read something Nancy wrote about it. That’s not on brand, is it?
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nancy said on April 27, 2020 at 8:03 pm
Many Amish are farmers, and farmers breed and sell livestock. Dogs are livestock. And they eat a lot less, and breed a lot faster, than cattle.
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David C said on April 27, 2020 at 8:33 pm
That’s true. Ever since I read that, if I hear something presented as done by the Amish as if that gives it an aura of honesty and pureness all I can think if “Oh fuck, be careful”. Like the meat market we used to go to that sold “Amish chicken”. I got a dose of salmonella from it that put me in intensive care for two days.
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Mark P said on April 27, 2020 at 9:06 pm
We now have two dogs and four cats. We have had as many as six cats and three dogs, but have lost some, and gained some. The best of the cats was killed by a coyote last year. One is semi-feral and lives on the front porch along with his 15-year-old mother, Mrs. Dementia. They have insulated, heated houses. Another one has spent about five of his nine lives. He comes in occasionally to eat and sleep a few hours, then wants out so he can roam the woods and fight other cats. He will be lucky to avoid the coyotes. The fourth is one that just showed up. My wife thought she would be a good, affectionate cat, but she isn’t. I have said many times, and a few times to my wife, that if you took the good traits of all of them and mixed them all together, you would have one halfway decent cat.
One of our dogs, Sam, came from a neighbor who got him for his step-son, who actually only wanted a dog to do tricks for 10 minutes then stay outside while the kid went in to play video games. Sam followed our late dog home one day and never left. The most recent dog is a rescue from Oklahoma by way of Dumb Friends in Denver. She’s a German Shepherd mix of some sort, 80+ pounds and strong as a team of oxen. Her only fault is that she likes to chase cats.
I have loved doberman pinschers since my first back in 1988. I have had four. They did not have long lives.
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Joe Kobiela said on April 27, 2020 at 9:45 pm
Amish, aka schmellies.
Pilot Joe
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Marge Taylor said on April 27, 2020 at 9:53 pm
Never purchase a dog from Amish. What puppies don’t
sell after 3 or 4 months, are put down. Barns are
hot in summer, cold in winter, no electric for heaters
or fans in summer. $$$$ is their goal.
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alex said on April 27, 2020 at 10:39 pm
Mark P, I adore dobermans for their temperament. It’s the only breed I know of that doesn’t snap at children. They can endure a lot, and when they tire of it they just get up and leave. I felt a very special bond with mine. I’d be tempted to get another if there were any way to ensure good health in old age.
As for the Amish, I think we’ve done some myth-busting here on NN.C before, particularly with regard to their cuisine. They eat junk. I got disillusioned one time when I decided to go shopping at a country store rather than going to town (this was back when I first relocated here from Chicago). So we pull into this quaint little place expecting to find some fresh produce and it was basically all Hamburger Helper and mashed potatoes in a box and so on. Absolutely wretched stuff that I wouldn’t eat even back in the day when I wasn’t careful or picky about my diet. And then I got taken by friends to a couple of Amish buffets that play to the tourists and it was the same kind of mundane fare, none of it good for you and none of it particularly good. But charter buses go there full of morbidly obese people who love it.
My most recent HgbA1C was 9.5 and now I’m supposed to start injecting myself in the stomach once a week with Trulicity, an Eli Lilly product. I was surprised at my lab results given that I had cut way back on alcohol and have been eating a much better diet and lost about 30 pounds over the last several months. I was expecting my labs to be better this time so it was a big disappointment.
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Andrea said on April 27, 2020 at 11:01 pm
I’m allergic to both dogs and cats now, but had a rousing business dog and cat (and teenager) sitting on Chicago’s north shore when I was in college and grad school. Lots of stories about highly pampered animals and their special needs and gourmet foods. I was living on ramen noodles and baked potatoes when the dogs I was sitting for were getting meals of raw stew meat topped with cottage cheese, sprouts, freshly grated garlic, and a splash of apple cider vinegar, for example. I got fired from one client when they came home early from an overseas trip and discovered I was sleeping in the guest room rather than in the master bedroom with their farting collie. Diabetic cats who needed insulin shots, inbred cats who could only drink running water, dogs with broken backs and fused vertebrae who needed to be carried outside to do their business, dogs who preferred grated root vegetables in the morning and leafy greens in the afternoon, dogs who must listen to WFMT all day, dogs who must have their paws individually washed in warm sudsy water each time they came in the house… the list goes on. Somehow the word got round that I was some kind of animal lover and so I had these jobs lined up for weeks and months. I wasn’t, although I was never unkind or negligent, unless you count not sleeping with a gassy dog as negligent. The teenager stories are for another day.
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Deborah said on April 27, 2020 at 11:35 pm
Today LB and I spent the whole day trying to devise a way to keep critters out of the vegetable garden, a friend told us we needed to come up with a way to use chicken wire for our non-rectangular garden area. We spent a lot of time and energy coming up with nothing that works yet.
The comments about the Amish reminded me of the time we went to southern Missouri to pick up a rocker we had made in the mid 80s by an Amish guy. It is a beautiful piece of furniture that we still have now in the Abiguiu cabin, but the place we picked it up was depressing. The guy’s workshop was impressive but his household was bedraggled and his kids looked inbred and dirty.
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Beobachter said on April 28, 2020 at 4:22 am
A long time ago, had 2 cats, Fred and Ethel.
Fred was a lovable lug, much sweeter than sour puss William Frawley. Still have the smoke Murano glass horse head Fred knocked over, causing one of the horse mane locks to break off. Makes an ideal holder for bluetooth headphones.
Ethel perfected that alternating paw press on your bladder, thus ensuring fresh cat chow at 6AM. Still have a vinyl checkbook cover autographed with Ethel’s teeth. I no longer recall how to use checks.
Apropos of Nothing, I’ve gotten to the section where Woody Allen talks about Vivian Vance. He labels her a fine comedy actress, but a huge pain in the neck.
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ROGirl said on April 28, 2020 at 5:10 am
Got some homemade jam from Amish sellers at the local farmer’s market once. It was a jar full of runny liquid, not a single piece of fruit in it.
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Linda said on April 28, 2020 at 5:24 am
I never had cats as a child because my mother was afraid of them. But now I have four, most of them heirlooms because the previous owners died. They are not aloof at all, just independent and wanting love more on their own terms. The quarantining has made them more clingy, however. I love my sister’s dog and most dogs in general, especially the walking part. But the cats would freak out if I got a dog.
BTW, the avatar is the much missed Shorty. He was a goofy cat but I still miss him. When my mom was dying he cuddled extra close to me each night like he knew I needed it.
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basset said on April 28, 2020 at 6:50 am
Alex, Trulicity works for me. Hope that’s all you have to do.
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alex said on April 28, 2020 at 7:43 am
Thanks Basset. The only other person I know who has tried Trulicity is my partner, who didn’t tolerate the welts it left on his skin. I need some encouragement as I had been optimistic that the diabetes was in its early stages and would be reversible, but my doctor says it’s too far past the threshold now.
I understand that Trulicity slows digestion to put it in sync with the pancreas, which at least at this stage of the game still produces insulin, just at the wrong time.
My freezer’s full of frozen fish of all sorts and I’ve been figuring out how to cook with it without having to thaw first. Made a wonderful fish chowder with frozen cod over the weekend and substituted bell pepper and okra for all the potatoes called for in the recipe.
Not too alarmed at the news that Smithfield and Tyson are closing down all over the place.
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Jeff (the mild-mannered one) said on April 28, 2020 at 8:02 am
I get the needing to listen to WFMT all day . . .
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Suzanne said on April 28, 2020 at 9:06 am
There are many Amish in the part of the country I live in. It’s kind of entertaining to me to tell people the reality of Amish life as opposed to how they are usually portrayed in books and movies. The thing that seems to surprise people the most is that they eat junk food. I see them all the time at the local Walmart or Kroger and their carts are full of Mountain Dew, Cheetos, potato chips, cake mixes, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, and lots of disposable diapers.
The local crisis pregnancy center has a fair number of Amish clients as well I have been told. I’m sure they come for the freebies because, let’s face it, these aren’t women who would consider abortion. They can’t make it economically farming any more, are running out of land, and there’s only so much construction available.
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Jenine said on April 28, 2020 at 9:22 am
@Alex: so unfair when the cholesterol keeps going up despite better diet. It is a real feeling of betrayal by the body. Good luck with the meds. I may be headed there in the future.
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Deborah said on April 28, 2020 at 10:11 am
The design firm I worked for before retiring was a big proponent of open officing. They encouraged their clients to ditch separate rooms with doors for individual office workers, instead advised tables with little to no separations between workers. Now companies are scrambling to provide partitions between people so they can social distance safely, the companies that manufacture the partitions (cubicle walls etc) now have months long waiting lists. So now those same design firms who do that kind of work will have clients coming to them for solutions to keep workers separated more. What a racket.
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LAMary said on April 28, 2020 at 10:14 am
Off topic but the mention of Vivian Vance brought this to mind.
https://tinyurl.com/y363rkz4
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alex said on April 28, 2020 at 11:09 am
Thanks Jenine. The cholesterol’s doing fine actually. It’s the blood sugars that have become a problem. I had some fruit and yogurt for breakfast and I’m starving already. Gonna make my new rendition of tuna salad in which I mash an avocado into it and give it some diced onion and bell pepper for some crunch and some lemon to keep it from turning baby-shit brown.
Not looking forward to returning to the office because it won’t allow me to graze all day which is what my body really needs. Or “piecing” as my grandmother used to call it when she was bitching at her grandkids about allegedly ruining their appetites before meals.
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Jeff Borden said on April 28, 2020 at 11:45 am
I’m with Will Rogers. . .
“If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.”
. . .except I don’t believe in heaven or hell.
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Jakash said on April 28, 2020 at 11:56 am
“Congrats to the next White House press secretary”
No, really, this is a cute 1-minute video of a lying toddler:
https://twitter.com/PopMathobela/status/1254887105626505217
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David C said on April 28, 2020 at 1:07 pm
The company I work for just built a new headquarters and all the desks are open office. Everybody hates it and for all the BS about it increasing collaboration everybody knows it’s just because they’re cheaper. I wonder if they’ll be trying to figure out walls.
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Julie Robinson said on April 28, 2020 at 1:19 pm
Alex, FWIW, my sister was diabetic and she needed lean protein in the morning after not eating all night. Good luck, I know diabetes is a bitch.
Had to go to Wal-Mart this morning to get some ribbon for making masks, and saw Amish in large numbers. No masks, getting up in my grill, not following the one way aisles. When I got home I threw my clothes in the wash and took another shower.
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Jakash said on April 28, 2020 at 1:48 pm
“not following the one way aisles”
About a week-and-a-half ago, we were just about done shopping at the big grocery store near here when I noticed markings on the floor indicating that the aisles were now one-way. I’d never seen that before, and it was evidently pretty easy to miss. I’m willing to comply with whatever the rules are, but I need to be made aware of the rules.
We were wearing masks, though, and we would have stayed out of your grill, Julie. ; ) That would have creeped me out, too…
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Julie Robinson said on April 28, 2020 at 2:04 pm
1. Hubby’s office may reopen on MONDAY, and I’m more than a little freaked about it.
2. Had a buried alive dream, woke with nose completely stuffed and tongue hanging out of desertified mouth. It was three and I never fell back asleep.
3. I was dressed too warmly and got all hot and sweaty.
4. Pesky relative unhappy with face masks I’ve spent most of my time working on. Okay, she was bitching about them. Made a couple of revisions and said I was done, if she didn’t like them she could find another sucker with a sewing machine. Nicely of course!
5. Tried to buy supplies at Joann fabrics using their pickup program. Their system tells me I live at an invalid address, despite the fact they send sales flyers to this very address.
6. Etc, etc, etc. Sorry I’m cranky.
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LAMary said on April 28, 2020 at 2:31 pm
Julie, I think we are both in the same stage of crankiness. I won’t go into detail but I feel the need to yell at someone several times a day, not always the same person, but I stifle it. I want to say a) do not tell me how cleverly you’re managing your finances. I’m fucking broke. b) Do not tell me I should consider selling my house and moving to a cheaper part of the country. I’m not in a place where I’m up for prepping a house for selling or for moving. c) don’t tell me I’m better off being laid off from my job..yes, I’m no longer furloughed. I’m laid off. It was a job. It had benefits. Even if the pay sort of sucked and the company was run by someone who owned two Bentleys but wanted everyone I hired to start at minimum wage, it was a job. Venting over.
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David C said on April 28, 2020 at 4:24 pm
Isn’t it irritating when people aren’t happy with something they get for free? The few times I’ve used Craigslist has mostly been to get rid of something in the free category. The people who want things for free are are the crankiest lot. The times I’ve sold something, it’s been a breeze. Give it away and it’s “Can you deliver” or I’ll get five responses within a couple of minutes of posting and numbers two through five complain because I didn’t take down the add before they saw it. From now on, things get put on the parkway with a free sign. Anyway, it must be doubly irritating when it’s family.
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LAMary said on April 28, 2020 at 4:35 pm
Send those unwanted masks to Mike Pence. He was the only person not wearing a mask while touring the Mayo Clinic. He must not have one. Poor guy.
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Julie Robinson said on April 28, 2020 at 4:43 pm
Mary, I’m pretty sure you have way more than me to be cranky about, and I’m so sorry. I have no bucking up words anymore, I’m just sorry.
David, this person irritates me when I even think about her. And I actually didn’t say any of that to her face, I made her brother do it. I kinda didn’t trust myself.
Anyway, I have all the supplies I need to make lots more masks and I even bought some flowers to plant in pots. I have sorely missed all the flowers I had planted around our house. It’s a temporary situation, being in the apartment, but the lack of flowers has been a surprisingly big issue for me. And there’s my perspective lining back up for me. I’m whining about flowers!
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LAMary said on April 28, 2020 at 5:11 pm
Julie, I’m ok. This will all work out somehow. I just get fed up with stuff. The last twelve months have been really shitty and I just keep on keeping on.
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Sherri said on April 28, 2020 at 6:36 pm
The head of the Mayo Clinic should have made Pence follow policy and wear a fucking mask to protect the patients and health care workers.
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Deborah said on April 28, 2020 at 8:14 pm
Another busy day in Santa Fe at the condo trying to get things up to speed outside so being outside is pleasant. Too complicated to explain what we did today, but it involved a lot of lifting and raking, hoping my back will hold out on me.
Tomorrow is another workday here in SF, but inside so maybe not as back weary.
I had planned to go back on my low carb diet in May, but if chicken is rare it may be hard to get enough protein. Will have to wait and see.
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Dorothy said on April 28, 2020 at 8:22 pm
My niece used to work with someone who was famous for her malapropisms. She didn’t know she was making verbal mistakes, which probably made it even more aggravating that she didn’t realize. She said something was “generic” when she meant “genetic”; “I can’t even phantom how much that would hurt!” (instead of fathom). But one time some Amish people walked past them when they were at lunch and this dimwit said “Oh! Look at the Pilgrims!” We still say that when we see Amish people (but not loud enough for them to hear).
I found out yesterday I’m furloughed as of 5/16/20. They’re not sure when we’ll be called back (‘we’ being me and several other staff members in my department). It depends on the Fall semester. My benefits are continuing, thanks goodness. I’ll file for unemployment in mid-May. I’m not surprised and not really too upset, but I will be anxious to hear what’s going to happen to the University come July or August. My boss said they’ll know more in July.
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SusanG said on April 30, 2020 at 9:19 pm
I’ve really, really, really tried to read “Normal People,” but it’s basically Jane Austin with blow jobs. I’m thinking in these end time I should read Anais Nin’s diaries.
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