Bobservations

Carlos is still under the weather—we have been on the lookout for Oregano oil as suggested by Treader—but the other day he whipped out the humidifier and some essential oils to clear out his throat. I walked into the guest bathroom and he was hunched over the thing and I asked if he wanted a towel to put over his head and he said No thanks.

I then asked if he wanted a chair from the kitchen table so he wouldn't have to stoop over and he asked why I was being so nice; I replied:

“I’m always nice, motherfucker.”

I think humor is the best medicine.

This Tuxedo Memory is from October 2011 when I was trying to monetize the cats to help with their expenses …

"Caturday: Head Shots

I'm thinking of pitching a new idea to Bravo, The Real HouseCats Of Camden, so I have been taking headshots of the players for my proposal.

Here they are: 

Tuxedo would be that cat. The one everybody loves and wonders why he is on such a trashy show.

Consuelo Roca Jones would be the cat that flips the table.

Tallulah Belle is the crazy one, with the wonky eyes, that you never know when she'll attack.

MaxGoldberg will be the one who cries. On cue.

And for a little diversity, we'll toss Ozzo in the mix. He'll be the outsider who's always crashing the HouseCat parties and eating their food."

It breaks my heart realizing that with the exception of Consuelo all these lovelies are gone now.

News from Blue Tuesday … 

In Pennsylvania, Moms for Liberty [MfL], the right-wing “parental rights” hate group advocating an anti-woke agenda in America’s schools, had a rough night in the elections where all five of the Republican candidates in Central Bucks were included in the MfL guide and yet all five seats were won by Democrats. And then in Pennridge, another school district in Bucks County, all five of those school board’s open seats went to Democrats. And lastly, Pennsylvania Democrats expanded their majority on the state Supreme Court, a potential sign of strength heading into the 2024 election and another win for a campaign centered on abortion rights.

In Iowa, the highly contested Linn-Mar school board race had eight candidates vying for four open spots and all candidates supported by MfL failed to get in the top four.

Meanwhile in Virginia, state Delegate, Democrat Danica Roem won her race for the state Senate, while state Senator, Democrat Adam Ebbin defeated his GOP opponent while state Delegate, Democrat Mark Sickles won re-election in House District 17. Roem is transgender; Ebbin and Sickles are both gay. Even better, Virginia Democrats maintained control of the state Senate and flipped the state House, providing Democrats with a stronger hand pushing against the policy priorities of Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin.

In Ohio, most men and women voted yes on Issue 1, establishing a right to abortion in the state’s constitution.

It was a gloriously blue day in much of the country.

Kayleigh McEnany, AKA Bullshit Barbie, is pissed off by the Thing 45 fraud trial but not for the reasons you might think. Nope, this dope took issue with an unflattering courtroom sketch of Inmate # P01135809 shortly after he finished testifying and offered this piece of advice:

“I would advise them to ask for a better sketch artist because that does not look like my former boss there. This is a travesty of justice. And that sketch is a travesty too. It looks nothing like Trump.”

Seriously, he’s facing the possibility of losing tons of coins, and most of his business dealings in New York but Little Kayleigh is mad because the sketch of him looks bad.

The Ron DeSantis presidential campaign … hold for laughter … formally rolled out a new endorsement from Iowa’s Governor, QAnon Goose-stepper, or whatever her name is.

See, for just $25, or more, small dollar donors will be able to watch Governor Kim Reynolds formally confer her nod of approval on Governor High Heels.

Seriously, Ronnie? This is  a money-making thing for your campaign?

PS Kimmie’s endorsing DeFascist because he probably promised her the VP slot.

This past weekend, Carlos was feeling a little better so we went off to do our CostCo pilgrimage. We were also looking for some things we’ll need for Thanksgiving dinner as we’re having friends in and are doing the cooking ourselves.

I was looking for a turkey, but I found none, and thought maybe they won’t come in this far off from the Big Day but as we strolled the aisles I saw a CostCo employee and stopped to ask:

“Do you know if they have any turkeys yet?”

“Oh, I don’t know, I just work in clothes and socks … “

“Well, are there any turkeys wearing clothes and socks?”

She looked at me as if I were nuts. She wasn’t far off.

Sebastiano Pigazzi is an Italian actor and model whose most famous TV role was his crotch in And Just Like That, the Sex and The City reboot  thirst grab. But this isn’t all about that … Would You hit It?

Bobservations

This is about the ingenuity of my husband and how he adapts to what life throws at him. Y’all know about his vision issues and how he uses a cane—he calls it his Navigational Device—to move around in public.

Well, he has two canes; the first one wore out and he got a new one. But he kept the old one as his Yard Navigational Device and he uses it to take the dog out, to go up the driveway and check the mail and—and this is my favorite—to edge the lawn with the small lawn mower. Yes, he edges the lawn, while I use the riding mower to mow the lawn, with his cane marking a path along the fence and around the azaleas beside the fence; and he does a darn fine job.

It’s the strangest sight, seeing him out back with the small mower and his cane, around the trees with his cane, and then pruning shrubbery with the cane tucked into his belt until he needs.

Who knew the cane wasn’t meant just to get you around but can help with the yardwork?

This is from April, 2011, with the Sleeping Beauty pets …

“Caturday: The Nap Time Edition

Cats love to nap. Eat and then nap. Stretch and then nap. Use the litter box and then nap. Nap and then, you guessed it, nap. And they all do it pretty much the same way: curled up in a tight little ball.

All except The Most handsome Cat Ever, Tuxedo, who marches, er, naps, to his own drummer.

Tallulah Belle. On a dining room chair??!!???

MaxGoldberg. On a cat bed, like a good boy.

Miss Consuelo Roca Jones. As the newbie, she hasn't graduated to 'çat bed' yet.

Tuxedo. Like Sinatra, he does it his way. On a cat bed, on a couch.”

Nobody took a nap like Tuxedo, going all pretzel for us.

Groups of neo-Nazis—known as ‘Blood Tribe’ and ‘The Goyim Defense League’—marched through parks in the Orlando area over the weekend flashing the Nazi salute and chanting ‘we are everywhere.’ Such a brave lot …

Like that tiny little man up there with the face mask and sunglasses on. I mean, if you’re so proud of being a hate-filled ignorant bigot, why cover your face? Is it because if Mommy found out she’d kick you out of the basement? Or maybe you’d lose your job pumping Slurpees at the 7/11?

So scary … little men.

I was going to toss out an old pair of Levis when the thought of recycling them hit me. And now, when I go out to dinner in a crisp white shirt, some tighty whities and my Levi corset and am told that I need to be wearing pants I can say, “I am.”

We all know that Flori-duh Dumbass Ron DeSantis says his state is where woke goes to die, but it’s also where woke goes to help people after a hurricane.

Anheuser-Busch, owner of woke Bud Light, delivered two truckloads of water—more than 100,000 cans—to areas impacted by Hurricane Idalia to assist with recovery efforts. This is woke. You stop to help those in need even though the state’s governor blasted your company for partnering  with a transgender social media icon.

I think woke is probably a lot better than thirsty Floridians after a hurricane.

PS ron DeSantis never said one word about Nazis marching in Florida, and Silence = Acceptance.

Speaking of Dumb Republican News, Senator Ted Cruz added yet another social media faux pas to his list of online gaffes when he shared a video about Biden opening up “doors” in Inmate # P01135809’s border wall:

This latest bit of stupidity from the most hated human in Congress comes just a week after he shared a doctored image of a shark swimming down the 405 freeway in Los Angeles during the recent tropical storm that hit the region.

Yes, he did.

The other day I dropped my keys and as I reached for them I accidentally nudged them further under the car, Luckily, this nice young man, who was walking by, was only too happy to get on the ground and get my keys. And he was even nicer when he came back a few minutes later when I dropped my phone under the care … and then my wallet … and then when I said there was a cat under there … and then …

He was so sweet I even forgave him for the Crocs he was wearing.

Nicholas Skidmore is a model, fitness instructor—aren’t they all—and an artist; he’s also that rare redhead, which we know is real because in one of the photos you can see that the carpets do indeed match the drapes. But this is not about that: Would You Hit It?

Bobservations

We were having a nice weekend until Saturday night when I felt a sore throat coming on; I mentioned it to Carlos and he goes right to COVID so I told him I’ll get a test. I did, I took it, no COVID. I tell him it just feels like a cold and he said, in all seriousness:

“Where did you get this cold?”

Now, I’m thinking maybe I got it from someone at work, someone on the street, the grocers, could be anywhere, but instead of that I said:

“Maybe it was at the orgy at the firehouse on Friday.”

“You went to an orgy?”

Yes, he did ask that.

PS the storm came and went and was less of a mess than predicted; we got a lot of rain, but no power outages and no high winds. 

This week’s Tuxedo Repost is from March 2011 where I was just sharing some photos of the kids.

“Caturday....With A Small Dose Of Dog[?]urday

Tuxedo and Max Goldberg like to sneak off for a 'nap'. Yeah, that's it......nap. My two handsome men!

Consuelo Roca Jones. Hey, if she doesn't know I'm taking her picture, I don't get the stink eye!

And speaking of stink eye, Tallulah was giving it when I caught her playing with Consuelo's toy.

And Ozzo, poor Ozzo. He begged not to be included on Caturday. He.Begged.”

I loved the way Tuxedo and MaxGoldberg nestled together; just love.

Tallulah would leave us late the following year; she was aloof but loving and quite the diva. Consuelo, on the other hand is that kind of dotty old lady you might see around town, but she’s a sweetheart to all … except maybe Rosita whom she still does not entirely trust.

Now, as for Ozzo, he’s still with us, though his joints ache and his eyes are dimming, but he still has an appetite and still loves the yard and taking walks with his daddies as he enters his :::gulp::: 21st year.

Question: while shopping at the grocery store you realize that something you’ve put in your cart is something you no longer need or want; do you:

#1: Take the item back to the shelf where you found it,

#2: Give it to the cashier at check-out and tell them you no longer want it. Or

#C: Inconspicuously set it on any open spot on any shelf.

I have learned that I am the Spawn of Satan because I slyly slip it onto any open shelf I can find. Sue me. On the other hand, I always put my grocery cart back!

Apparently the last name of Inmate # P01135809 is so toxic in high-society circles these days that a relative of Mr-Former-Fake-One-Term-Twice-Impeached-Currently-Four-Time-Criminally-Indicted-Not-My-President-Gurl [hat tip to Randy Rainbow] has stopped using her last name.

The charity God’s Love We Deliver announced its upcoming Golden Heart Awards dinner, noting the event’s chairpersons include Vogue boss bitch Anna Wintour, fashion designer Michael Kors and others, but there at the bottom of the letter was one more name: Blaine. Just Plain Blaine.

But most people know her as Blaine _____, is Inmate # P01135809’s former sister-in-law, having been married to his late younger brother, Robert, from 1984 to 2009. But now she’s either Blaine Beard—her maiden name—or she’s just Blaine.

Like Cher or Madonna, but not.

It’s being ALLEGED that serial liar, and drag queen wannabe, Republican George Lucas Washington Clooney Santos has joined the ranks of folks using Ozempic to lose weight quickly.

I guess he wants to be the Belle of the Showers in prison.

PS That’s pre-O on the left on post-O on the right and I’m still seeing a little muffin top, Georgie.

At a drag queen story hour event in Princeton, New Jersey last week a bomb threat was called in and it seemed the event might be canceled, but hold on, hennies, cuz drag queens are not here for the foolishness.

That morning  the Princeton Police Department received an anonymous email full of anti-LGBTQ+ Hate Speech and claiming that “numerous explosive devices” had been placed in and around the event site. Police immediately evacuated the venue and searched the area; no explosive devices were found.

Still, the organizers decided to move the event to another building due to safety concerns and, as drag queens do, they acted as if the relocation was part of the fun, with the drag performer leading a conga line dance into the new venue.

It’s story time, bitches, and the drag queens are not playing.

How thirsty for attention must a person be to be so jealous of Inmate # P01135809’s mug shot, that you create one of your own. And I’m looking at you, Large Marge Green.

I cannot wait until her children grow up to write their own “Mommie Dearest” books.

This week, a co-worker—whom we call Junior Gay since I am Senior Gay—was telling me how he’d found a sex tape of his boyfriend giving a blow job to another man, and he was quite upset. Now, the video was made before the two became a couple, but he was upset because he’d been told his boyfriend never did anything like that, and so he asked me how I would feel if I learned that Carlos had a sex tape out there:

“Well, we’ve been together so long it would have been less of a sex tape of Carlos doing the deed, and more like a cave drawing.”

Truth.

British model Deano Perona began his career as a kind of hobby to earn some extra pocket change until he was sent to Milan for a runway show. The nit hit him that this might be a cools job, though the question is: Would You Hit It?

Thanks

First off, thanks to all of you for your kind words and the cards that arrived for us this week. You will never know how much Carlos and  appreciated your love for Tuxedo … and how much Tuxedo loved it, too; after all, he was, if nothing else, the center of our universe.

I think, for me, the hardest part of losing him is going through that first week or so after they’ve gone, and the little things that remind you of the loss. We had done the grocery shopping and returned home;  pulled not the garage and got out to open the door into the house And the close the garage door so Tuxedo couldn’t make a dash toward the yard. He wasn’t there; there was no reason to close the garage door, but I swear I saw him sitting in the doorway to the kitchen like he always did.

This week we had our deck replaced and Craig, who has done work in and out of our house since we moved here, was outside working. And he asked about Tuxedo, because Tuxedo always came out to watch what Craig was doing, or to sit in a windowsill and supervise the project.

The best, or worst, time of all, was one night while watching TV, I went into the kitchen for some peanuts and as I was filling a dish, I saw Tuxedo behind me. He never ate peanuts, we never offered him peanuts, but for some reason he was there and I was crying … again. It took me several days before I could say his name with welling up.

The tears are subsiding, though they are falling right now as I write this because, as you can see over there on the left, we have lost a number of cats over the years and I am now remembering them all. On the bottom row we have Spunky and Voncie, who both passed of cancer in 2005. That’s Thomas, all by himself because he was a huge cat, who also passed in 2005.

The next row up is Scruffy, the tabby, and Lady, the black and white cat; Scruffy died in 2006; he was the old man of the house and when he left us, Tuxedo took that role until earlier this month. Lady, Voncie’s sister, was seventeen when she passed in her sleep a few months after we moved to Camden in 2008. Sweety, another gray tabby who totally lived up to her name, died of old as well, just a few months after Lady. We adopted Tallulah—who looked a little like Voncie—after moving to Camden and had her until she passed from feline leukemia in 2012. We didn’t lose another pet for ten years when MaxGoldberg left us in 2022, and then Tuxedo followed seven months later.

The reason I post about these losses is because of a beautiful quote posted in a comment by Mr. Shife about Tuxedo:

‘What a wonderful tribute to The Great Tuxedo. I thought of this quote when I was reading this, Bob, and I hope it helps you and Carlos with the healing process.

"It came to me that every time I lose a pet they take a piece of my heart with them. And every new pet who comes into my life, gifts me with a piece of their heart. If I live long enough, all the components of my heart will be pet, and I will become as generous and loving as they are.”

Take care.’

I like to think I have each of their hearts with me and they all have a large piece of mine.

Good News Monday

Actually, it was Good News Caturday.
When it was discovered that Tallulah had Cancer, and several very large, inoperable tumors, we also learned that the Cancer was a result of testing positive for Feline Leukemia.
Feline Leukemia is something most outdoor cats are susceptible to, and they get it from coming into direct contact with other Feline Leukemia+ cats. Well, our cats weren't outside cats, so we didn't know how Tallulah contracted it--she did go outside, but always only with a Human Escort and always for a short time.
But, since she was positive for Leukemia, we were worried the other three cats had become infected from her. But then we had houseguests and didn't want to get the other three tested--and perhaps getting bad news--while we had visitors, so we waited.
This past Saturday Caturday, we took Tuxedo, MaxGoldberg, and Miss Consuelo Roca-Jones to the vet's office right at 8AM. It was quite the ride, with all three cats meowing madly in their carriers, and I can sort of understand why; they all knew that the last cat that left our house in a carrier wasn't see again, so, I understand their concerns.
But, after a quick blood test and examination, all three of them came back negative for Feline Leukemia; and all three of them got jabbed with a Leukemia vaccine, just in case.
It was a long two-and-a-half weeks from Tallulah's passing to having the other cats tested but we were finally able to breathe easier.

Thanks for all your lovely comments about Tallulah. I think we all know how it feels to lose a pet ....not good at all, but we soldier on.
I was thankful, at least, that the last two faces she saw before passing were her two Dads, though I'm sure she wondered why we were bawling like babies .... and I'm happy that she is at peace.
That's all any of us, human or pet, really need.
So, the mourning continues, but tomorrow, ISBL will return to some regularly scheduled programming.
Soldier on .... and again, Thanks.
Bob and Carlos, Tuxedo, MaxGoldberg, Consuelo Roca Jones and Ozzo.
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