Eggs florentine slab pie with a hash brown crust from Pie Squared by Cathy Barrow. Mixed russet and sweet potatoes in the crust.

I use Alexa to set reminders and alarms. Recently was coerced to upgrade to Alexa+ which lowered the volume of my Echo dot and forgot random alarms. Tried to figure out how to fix this - Alexa+ app chat bot could not come up with a fix so suggested I find another way to wake up.

Lennie and Gail went to the groomer at Pets Supplies Plus today. Lennie was dismayed that we were slow with the treats at the check out counter - so he took matters into his own paws and flipped the bowl off the counter. Their punishment was to have to clean the spilled treats off the floor.

I am glad I have a GOP State Senator and State Rep today - wrote them both to tell them that if they are not objecting to federal agents’ actions in Minneapolis today they support neither the 1st or the 2nd amendments and need to stop claiming they support gun rights.

A local campaign that I don’t recall giving authorization to text me, just sent me a text about an upcoming event.

I wish Gail would wear boots. She loves to go outside and walk but is very unhappy when she gets ice between her toes. Our weather in pic:

Lennie tried to help with laundry and making the bed this morning. Had to be rescued from a coat hanger.

I have gotten the stupidest polling questions this cycle. In addition for requests for input in the wrong Congressional District, I got a call from someone asking about the DEM primary race who mispronounced one of the candidates names so badly I thought he has asking about a GOP candidate.

Someone used a google AI tool to record a teams meeting tonight. I missed the meeting, tried to access the summary and cannot despite following the 5 log in steps but google thinks I created a new account (I didn’t) on a new device (4 year old iPad) and has sent me 2 congratulatory emails.

Found my Jewel receipt from Friday, took a picture and sent them a multi paragraph DM on X. When I complained about the app clipped blueberry coupon not working, they actually responded and told me to DM them which is new.

Full moon and I think Jupiter visible tonight when I took the dogs out.

Gail is mad at me - I got great smelling Korean food, visited her favorite man and didn’t bring her with me. My still sick boyfriend was thrilled with kimchi stew and company.

I live half way between Chicago and Milwaukee. Can walk to a Metra Station from my house and there was a Shetland Pony escape near my house this morning.

This year on Bluesky I wrote 282 posts and 2,322 replies. I received 11,763 likes, whereas 727 was from my most popular post, and apparently I love saying "not"! www.madebyolof.com/bluesky-wrap...

Gail stayed up until after midnight to bark at the fireworks and snow plows. She is not ready for 2026 yet.

The neighbors have started setting off fireworks. Gail is trying to be louder than the fireworks - Lennie is hoping for hunters who will let him tree the raccoon across the street and come and shoot it.

@joshuaicore.bsky.social Lennie and Gail would like to wish you and yours a Happy New Year! They have plans to spend it baying and barking at the front door as the freezing rain turns to snow.

In 2018 Lennie gave an impromptu New Year’s Eve Concert. Sharing with you this year - he is older and grayer but still musical although he is going to spend tonight telling Gail that rain isn’t so bad.

Gail is spending her evening barking at this through the door. Not sure if she is upset by the amount of snow, barking at cars and plows or something else. Like all hunting hounds she is loud.

The weather forecast may have underestimated the quantity of snow. Gail is over it, Lennie found a raccoons, and scent hounds will sniff anything.

Blue Fir hat in Lambs Pride Bulky going to try leaving out a pattern repeat for kids version.

I have been both reading and listening to books this December. Most of the listening has been classic Christmas stories while in the car, the reading has been an eclectic selection of book group selections and things sitting around the house. Gangsters and Nazis by Michael Benson was better than

Not a fan of the King Arthur flour focaccia recipe. Going to have to try some others.

Roasted vegetable salad based on the flow chart provided in Good Things by Samin Nosrat. Second attempt at King Arthur focaccia - hoping the fact that my heat is working will improve it. Also making pickled beets - want to make a scuttlebutt sandwich.

I have unsubscribed from the same democratic congressional campaign’s emails at least 4 times now.

My son is humoring me by showing up for a holiday tea at the Palm Court in the Drake Hotel tomorrow - 50/50 chance he enjoys himself and won’t admit it.

I have extra time off for the holidays - Gail and Lennie are taking advantage of extra opportunities to wrestle and play tug of war.

Reset my kindle to factory settings, reconnected to my WiFi and to my amazon account and it is downloading books. A Christmas miracle and I can spend the next few days reading since I am off til Monday.

Tree climbing animals is a tradition at my house. Holly’s favorite time of year was Christmas. She loved to sit in the tree.

It is holiday elf season at Hopefully Tails Animal Rescue in Joliet - you can follow Elf Frosty til Santa comes.

Gail is dreaming of holiday treats.

This is the price of antisemitism: the lives of innocent children. Matilda was only ten years old, enjoying a Hannukah festival with her family when she was killed. Speak out against antisemitism. Condemn the violence. Support your Jewish friends. #IstandwithIsrael

Looked up the fake “historian” on X who is arguing with me about the Civil War - he is a science fiction author with a business degree. One of my hobbies is genealogy and I have relatives who played key roles in the Civil War and Confederacy. This is fun.

Gail and Lennie were very excited about the Three Dog Bakery Puppermints I bought home but disappointed that despite my long nails and opposable thumbs I had to find a pair of scissors to get the package open.

I have never seen a press conference that conveyed so little substantive information so sincerely.

19 months ago I received a new phone from Verizon. It took 10 days to set up never worked properly. They admitted more than once it was defective. A replacement phone arrived today which worked instantly - which means I could have had that all along but Verizon sucks.

Lennie is dismayed by the appearance of mysterious invaders in his neighborhood.

Not the optimal backdrop but caramel cranberry upside down cake unfolded well and looks and smells delicious.

I love my dogs but having a former stray who after almost 7 years is still sure every meal will be her last, and a slightly smaller dog who can’t focus on eating dinner sucks. So Gail is locked in her crate while Lennie hunts under the furniture for the pieces of food that were in his bowl.

Gail and Lennie like baking but Gail is a more attentive helper. She has scored an empty sour cream container and a bowl that once held cake batter. Lennie got covered in flour. Neither got any of the board which they think is a crime.

This week’s quiche is really good. The dogs agree - Gail watched me eat every bite and then licked the plate clean. Lennie has come by afterwards and licked it twice. I don’t think that there are any remaining molecules of food left.

I am at the point in my negotiations over a defective phone which Verizon that I am telling the customer service rep what US law says about this situation and what his company policy is.

Verizon rep told me that they could not understand any circumstances replace my phone even though it doesn’t work because no protection plan. Then offered to send me a new phone if I agreed to send them $280.00 and waive my trade in credits. What I owe on phone - what they owe me in trade in < $280

I have been interacting with on line support and was made an offer to address my problem. Asked them to email it to me so I could evaluate it. They refused, said if I accept the offer it will be documented in my next bill. They are mad that I declined.

@ms.now the last person I want to tell me that Trump is old and out of touch, is the even older and more out of touch Bernie Sanders.

The NY Times Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Maple Brown Butter Glaze is delicious. Even if you don’t brown the butter in the maple glaze or put roasted pepitas on top. I am bringing to all the work pot lucks this year.

Woman on X who told me I was unfairly calling someone else a liar (not my exact words) has not responded since I explained that she was defending someone who thinks that the US government is a vast conspiracy created to lie to us and even GROK said he was wrong.

Some smells are good enough to brave the snow. Fire hydrant for reference - in the last 10 days we got 11.5 in, 4 in and the. 6-8 in of snow.

I did not realize how much it snowed overnight until the guy who clears my driveway showed up.

Local news played weather report in first 10 minutes - more snow in the forecast. More at my house than most of the rest of the area. Paying my plow guy to clear my driveway today was a good move.