Sue, how awful. I'm so sorry.

In other news, a quandary: I want to make this pork pate, but am pretty sure the pork now available is too lean. I could not find lard at my grocery store. So now what? Cook some bacon and use that fat? Butter? Shortening? As I type this, I think maybe shortening is the best bet. Ideas?

Probably? Bacon fat is pretty domineering, taste-wise, which might not be what you're going for.

My inclination would be to get some pork belly from the butcher. But I am far from an expert.

Sue, that's truly awful. I'm so sorry.

In straw that broke the camel's back today news, our pipes burst and the basement is partially flooded. Included large rugs.And our fridge part of the icebox died, but we knew nothing could be done in the ice this weekend so we waited till today to let the landlord know.

So now it's burst pipes in the walls, not easily accessible, no water, flooded basement, no fridge. And the kiddo arrived yesterday.

And I've been up for 28 hours now, trying to flip to a diurnal sleep schedule for the holidays. (I flip about every week and a half.)

And Trump is officially President.

Fuuuuuuucccckkkk.

My inclination would be to get some pork belly from the butcher. But I am far from an expert.

Oh, that's interesting. There was no one at the butcher counter when I was just there, so if they aren't there after work at all, I'm SOL, but that's a thought.

Oh jeez, Erin.

Hah. Someone's dog barked on my conference call a few minutes ago. It woke up the elderly cat sleeping near me and she is PISSED. Looking all around the room giving death glares to me and everything else.

Holy crap, that's horrible, Strix!

I set up a playdate for Matilda and her neighbor friend, Davi. She's super easygoing, so it's been a good day with them hanging at the bookstore for two hours, petting the guinea pig (that we're petsitting), and now they're JZ's sewing kit and turning orphaned socks into fingerless gloves.

Thanks you guys. It's really strange to process, even when I don't know them well.

Strix, if you are renting, I hope your landlord is on cleaning up that basement.

Jesse, I was thinking pork belly too.

Yikes, Erin. That's a whole lot of awful at once.

Sue, that's awful, and heartbreaking. I'm sorry.

Ugh, Strix. Good luck with all that.

I just now realized that my bra is actually pretty vividly orange through my sweater and not, as I hoped, more or less skin toned. Sigh. Probably still a better choice than bright blue, though.