Wow, Tom! Pittsburgh isn't exactly flat for all those steps too. So many wonderful things to photograph.
Patience and calm~ma, Sheryl.
It's my estimation that... every man ever got a statue made of him, was one kind of sumbitch or another.
Mal ,'Jaynestown'
Natter 78: I might need to watch some Buffy for inspiration
Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, butt kicking, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.
Laura - May 17, 2026 5:15:55 pm PDT #12719 of 12726
Our wings are not tired.
Calli - May 17, 2026 5:56:46 pm PDT #12720 of 12726
I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul—Calvin and Hobbs
Happy birthday, Vortex!
Tom, that sounds like a great way to experience a city.
Sheryl, I hope things resolve in a manner that works for all of you.
That is a conundrum, Sophia. I guess if your mom wouldn’t want you to move to her house and your grandmother would, it sort of balances out. So doing what’s best for you seems reasonable. Of course, deciding what that is could be a whole ‘nother story.
I spent yesterday and today helping my sister and brother in law get their boat ready to go in the water. Lots of buffing and moving things hither and yon. Kinda tiring, but the weather was mostly lovely.
Steph L. - May 17, 2026 6:54:36 pm PDT #12721 of 12726
this mess was yours / now your mess is mine
Happy Birthday, Vortex!
Tom, I look forward to (hopefully) some of the Pittsburgh photos showing up on Tumblr.
Jen and -t (and any other secret Midnight Burger listeners), Tim got his brother to start listening, and he's already to season 2.
And I discovered today (first-hand) that norovirus is going around the area. So that sucks. I have been drinking a lot of ginger-flavored beverages (tea, fizzy water, nonalcoholic ginger beer). Hoping it doesn't last very long.
JenP - May 17, 2026 6:59:44 pm PDT #12722 of 12726
Jen and -t (and any other secret Midnight Burger listeners), Tim got his brother to start listening, and he's already to season 2.
Well done, Tim! (As I am literally listening to the Hwat? Weekly podcast. Who, me, totally immersed? What makes you say that?)
Also, feel better fast to you.
Sophia Brooks - May 17, 2026 8:32:53 pm PDT #12723 of 12726
Cats to become a rabbit should gather immediately now here
So I did a thing my mom would hate me for and asked my father’s family for help. My sister’s husband is like a rural real estate mogul.
We also rehomed her cat today with a young trans woman and her mom. The cat did not love me., but was lovey with Maria and my friend Rebekah who had the young person.
-t - May 17, 2026 8:49:41 pm PDT #12724 of 12726
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration
That sounds like a good home for the cat, Sophia. And good for you asking for help.
Ugh on the norovirus, Tep, but yay Midnight Burger toaster!
That sounds amazing, Tom! How was the train?
Happy Vortex Day!
Karl - May 17, 2026 9:39:04 pm PDT #12725 of 12726
I adore all you motherfuckers so much -- PMM.
Tom, I hope you didn't blister your feet. 20k steps a day in Pittsburgh is no little thing, even in the flatter parts.
Erika, I've been e-mailing back and forth with a friend I met just after I turned 8. It has brought up a lot of memories, for certain. I definitely hear you on the ambivalence thing.
DavidS - May 17, 2026 9:40:38 pm PDT #12726 of 12726
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
Sophia, while I think it's smart to take your time and not be rushed making big, life changing decisions, I would also caution about leaving the house unoccupied for too long.
JZ and her brothers took a long time to bring it to market and the place wound up catching fire and burning from an electrical short. Also thieves marked it as unoccupied and broke into it.
An unoccupied house is vulnerable in ways it's hard to anticipate.
Anyway, I think it's smart to get your BiL involved. He'll have a good sense of the house's value and you can weigh moving into it vs. selling it and perhaps getting something smaller and retiring early.