I inherited my own copy recently, by way of a family friend’s widow. I don’t have any education in physics, but am still looking forward to attempting it.

My position is the same as yours, but also my Mutuals feed delivered this:

Had to stop last night, so popped the sugar back in for another hour. The color in this shot is slightly off, but stuff in the pan started as white granulated sugar! I’m looking forward to trying it in the recipe I’ve got in mind.

Progress! The sugar is starting to smell Very Nice Indeed. I think I’m going to turn the oven off while I take a lap around the block, then try for another 30-60 min. of toasting, for maximum caramel flavor.

Today I learned about lachryphagy—the absolute most fun example of which (to me) is butterflies in the Amazon drinking turtle tears. The turtles shed excess sodium; the butterflies get the salt they need. (Image credit: Phil Torres)

Sleepy pup photo, as promised! This is Astra, my Great Pyr. She’s 13 this month. Often when I first get up, she snoozes while I scurry around. When I walk back into the bedroom, she lifts her head to give me the “time for pets” look. I plop down to pet her, & she closes her eyes, content again.

I had a last late holiday orange from my sister’s tree, and a few tablespoons of pecans, and realized I was equipped for nutty, citrus-y shortbread cookies. That was Thursday, and my house smelled like Southern winter happiness. Then last night I made a quality of life decision w/ dark chocolate…

Dog tax (as promised)—a recent closeup of my girl’s pretty face.

I wanted to thank you all again—on my behalf and my dog’s—for all the help you gave me getting my rent paid. 💜 Astra is old, & this place is navigable and comfortable for her. She loves to sit in the shared yard and watch neighborhood goings-on. :) Here’s a pet-tax photo, from yesterday:

Astra is taking the news of your rough day very seriously. She and I both hope things improve soon.

POV: You had the audacity to stop petting this dog so you could try taking her picture. Those wise to the ways of Pyrs will note, from the angle, that she’s begun raising her left leg to place a disapproving paw on my photo-snapping arm.

Started playing Stray Gods this week, after a lovely person gifted me the game. While my Grace has several romance options, the first character I, El, was into is not dateable. —But is, predictably, a tall, blonde, neurodivergent-coded weirdo (complimentary):

Me, trying to make paperwork more exciting:

I realized people might want a better look at who they’re helping! Here’s one of my favorite photos of me & Astra, taken the winter before last:

Still at $230 of $925 for rent in Sept. I’d love it if someone could help get to $240 before Sunday afternoon. This sweet girl would love it too; your help = me staying home with her more often, & taking better care of both of us.

Astra, my favorite 12-year-old:

Same here, actually:

Look what a friend just found for me & brought by! I know it’s after Tuesday, but waste is a sin, no?

It snowed for hours last night, and I can’t be sorry. Astra and I love this weather.

MY RENT IS COVERED!!! Thank you to every person who helped me not fall through the cracks. I’m one week into my new job, and going forward, my paychecks will cover my housing. 💜💜💜

For friends who bring us lotion-imbued tissues when our nose is getting raw from using toilet paper, and includes an assortment of helpful teas for our wrecked throat, we give thanks.

POV: You are trying to tune your guitar, but a Great Pyrenees needs your attention.

Bad: I shattered a temporary dental crown late Thurs. Great: I made chocolate-pumpkin brownies w/ a pumpkin cream-cheese swirl that are soft enough to enjoy until I can see my dentist on Monday. (I left the toppings off the part of the pan I’ve devoured. The decorated part, below, is for sharing.)

This is Astra, sitting on top of a cat bed (the light blue object you can see one corner of). She does not fit on the cat bed. She does not fit in the frame. She does not care — she just wants pets.

Speaking of bears, please respect their humble desire for personal space, & get consent before posing with them:

Your Astra looks very pretty and happy. :) And I do! Mine’s a Great Pyrenees. She’s 11 this year, and as sweet and companionable as ever.

Gonna miss this guy so much.

I need to re-stock, but here’s what’s worked well for me:

This is the face of someone who has already gone through two towels and is still not dry, because she insisted we go for a walk in pouring, sidewalk-flooding rain (& who does not fit under my umbrella, nor stick close in storms).

This guy sat a yard away from me and cried until I called him over — at which point I became a cat-couch and cuddle provider. He decided this was a better use of my time than the next items on my to-do list. He was right.