Breaking Cat News by Georgia Dunn for January 28, 2020

Oh, everyone who was making French Toast jokes yesterday just punched the air!

Don’t ever forget the whipped cream!

Innocent questions from a handsome reporter.

How about firewood for the fireplace to keep the apartment warm? Peanut butter and jelly and other food tat doesn’t require cooking in case the gas lines freeze up and you can’t cook? Batteries for the flashlights. Flameless candles so Lupin won’t go bonkers. And plenty of kibble and wet food and a manual can opener if the cat food cans don’t already have pop tops? Oh, and one of those hand crank rechargers for the cell phones?

The man better hurry: that four-letter-word that starts with “s” makes bread, milk, bottled water, Pop Tarts and beef jerky disappear QUICK!!!

Don’t forget the raisins, can’t make bread pudding without them!

Puck may be envisioning Godzilla as the giant lizard knocking out power lines.

It’s too late to get bread and milk. They’re doomed!

Screw the milk and bread; check the liquor cabinet! Let’s see, whisky, gin, vodka, brandy….

A nice cat comment on Pooch Cafe today:

https://www.gocomics.com/poochcafe/2020/01/28?ct=v&cti=1694422

Back in Alabama, where I grew up, most years, you have about three inches of snow, once a year. And of course people rush the stores for bread and milk. It is rumored that the weather reporters at the local station are heavily invested in dairies and bakeries. I mean a hint of flurries, and the stores are cleaned out. It never fails.

If my big problem from a blizzard is getting milk and keeping it cold, how did I learn to tie my shoes?

Prepare for a mobbed super market, filled with desperate bread and milk seekers!

Great drama from the Woman. Love how the Man is playing along. Her knight in plaid armor!

Crisis in the, Pink House! The woman and man have no bread and milk in the house. This reporter will keep you updated on this horrible crisis, because everyone knows you should ALWAYS have MILK and BREAD, in the house or it will fall down!

This arc is ironic because we’ve actually had a mild winter so far in southern New England. Highs in the upper 30s and low 40s and only one significant storm. So far.

Come on Man, get out there and get supplies for your family! Fling elbows, aim kicks, be ruthless!

Attention toe bean fanatics…..see Kliban’s Cats today for a rare sighting.

puck in the last two panels ignoring the woman panicking d:P

Don’t forget cat supplies. Are there back-up generators? Candles? Flashlights?

Even Celiac vegans stock up on bread and milk when snow is predicted in NM, as well as in NC (the state we lived in prior) for snow or hurricanes. Although there is also a fair rush for tortillas here as well.

Since I keep my pantry, fridge and freezer well stocked, the only cause for panic if a blizzard is forecast is beer; and if worst comes to worst, we will do without.

From Leroy Anderson: Sleigh Ride

Just hear the call of bread and milk,

Eggs and Almond Silk, too,

Come on it’s snowy weather, grocery run together with you!

Outside the snow is falling and kibble’s calling us, too,

Come on it’s snowy weather, grocery run together with you!

…….

Start the car, start the car, start the car right now!

Behind the snow plow,

We must make french toast, we vow!

Start the car, start the car, start the car, we must!

We don’t want to get there and find nothing but dust!

…….

The cats are all asleep at home, right where kitties should be!

They’re snuggled up together, and really that is what we should see,

Let’s shovel out the car, the store isn’t very far, too,

Come on it’s snowy weather, grocery run together with you!

…….

Get kibble, or another day we may not see!

And it’s on the list, we need plenty of rolls of TP!

We need to get enough supplies to last ’til April, now!

Even after a day or so we’ll be shoveled out by plow!

…….

The cats are all asleep at home, right where kitties should be!

They’re snuggled up together, and really that is what we should see,

Let’s shovel out the car, the store isn’t very far, too,

Come on it’s snowy weather, grocery run together with you!

Honestly, If the weather’s already knocked your power out, you are way too late on that bread and milk.

Puck has no idea….

B-but if your oven still works (gas ranges rule!) you can make your own bread. And it’s better. By far.

The “bread and milk” thing is a running joke thing between me and my sister. She lives where they can get a lot of snow but it usually doesn’t get nearly as bad as the forecasters predict. And, speaking of weather forecasters, in what other job can you continually get it wrong and still keep your job?

This is a fun parody of the blizzard freak out. In reality most New Englanders have dry milk somewhere in the cupboard, bottled gallons of water to make it, and crackers to go with the 2 dozen cans of emergency soup. (And gas cooktops, or, the eternally helpful sterno fueled pot – we used a fondue pot for years to heat up soup during storms) These days where I live the sound of automatic generators are the first sign power is out. Honestly, I miss power outages sometimes so if hubby is not home to start our non-automatic generator I just sit and enjoy the quiet with the kitties.

Don’t forget the raisins.

Clean underwear

In Virginia it is the same way. Moved here from near Canada border. Brought the generator and snow common sense along. Bad weather hits here any month of the year so I always have stock of emergency food and supplies. Don’t think I’m being smug. once I forgot Gas for the generator.

It’s nice to see that Puck has his priorities straight!

Sooo … they took the bread pudding road as opposed to the French Toast road.

Still … Viva le French – Toast!! :)

food and beverages are nothing compared to a snowstorm prediction on hair appointment day for my 96 year old Mom. Friday at 10:00 am like clockwork. Woe to the hairdresser if she cancels because of the weather.

Love Puck’s quiet “Dang”. :-)

And don’t forget: toilet paper!

Love Puck being his irresistably adorable and hopeful self. (When I was a tot, I couldn’t understand what “blizzard” and “lizard” had to do which each other, which they clearly did by their sound.)

Strangely, our power usually goes out in summer when the weather is fine. Maybe in late autumn if there’s freezing rain. No matter how much the snow is blowing, it almost never goes out in winter.

My mom would mildly panic before a snowstorm if we didn’t have milk and bread stocked. Never understood that…there was tons of other food in the fridge and cupboards…and it would only be a day or two before the streets were plowed if we were snowed in.

There is an upside to power outages, as any shortwave or Ham radio enthusiast will attest – radio background noise becomes almost non-existent, and distant stations can be heard much better….

At least until the ice & snow bring the outside antenna down, or (in extreme cases) the static charges building up on the antenna from the wind do bad things to the radio circuitry.

I can’t even imagine. I’ve lived in downtown Chicago for ages. All our power lines are underground. No power failures for us.

In the Lake Erie snow belt, the blizzard routine was bread, milk, and MONEY! ATMs didn’t work if the power was out, nor did credit card machines. Plus, my dad had a drug store and would get called in if there was a blizzard—sometimes by State Troopers on snowmobiles! However, mostly what people ran out of was Similac and cigarettes.

I’ve traveled a lot in the Middle East where bread pudding is very common, so I’ve eaten a lot of it there but never anywhere else. I’ve never heard of whipped cream on it. Is that a thing here?

Yes, by all means, go out and buy perishables before a power outage. One Christmas I was given a bunch of Omaha Steaks, then the ice storm hit and we were without power for four or five days. So sad.

Years ago, a freak early snow was predicted a few days before Thanksgiving so the bread and milk nuts as well as those shopping for the big meal were in the supermarket at the same time. I spent two hours in the checkout line. There were at least eight and all were fully staffed. I’m sure that the devil got some good ideas for torturing evil store clerks that day.

Can’t go wrong with bread pudding. Mmm.

What they don’t show on the local tv coverage of the impending blizzard is the beer aisle completely emptied, and the snack aisle is bare except for the horseradish dip that was there the previous blizzard.

And raisins!

If it’s like here, the actual blizzard will either be much bigger, or much, much smaller than anticipated! Just a tiny adjustment in the path of the storm means the entirely wrong area prepared for it….

Kaloo! Kalaay! It’s National Kazoo Day!

In honor of this special day, tonight on BCN there will be a live performance from BPH Hall by the Kazoomy Orchestra of South Nebligersund, under their renowned conductor Sophia von Etwasnaderes. Performances include: The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C♯ minor “Quasi una fantasia”, Op. 27, No. 2, popularly known as the Moonlight Sonata. There will be a special performance of “Die Meistersänger von Gassenzaun” by the Three Tenors, Puck Domingo, Elvis Carreras, and Lupin Pavarotti. Additionally, in her operatic debut, Ms. Etwasanderes will perform the soprano part of “Duetto buffo di due gatti,” with all three tenors taking the second part.

That’s tonight on the BCN networks at 11 PM Eastern, 12 PM Central, 1 AM Mountain, and 2 AM Pacific time. It will be carried live on our sister stations nationwide. Don’t miss a single note of this unique and all too frequently heard performance!

The synchronicity continues over at Sally Forth:

https://www.comicskingdom.com/sally-forth/2020-01-28

From the archives of Wright State University:

“In January and February of 1978, a series of three storms hit the Miami Valley. Well over three feet of snow fell in Ohio and the 50-60 mph wind gusts created snowdrifts as deep as twenty-five feet. Over a foot of snow fell on January 26th alone; a record that still stands as the single greatest snowfall in a 24-hour period. Cars parked along the street were buried to their roofs in the snow and remained stuck for several weeks and many residents lost power. The massive snowfall of Jan. 26 was part of more than 40 inches of snow in the month, which created snowdrifts up to 25 feet high. In some parts of the state the snow remained until early May. Interstate 75 through was closed for about four days. "

In an article about how difficult it was to produce that day’s newspaper, a reporter wrote, "When the area awoke that morning, familiar landscapes had changed drastically. Huge drifts covered doors and windows of houses. Cars were frozen solid. Locks would not work. Garage doors would not open. Front and side doors of houses needed multiple kicks to open. And outside it was cold. Very cold. "

And for goodness sakes! Since Puck is the best boy, does he not deserve some whipped cream?

Honestly, I’d be stocking up on canned goods, ramen noodles, and water than worrying about bread and milk. Maybe stock up on Bisquik, not quite so sure on that. Especially if I don’t get milk. Plus batteries, matches, and candles. Maybe some propane cylinders for small camping heaters and some kerosene for oil lamps (gotta be careful with both of those both with little kids and pets around and because of the possible build up of certain gases (can’t remember if it’s CO2 or what gas), same thing holds true for candles). Certainly make sure to have at least one spare 20lb. propane cylinder ready to go as we have a gas stove. If they weren’t so expensive around here, I’d probably be stocking up on dehydrated camping meals.

I have a half dozen or so oil lamps and candles in stands with chimneys so they give off more light. I think we have bread in the house but no milk. We have a chiminea and a grill on the back porch and plenty of firewood for both. The back porch has a tin roof so no worries about heat. We have an abundance of sleeping bags and camping equipment and kitties that like to cuddle to keep us and them warm. I have four 5 gallon sealed buckets filled with water for emergency use. We have a built in natural gas heater in each bathroom and one in the living room. No power, no problem, at least in the winter. In the summer, no power means finding someplace else to go. Or fill the pool to keep cool.

And you should put custard on bread pudding. Not whipped cream.

Forget the milk. Chocolate is the way to go. :-D

OMIGOSH! I never comment, but I had to sign in and comment over the “Rhode Island” response! I don’t even eat bread and milk, but always go out to buy it before a snowstorm. I am conditioned.