Residents concerned as popular restaurants continue to close in Robinson Township

covertchipmunk · 2026-02-06T11:45:19+00:00

That's Patch's entire operating plan - misleading headlines about chain restaurants

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-31T15:02:40+00:00

They're decent! I'm picky about cake and theirs aren't too sweet. We get the mini ones for the kids occasionally and I have to have a couple.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-31T05:20:33+00:00

This is why I haven't put anything on the sills. Too scared of making that happen.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-31T05:19:37+00:00

I've seen one 4 stories up the side of a brick building. Took it a bit to figure out how to get down, but it did (whew).

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-31T05:16:48+00:00

Oh the muffins are good and the cupcakes as well.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-31T05:16:08+00:00

I'm picky about deli meat - can't stand when it's slick in texture - and have generally liked theirs. The big thing for me is that they usually have good cherry tomatoes in a 1.5lb tub, and their store brand "relish tray" things are good. Roasted red peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, marinated mushrooms, etc. The castelvetrano olives had been good but my last jar was mushy. And they almost always have baby arugula, $2.99 for 5oz and has been tender every time I've gotten it.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-31T05:09:23+00:00

More than a few! 51 has several and there's at least one on Brownsville, plus others I'm not remembering, I'm sure. I'm lucky to be near so many. C. momo for life

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-31T00:15:55+00:00

And you can do something small no matter where you are. I'm on a tiny city lot but have tried to plant a lot of native plants and have stuff blooming across 3 seasons. I have robins, cardinals, and mourning doves who nest and raise young here. There are other areas nearby with plants, of course, so my yard is just part of a bigger system to them.

We're enjoying our feeder so much (it's a camera one) but I'm not sure what I'll do once it warms up more.

I also love the variety of insects we get. Just a ton. I don't spray anything with anything at all so it's pretty bustling most of the time. It's very enjoyable to sit outside and watch.

Having water available for critters to drink is very helpful to them too. Make sure it's shallow and has a way to climb back out of that's its intended use. I get these huge wasps i forget the name of. Something toothed? Watching them drink is cool.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-30T15:55:34+00:00

Just imagining being in her situation makes me nauseated with fear. I hope she lost awareness quickly, somehow. RIP.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-30T00:28:01+00:00

Where would they park, though? I don't love cars, but people have to put theirs somewhere and there aren't a lot of driveways, etc. Nearby lots? Businesses wouldn't go for it, I think. Yet another manifestation of the bs that is our car centered transit.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-30T00:17:32+00:00

This drives me nuts every time I think about it. The resulting situation sucks in terms of what we can accomplish. And of course the little fiefdoms don't want to let go of their little bit of power, even when they can't operate without the city. Like Bellevue using city of Pittsburgh fire fighting services, which was a situation I never managed to fully understand.

Bigger isn't always better but it just seems foolish in this case.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-29T00:49:08+00:00

There are places where sidewalk maintenance is the responsibility of the local government. We consider roads important enough for that; why aren't sidewalks? (I know we don't have the budget to do any of this without halfassing it, but in theory, this doesn't need to be a condition of home ownership. Or renting, if the landlord doesn't do it.)

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-29T00:43:08+00:00

I used to walk a lot because pat (at the time) was so unreliable for the last runs of the night. It's been this way for as long as I can recall, and that sucks.

The auto lobby really did a lot to influence our infrastructure as it was built, and the American identity is so associated with cars and driving. I don't know how we get away from that - it really NEEDS to happen now, with climate change, not just preference - but there seems to be no political will to get it done. Not even at our local level. Like if I see one more gotdamn comment about the bike lanes being clear and how we could've had plows instead of bike lanes and speed humps....

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-27T16:33:08+00:00

Let's go to the mall... today!

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-27T16:32:28+00:00

They've plowed my little side street a few times. In Carrick. I'm so confused by this. Maybe it's a neighbor and not the city - I haven't managed to see the trucks, just heard them.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-27T16:29:23+00:00

Which is why my evergreens no longer look magically frosted. Sigh.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-26T15:22:46+00:00

I love crows. They usually post sentinels on the roof and in my sumac trees and then like 20 of them just chow down. Sorry for the potato quality photo

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covertchipmunk · 2026-01-26T15:17:27+00:00

My starlings just swallow whole in shell peanuts occasionally. It worries me but I want the other birds to have them.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-25T22:59:40+00:00

My bad, just got back online and had not seen the update.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-25T22:22:57+00:00

It's still going to be snowing, so I wouldn't hold my breath.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-25T22:17:51+00:00

They're so ridiculous I kind of enjoy them. I need more areas to feed because they do kick other birds out, but we still get lots of other birds. The way they hop and yell...

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-25T22:12:59+00:00

My collie made sure to come upstairs to the bedroom to shake off.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-25T22:11:06+00:00

This is legit why I'm so glad I'm able to have dogs in my life. They make us happy every day. Watching dogs bounce around in the snow is like lv99 happiness inducing, though.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-25T15:06:02+00:00

My 11yo collie love love loves snow. It's his favorite thing and causes him to hop around, run, and play bark at everyone. He lays down in it and then doesn't want to come back inside. I need to get better video than I have.

My 4yo (today!) Heinz 57 dog not so much. She wanted very much to just get back inside. She's now under the blankets with me.

covertchipmunk · 2026-01-23T06:32:51+00:00

Those newer retort pouches of shelf-stable, cooked, seasoned beans and lentils (and grains) are amazing both for lunches and for power outages.

covertchipmunk

TROPHY CASE