Two of these games in one season is kind of a big lift in the first year of a marriage.

Ending AGU on a peppermint bark beignet. Work for the year is done, laissez les fêtes de Noël rouler.

Someone told me about their family tradition where they toast slices of dressing to make leftover sandwiches on turkey day 2. I won’t get a chance to try this year, but I’d love to know how common this is and whether it’s as amazing as I imagine.

Coming home to a surprise supper off the grill is a very nice perk of having a spouse off work

Small children are among our weekend guests. These children don’t regularly experience cats, but for reference, one met Pepper once and for quite some time thereafter referred to all cats as “Pepper.” It’s also worth noting these cats don’t regularly experience children, either.

She is grace

It sure is Monday

This is Pepper’s first Halloween not living in a dark house on a hill in the woods, so first run-in with trick-or-treaters. Turns out our people cat really prefer them fully grown and has spent quite a lot of her evening hiding from tiny princesses and such in the closet 😐

Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em #RollTide ❤️ 🐘

Reunion no. 2, cake no. 2. This one is an Apple Dapple. Fingers crossed it takes up its caramel sauce *and* comes out of the pan or yours truly will be toting in a box of grocery store cookies.

Sunset looks good and sounds better in the Shoals tonight #SweetHome

One orange spiced Bundt cake bound for a family reunion. I’m really not mad about how the icing turned out. Granted, the night is still young, but my icings usually have a way of sliding right off to be spooned back on later. Will chalk this win up to beginner’s luck with a new recipe.

Made sure to have the necessary provisions for my favorite civil servant (whose only real weakness happens to be Oreos) on this first day of lapse. It didn’t have to be this way. Inspiration credit: @jimmyc42.bsky.social, of course.

RAMMER JAMMER Roll Tide Roll ❤️ 🐘

Marble’s trying her best to emotionally support me through this game

Lying here absolutely wired for sound at 2am, I have learned an important lesson about tea selection before bed.

My first meal back in the southeast was a Pub sub. Boar’s Head Italian on special this week, y’all. I am LIVING.

“Is this how a chair works?” -Pepper

No fewer than 4 cat beds (2 of which are specifically hers), a cat hammock, two soft chairs, and a couch with blankets here, but this grow bag that she dragged into the corner under the side table is the coziest nap spot.

Sent with love from a dear friend (definitely not from AL) who somehow looks past the person I become on Saturdays in the fall 😅 Roll Tide, y’all

I learned today that this mean mug has earned her a nickname among the vet staff, “Menacing Marble.” (They assure me they love her and she gives them no trouble.)

Went into the liquor store for rum for a different batch of mint extract. Came out with rum and Schlafly Vanilla Pumpkin Ale. Gotta celebrate fake fall this week, you know

My grandmother, on being distracted from her work all day -“There’s a dang *world* full of people, ain’t there.” Truer words, Gran.

Shoutout to the great veterinarians out there. Aging is a gift and a bit of a curse, and Marble has had a tough week. Thanks, Dr. M, for taking great care of her and always talking me through it with a ton of compassion. Pic of the patient trying to figure out why I made a bed rightnextto hers

1 lb of chicken, half an onion, 2 bell peppers, 4 cups of cheese - on 4 medium tortillas? In what world, internet recipe? Spoiler, it took 6 extra large tortillas and they are generous. Will be eating quesadillas 4ever.

Got talked into making mint extract, and I have to say, it has been a pretty fun cupboard experiment.

Hi All - We are convening a session at AGU this December, please share with your groups and consider submitting to our session! @ltgbug.bsky.social #lightning #AGU2025

When you’re 22 and getting over a rough patch, even the grumpy human will spoil you with your own plain grilled chicken leg. (Incorrectly assumed she would just lick it like everything else, but don’t worry, she was not allowed to keep gnawing. I took the meat off, and everybody was the happiest.)

I know today’s menu is all about the grill, but folks, I had an early win stumbling upon the perfect fluffy waffle by accident.

Got a little adrenaline boost when this tree bark started crawling next to my hand. On my hand, and I’d probably be typing this from the beyond.

Leaving a sack of blood meal in the car overnight is one of those mistakes you’ll only make once 🤢

Blows my mind that there are still communities where you roll the dice on whether you’ll have enough cell service to sustain a call. Camping in the wilderness? Sure. < 1 mile from a Dollar General? Nah.

Can tell this cat is feeling better as she slowly transforms into a little gremlin at pill time again.

Life circumstance dictates that I am responsible for mowing, when my partner usually takes that up with something resembling glee. So far, I can only agree that the ice cold light beer at the end is pretty good. Almost makes it worth doing.

Most people’s trash (old packing paper) is this cat’s favorite crinkly nap spot

Y’all, I met a young adult who has never used a physical key to unlock a door. I think that conversation is the oldest I’ve ever felt.

Now begins day 3 of attempting to mow the weeds. Finally cleared the non-functional mower hurdle just after sunset last night, which all but guarantees a good rain this afternoon to take us into day 4.

I’d like to go to bed, but she’s snoring, so we stay on the couch a while longer

Lol @ rushing the field. Before the game is over. Embarrassing.

Riding the ship down, dumping buckets overboard

Guess some of us are spending our extra hour on weather awareness this year

The best upside to 80°F highs in late October is the ability to enjoy a porch beer after work. Like really revel in it.

I don’t know who needs to hear this but this year’s COVID vaccine is a reformulation for new strains, not a booster. Watching my Saturday prospects dwindle in real time, but glad I didn’t chance it before a work day.

I’m sure it says something about me that my recovery meal of choice following academic stress seems to be the cheapest frozen pizza available and Bud Light, no deviations.

Roll Tide to all and to all a Roll Tide

I went rogue and attempted a bhindi curry recipe (because fresh okra) with absolutely no frame of reference. I am just so delighted by whatever came out of my pan, and I imagine the real thing must be lights out amazing.

Butter chicken with *cashews in the sauce* really stepped up the texture. I’m so, so close to just having a beautiful sauce for rice or bread or just to eat by itself as the most luscious soup that ever was and not caring one bit about whether any chickens were involved.

I love having an immersion blender for soup, but wow have I been completely sleeping on its food processor and smoothie (!) capabilities. Absolutely working its way up in the appliance rotation.

Well, after putting it off a while, my car knows it lives in Oklahoma now. Guess that makes it official? Or does that happen after the first big hail oops?

Mmmmhm gotta love the sound of pea-size hail on a metal roof