Today is 9 Months...

 

How ya doin'....now...

 

This is going to be a long...long...long...three years and 3 months.

 39 months to go...

Since Kirk's death we have seen:

 

...him being awarded posthumously the Presidential Medal of Freedom award...the refusal of release of the Epstein files...the shutdown of the government for 20 days currently...the refusal to seat a duly elected member of the Senate from AZ because she is a Democrat...the illegal bombing of 7 boats in international waters...ICE running rampant...elected officials calling peaceful protestors anti-American, hateful and members of Hamas...declaring ANTIFA an organization and un-American...Middle East Peace...that lasted less than 24 hours...

but we have also seen:

...protestors who are fighting back with silly inflatable costumes...cha-cha dancing and the Hokey Pokey...7 million Americans pouring into the streets for  NO KINGS DAY...Governors and Mayors stepping up and speaking out...

in short, pushing back!!!!

It seems to have reached a tipping point...and people are slowly realizing

THIS IS NOT NORMAL!!!!!!

And we can't let it become the New Norm.

The inflatables were brilliant.

The Frog Brigade, still my favorite! 

 

Despite everything...we're going to be okay.

Really.

 

 

 

Good Food...Good Football and James & Jess' First Anniversary

 

Celebrating a year, today!!!!

And sooooooooooooooooo happy.

Fall is completely here, now...with all the decorations...the leaves turning orange, red and yellow...and, of course, the food!

Made a batch of ham and beans, corn bread and sweet tea.

Sundays all about good food and football these crisp days.

...also sweaters...hoodies and throws...

The Kansas game against The Raiders was an absolute blow-out.

 And now we are 4-3.

The Colts game against The Chargers was a bit tighter...

 But also ended with a decisive win...giving them 6-1 and securing top in their division.

 In fact, they are currently the BEST team in the NFL!

...that is something I didn't think I'd ever hear...

John and I had a wonderful day of football!

Time to call it a night!

 

 

 

 

Chris' Birthday...Week 6 Outcome...Arresting Giraffes...and New Stuff!

 

Chris is 36 today!!!!

...how can THAT be right?????

Excited that we are all getting together for Halloween.

Maybe he and Tina and Lachlan dressing up as Ghostbusters this year...not 100% yet...but if so, Lachlan will be the cutest SLIMER ever!

Lennon reporting this week that he has found the Complete Set (DVD) of ROBOT CHICKEN...a great find.
 

And James...who is still making music and released another album on the 12th!!!

Busy times!

My Niece (Tina's Daughter) and Cody tied the knot in Brown County.

.

 

John and I have solidified our Fall Trip plans...as well as Tina and I getting ready for Sisters Day.

Then, there is football!

If Kansas keeps having late night games, it's going to kill us both off.

Week 6 was outstanding!!!!

Colts and Kansas won their respective games.

The Colts are now 5-1...which is phenomenal.

Kansas is now 3-3...but Rashee is off suspension for this Sunday and Worthy is healthy...so we're expecting great things.

...and Branch learned you can't sucker-punch Juju in the head and not get suspended/fined... 

Making Ham and Beans, Cornbread and Sweet Tea to accompany the games.

Lots of stuff this week...most of the political I'll cover on the 20th...but had to share THIS.

That is right, folks...in Portland they arrested the singing giraffe.

...this may be a new low...even for ICE...

The newest "must try" from Arby's
 

Steak Nuggets!!!!

Have a Great Weekend!

Love,

Carla, John, Tux and Gadget 

 

 

 

 

The Spooky Season...Football...Movies and More

 It is evening, and I have a Pumpkin-Spice candle burning.

The geese are back in the mornings.

The sun is golden now...and at night there is even a touch of frost in the air.

Decorations are all about sunflowers, mums, and pumpkins.

The exception would be a garden spider which has affixed her flat sheet web securely to a nearby plant and my arched arbor...normally I would clear it away...but this is October and she and her creation are inadvertently promoted to Halloween Decorations.

...and this is a must have item...

Yeah.

I know.

I need to get out more.

 

Week 5's football was great!

We watched The Colts absolutely trounce The Raiders!!!!

...40-6... 

And although The Chiefs did not win...it came down to the last few seconds of the game...very exciting!

A lot of mistakes made on both sides (Jags and Us)

Trevor Lawrence tripped over his own feet and fell..Chris Jones thought the play was over but it wasn't..and then Trevor tripped into the EndZone and scored a touchdown.

...sigh..

You couldn't even make that up.

Kansas was beating themselves with penalties.

...flag...flag..flag flag...FLAG...flaggity flag flag....flag flag...FLAG...FLAG...flag and flag...

14 times.

Mostly holding.

...TBH...for years they have hung off opposing teams like small rat terriers and never been called for it...

 Andy might want to let them know when the jersey stretches several feet out...it is time to let go.

...just saying...

John and I are excited for tomorrow and Week Six.

Good Food and Football!

Watching all the spooky movies now.

 Vampires...Werewolves...Spiders...Stephen King Stuff...and tonight: 1954's THEM (B&W radiation-mutated ants)

 Campy...yes...but a lot of fun!

 

love,

Carla

 

October...Spooky Season...New Stuff...and the Winner of FBW

 

Woke to the sound of crows instead of Summer songbirds...

Can the geese be far behind?

The leaves are slowly turning orange and scarlet...the air on these chilly nights smells like a bonfire and hoodies and sweaters are now the fashion!

Fall is back!!!!

Fat Bear Week is over...and there were some serious contenders...

 

but when it was all said and done...with over 97,000 votes...

 

Our CHUNK...tipping the scales at over 1200 pounds...emerged victorious!

 

TBH, even though I started out wanting 602 to win...I ended up voting for this battle-scarred behemoth in the end.

                                               Maybe we all did.

When he first showed up in June I doubted very much that he would even survive the season.

A huge bite to his back, limping from an injury to his leg, and his jaw completely broken along with most of his front teeth...the jaw hung open and at an angle...the one canine he still had was broken and jutting forward...he couldn't even close his mouth.

He was a mess.  

But #32 was smart.

He stayed away from everyone for a month or so.

He walked the banks and lived on scraps which were plentiful.

He rested his beaten and broken body and jaw in the ice-cold river water and ever so slowly learned to chew with his back teeth...healed...about 2.5 months in he moved back up to the falls and took his old fishing spot back...started catching salmon...his back and leg now healed and he could sort-of close his mouth again.

And now he has captured the title of Fat Bear!

Things change quickly in Alaska, though...and the bears in the morning mist...

 are busy, now, digging dens for their long winter nap.

And the first snow is seen on Dumpling Mountain.

The locals call this first powder Termination Dust.

Soon the bears will be gone and the cameras will be off until June...when it happens all over again.

 And a certain giddiness to the arrival of The Spooky Season!

 

I've already watched Charlie Brown's Halloween.

 

An annual thing of mine.

Chris and Lachlan popped by...and the baby knows some German. Chris can say things to him and he understands!

Caught up with James and Lennon on the phone.

Everyone is good.

Yesterday, John and I had an early lunch together!

We got some of the very best news last Friday...his cancer seems to be in complete remission!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

....although it will have to be gone for 5 years before they will call it cured...

We will take it!

Plotting and planning a Fall Getaway...also Sister's Day later this month...because Tina's daughter is getting married, soon!

She and Cody are so well matched and happy!

New pizza from Pizza Hut to try tonight.

Our Little Caesar's is, now, open.

...bleah...

Not pizza pizza, but disgusting disgusting.

And a couple of new Fall items  

...yeah..I'll pass...

 

...Interesting...but probably not...

 Football on Sunday...and we'll be rooting the Colts and The Chiefs on.

 

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

Love,

Carla, John and The Cats

 

 

Fall...Football...and Fat Bear Week 2025

 

It's FAT BEAR WEEK!!!!

Voting starts tomorrow.

And John has managed to make it back after a week in the hospital...which is the BEST news, ever.

 

Pneumonia...and complications from the immunotherapy...then additional allergies from a new medication...

It has all been fairly scary.

But today...aside from some lingering fatigue...you wouldn't even know he has been sick.

...yesterday he beat Jonathan in 7 games of pool...has been gobbling down Steak and Shake and has O2 SATS staying in the mid to high 90's ORA....

You wouldn't believe he has been through Z-Pac, Amoxicillin, Vanco, Clindamycin, Dexatron, Prednisone,  blistering rashes, low 80's SATS, Shortness of breath, and no appetite or  energy.

The Pneumonia now resolved.

The new medication discontinued.

The immunotherapy permanently discontinued.

Continuing moderate doses of Prednisone for now.

We will have to watch closely for any re-staging of the cancer...probably for the rest of his life...but for today...we are just grateful for an exceptional medical team and the return of his good health!

Today is the first day of Fall Proper...and outside it is cooler...gray...rainy.

A Cinderella Day consisting of laundry...dishes...cleaning and scrubbing.

A Fall-Scented candle and everything to make Roast Beef Manhattans tonight.

A slow start to today.  Football all day yesterday until the small hours.

We watched (together) the Colts and Kansas both win their games!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Colts (with Indiana Jones) now 3-0.

 

Kansas now 1-2

It just might be The Colts year!

Today starts FBW...and voting begins tomorrow.

 

And man...are they huge this year!

My favorite is 602...which has basically just been eating...going to sleep right in the river...then waking up to eat again...for months, now.

He is not #747 ginormous...but he is still pretty big!

Have a great first week of Autumn...

Love,

Carla, John and The Cats. 

 

 

It Has Been 8 Months...

 

...how ya doin'????

 

It feels like eight years.

The last month filled with

...lawsuits...ice arrests...threats...attacks on the First Amendment...and comedians..and blowing up (3 now) boats...lies...more lies...and THIS GUY.  

Who I was blissfully unaware of, before his untimely death. 

And it would be sad...if he wasn't such a bigoted, transphobic asshole.

But out of morbid curiosity, I made the mistake of listening to a few of his screeds.

Yeah...no great loss to society.

Of course, MAGA has turned him into a martyr...no great surprise there.

One can only hope after this fervor has died down that he (and his memories) will slip quietly away like those of Rush Limbaugh, Fred Phelps, et al.

After all...while he was exercising his 1st Amendment rights...the shooter was just exercising his 2nd Amendment rights.

Right, Charlie?

Also, ABC has learned in the past week that they needed Kimmel much more than Kimmel needed them.

ONLY 40 months left...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 An aside:   I think it is very telling that neither Kirk's parents or siblings were present at his Memorial...

I also think that the far right has much more used for him in death than they ever  did while he was alive.

 

Just sad and disgusting.