"When you choose to broaden your ambit"

Susie's beautiful, velvety white-with-tiger-patches Daisy (center) graces the table at birthday festivities down Sue's yesterday as Tuck looks on.

A movable feast from our house to her house yesterday with Beef Stroganoff on a bed of noodles, candied carrots and peas, Chef Sissy's salad and Stop & Shop chocolate cupcakes with orange frosting, candy corn garnish and day-glo birthday candles for dessert. The cats provided the entertainment (floor show below), and a coveted appearance by Susie's Barney II, Christian, lent the the wit and wisdom of a youthful perspective.

Arthur (left) and Daisy in their cups. According to Sue, it was the first time her puddies had ever come face to face with a real, live catnip plant. They couldn't get enough of it. Too much fun to watch. For more superb catnip blogging, check out our "Substance abuse, then and now."

BUT . . . As wonderful as it all was -- and it was -- the coup of the entire affair was the cats' response to a potted catnip plant garnished with Mummy's mums from our garden. We had taken it along in our movable-feast starter kit just in case we needed a floral centerpiece for our well-appointed table. Fortunately, Goomp had already sent our sis the perfect centerpiece -- delivered at work to the delight of her co-workers and then brought on home -- a nosegay of ivory pink roses bundled in pale pink paper and cellophane, tied with a hank of straw-like ribbon as for an actress at her triumphant curtain call. The bouquet's the thing.

Here's the beef. Check out our awesome recipe for Beef Strogie here.

Did you know that a recent Republicans vs. Democrats taste "study" found that red staters prefer Dunkin Donuts coffee, Walmart and bourbon, while their blue-state counterparts favor Starbucks coffee, Target and gin? Well, nobody's perfect.  Dry Beefeater martinis straight up with an olive (above right) are our own drink of choice.

Back home this morning, Tiny and Baby wanted to know what had taken us so long and where was the beef. We were all wicked happy to see each other. Purrs and coos and smiles all around.

Catching up with blogospheric developments after a day of abstinence, we were struck with the swelling critical mass of vlogging (video blogging) as we lent our ears to a totally awesome Oval-Office meeting of the prez with top pundits of the right and Michelle Malkin's first-of-its-kind HotAir interview with Mark Steyn. It's the blog equivalent of "Garbo talks." Too much good stuff out there. And waiting in our email box upon our return were a lovely "It's time to vote" note from Laura Bush and a horrifyingly on-message message from Barack Hussein Obama sent out under the MoveOn rubric urging us to send our dollars to Democrat candidates:

When you choose the second path -- when you choose to broaden your ambit of concern and empathize with the plight of others, whether they are close friends or distant strangers -- it becomes harder not to act; harder not to help.

Thanks for thinking of us, Barack. We'll let you know if ever we should find ourselves choosing to broaden our ambit.

Update: Friday Ark at Modulator now boarding.

Comments

[goomp]

It looks lik a wonerful birthday party with a good time had by all.

[enrevanche]

(raises hand)

Blue-state Republican here.

Peet's coffee if I'm brewing at home. Starbucks if I'm out... though did you know that McDonald's has shockingly good coffee now?

Maker's Mark or Wild Turkey bourbon, with Bombay Sapphire gin a close second

And neither Wal-Mart nor Target... Amazon and eBay, baby.

[Gayle Miller]

I'm a red stater Republican who LOVES Starbucks, VanGogh Double Espresso Vodka (with Starbucks Liqueur and some coffee it makes an amazing coffee martini - you're both smashed and alert simultaneously) and WalMart AND Trader Joe's Markets (coming to a town near you - if you're really lucky).

And I agree with enrevanche about the amazing McDonald's coffee! It's a revelation.

[Gayle Miller]

Tiny and Baby are still my favorite gorgeous pussycats (after my two lads of course).

[Teresa]

Okay - I hit Starbucks daily. Beloved husband enjoys his gin martinis. And when we need to shop for some necessary household items... it's nearly always Target. (although beloved husband will occassionally hit Walmart for some automotive upkeep stuff when it's necessary)

[hnav]

you have made me hungry now, with those tempting images and recipes of fine cuisine...

my goodness, is that one of the reasons why they pushed Sen. Obama?

do you think the meetings went something like this?

"okay, first Oprah has Barack on her show, promoting the book we produced, just before he goes on a Nationwide tour, as we send out fundraising queries, with the Senator..."

"do you think it will work"

"well, our data tell us, Mr. Obama is a better image for the Democrat Party than Nancy Pelosi..."

"so we can expect an influx of funds, and if timed correctly, an increase in votes?"

"well, we are not certain..."

[andophiroxia]

Actually, from what I've heard is that Target gives about 70% to Red.

I like any coffee that tastes good. If they make good stuff, I'm all for it.