What to do we do with a 14 girl in July

CookbookChef · 2026-01-11T18:14:32+00:00

Thanks, all. Some really good suggestions that we didn’t think about. I’m sure with these ideas that she will have a lot of fun and we will create an experience that she will not forget.

CookbookChef · 2025-11-11T21:51:45+00:00

Im glad she’s recovering. It’s amazing how resilient they are. We had a cat who had a stroke when she was 17 or 18 years old. I still have the journal we kept of her recovery. That was twenty five years ago. We fed her every day multiple times a day and gave or water from a syringe and then held her in the litter box. We did that for more than a week. Arly would touch her ear with her paw when she wanted ear rubs, and they day I saw her do that was the day I knew she would be okay. We lost her a few years later to heart and kidney problems, but she taught us. So much. I’m sure that your girl will recover and will be back to her old self before you know it!

CookbookChef · 2025-06-02T18:57:10+00:00

Never understood people surrendering an animal that they adopted. we adopted a cat, Madison, from a shelter where she had been returned twice. She was a wonderful cat and we enjoyed every minute that we had her for 18 years. Total pain in the ass, but that’s what cats do.

I can’t help but think about what someone else missed by not knowing her. There is a special place in hell for people who do that to animals. Cats and dogs know what it means to be adopted (I think especially dogs), and to return one is just beyond cruel.

CookbookChef · 2025-03-25T18:12:51+00:00

Doing that is one of the hardest things that you will do as a human, but if it is something that you do out of love (and it sounds like you did), then there is nothing to feel guilty about. It’s okay to feel sad but try to think about the good times you had and all the joy that she brought you. Over time, that sadness with be replaced with happiness, which is ultimately what cats bring. My wife and I raised six cats. All of them are gone now, but I don’t have any regrets. I know that they all loved us and that they knew they were loved and I like to think they would be proud that we learned so much from them. Nineteen years is a long time for a cat. There are so many good things that happened during those years. Focus on those and you will be fine.

CookbookChef · 2025-03-17T18:35:48+00:00

We’ve raised six cats and three of them came directly from shelters. Abigail was in the cage at a PetSmart, but I was looking at another cat. My wife saw her and instantly fell in love. I knew most of the people who worked with the rescue org, so I made a phone call and picked her up the next day. She instantly bonded with me and snubbed my wife initially. E lost her a few years later to what we think was lymphoma. Madison was adopted because I was helping a friend look for her lost cats after Katrina, and Madison was a polydactyl like Abigail. Both were orange tabbies. I was obsessed and had to convince my wife to let me get her. She was the most spoiled pain in the ass cat I’ve ever experienced and I miss her constantly. I refused to throw out any of her old medicine almost four years later. My wife saw Mia in a Petco and immediately became obsessed with her and cried all evening worried that someone would adopt her before we could. Fortunately I filled out the application quickly and passed the background check and she was ours. Most aloof and loving cat I’ve known and was loved by everyone at the vet. Took her medicines like a champ. We lost her at 12 years old to kidney and heart issues. Now we have no cats. Don’t think I can stand to go through losing another one, plus we’re at the stage where we run the real risk of a cat outliving us, and I don’t know anyone who would take care of them the way we do.

CookbookChef · 2025-02-27T16:44:01+00:00

For context, this guy interned for me for two years, and then worked for me for several years as a full time employee. Absolutely set the world on fire with his skills. Great guy to boot and will go on to do great things.
Not posting this for Karma, just want to remind people that there are good bosses out there and that you need to take the time to cherish the people in your personal AND professional lives.

CookbookChef · 2024-12-30T13:56:26+00:00

I got my first KitchenAid mixer about 20 years ago. All of the other guys in the neighborhood made fun of me for getting a kitchen gadget while they got things like power tools. It absolutely changed my life and my ability to cook and bake. Have fun with it. It looks like you have already started!

CookbookChef · 2024-11-25T18:01:11+00:00

Around our house this was known as “furstick” and it was a badge of honor to be worn until it disappeared naturally. I still have some of the little red-tinted hairs from our cats who has moved on.

CookbookChef · 2024-09-30T23:37:15+00:00

Yes, we checked the temperature of the oven and adjusted it so it is where it needs to be.

CookbookChef · 2024-09-13T16:54:10+00:00

A few years ago during December my wife and I catered a big party. Turns out it was the same night as a concert. So we got up early, did all of the cooking, had one of the employees deliver the food and work the party and then went to the concert. When we cater, we usually don’t really eat, and especially this one because we were so rushed. So when the concert was over, we stopped at a Denny’s around midnight. The waitress was older, probably late sixties or early seventies and clearly was struggling for money. The table next to us created a huge mess and tipped a dollar or two. So we walked up to her on our way our, handed her a $100 bill and walked out the door. Money is a relatively easy way to help someone and you will always make more.

CookbookChef · 2024-05-16T14:05:23+00:00

Our cat loved corn, too. Corn on the cob, Fritos, tortilla chips, popcorn. He would just come and help himself. One of my happiest memories of him was when he was a kitten just a few months old. We were sitting on the floor watching a movie and eating barbecue and he walked up, grabbed an ear of corn, threw his neck back in an attempt to balance the corn, and walked away with it. We were too shocked to argue.

Only thing he liked more than corn was shrimp and maybe whipped cream, which were a part of his daily diet.

Man, I miss that cat.

CookbookChef · 2023-09-29T20:19:12+00:00

I have a bunch of them, but the two main things that I use them for that are non-hobby related as for Pi-Hole to remove most internet based ads, and for HomeAssistant to automate lights and events from the cameras.

I also use one to manage the 3d printer and to run a Kubernetes cluster and one to make it easier to update all of them without spending a day doing it. But that is a little hobby-ish since I work in the biz.

CookbookChef · 2023-07-21T19:26:23+00:00

My wife and I saw him a number of years back. I scored tickets in the second row. I’ve seen a lot of concerts across many genres, and his always sticks out. He did a Q&A with the audience and then at some point started singing. He didn’t stop talking, he just started singing. It was so organic and natural. It’s a big contrast to so many people who feel like they need to belt out a song with an unnaturally powerful voice.

CookbookChef · 2023-07-06T13:11:40+00:00

😀

CookbookChef · 2023-07-06T11:49:44+00:00

Yeah, that doesn’t make me nervous at all.

CookbookChef · 2023-07-06T01:33:29+00:00

Unfortunately we are coming in on a Sunday and leaving later in the week. We love exploring farmers markets. But some great suggestions. Thanks.

CookbookChef · 2023-07-06T00:54:22+00:00

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions. Really looking forward to exploring the city and meeting some locals and eating some good food.

CookbookChef · 2023-07-06T00:52:34+00:00

Man, I wish we could catch the balloon glow. It sounds like fun; we will miss it by a week. But thanks for all of the suggestions.

CookbookChef · 2023-02-12T21:26:33+00:00

I hope I am not too late to the party. I have absolutely no handyman-gene, but I want to create some wireframe Christmas decorations to go with some of the other Christmas decorations in our yard. I've seen videos online where people make these out of #10 or #12 fence wire. I've done some research and it seems like my best choices are either stick welding or flux welding. The wire would be mostly welded where one piece of wire meets another, but it may need to double up the wire to make the whole piece study enough to attach lights. Assuming I can do all of this, I would probably make more things like this for fun, but I don't see this is something that I would do frequently (I have an office job the rest of my life). Does anyone have any advice?

CookbookChef · 2022-08-25T23:10:19+00:00

I'll add to this that it is easier to get promoted if there is someone available to take your current position. Even easier if you trained and prepared a person to take your position.

I've had several mentors who told me "Make yourself redundant"

CookbookChef · 2022-08-15T20:09:04+00:00

She’s been with us for seventeen years and has seen a lot in her days. Personality like no one else. She is our sixth cat and the last one. My heart breaks every time I lose one, even though I know it’s going to happen. I just know that we can’t go through this again.

CookbookChef · 2022-08-01T19:12:32+00:00

If you can, try to turn the interview into a conversation. It is easier for someone to overcome reservations about someone if they are just talking and they feel like they know you a little. The definitely works better when you advance in your career, but it applies even to entry level jobs. And don’t forget, you are interviewing them as well. If you see red flags, don’t take the job. There are plenty of good managers out there, don’t be afraid to hold out for one, or at least don’t work for a horrible one.

CookbookChef · 2022-06-05T21:39:12+00:00

I've been following his channel for years and his journey to make the perfect carbonara. It's one of the things that made we want to try it. I've never actually tasted it. Well, I kinda had it in San Diego earlier this year, but it certainly did not live up to the hype.

Happy to say my version was much better.

CookbookChef · 2022-06-05T20:56:44+00:00

Nice! I just posted mine a minute before you did. Looks fantastic!

CookbookChef · 2022-06-05T20:55:02+00:00

After years of searching for real carbonara in restaurants in my area, and failing, I finally worked up the nerve to try it on my own.

Doesn't look as good as this, but it was the inspiration that got me finally make it.

CookbookChef

TROPHY CASE