If Lupin saved Christmas, does he still have to worry about his reputation with Santa? Meanwhile, someone indict Pucky’s construction-kitty hat on charges of murder, because I am DEAD OF CUTE.
(Also, relatable. ALL of my mom’s outdoor Christmas lights died just as the weather turned cold, and she had to go out and buy new ones to wrap up her fruit trees warm.)
Elvis certainly does not look like he wants to be San-Tea Cozy for the holidays….. It always amazes me how the Christmas lights always manage to get tangled despite how well you store them! They are worse than the cables connecting my computer, mouse, modem, splitter, monitor, speakers, printer, surge protector etc….
I just finished my decorating yesterday. It’s a little difficult, actually. Some of the things I have out now were inherited earlier this year. Hanging up “my” ornament on my own tree instead of the one at my grandparents’ house was tough and I did not expect that.
Sanity Tip – when putting all the lights away. First off… either have the string of lights on a simple piece of cardboard… or bundle them in an orderly fashion. Best thing is to bundle them with a velcro tie… the same kind you would use to organize all the electrical lines of your computer. Next… before you put the individual bundles in a box for next year – make sure they work. Bulbs are at a lower price after the season! And if for some reason you discover the string does not work – get rid of it! Why have the massive amount of frustration as you are working on setting up the tree? Best to have it done when you are taking everything down and getting it all organized. Next year… when you are unpacking and working on the tree… you will breath easier knowing all of it was done!
BTW – I know this because I have three boxes of strings of lights. About ten strings per box. And some give off so much heat (very old style bulbs) that I can not pry the cats away from them! Had to make a wire cone tree for the cats to bask in the warmth and lights!!
Ho ho ho! Jokes apart, you gotta be careful with that thing and not let your cats or kids near it like this. If there’s a little leakage in the wires it can give you a dangerous electric shock. Dunno if the wires of LED lights these days are converted to DC from AC. But the old ones with teeny incandescent light bulbs inside them, their cables were dangerous if there was a cut or a break that exposed the metallic wire inside. I wonder why LEDs weren’t used much earlier for this purpose. They were around since a long time and they were already being used for colourful indicators. Maybe they were more expensive to manufacture than the bulbs? Oh well. I’ll stop my Sunday musings now.
About 35 years ago I went to the house of someone I knew from a BBS (that’s what we had before Facebook, kiddies). A whole bunch of online-only people were there in person, and I brought a videotape that everyone could watch or ignore as they saw fit, but the picture was choppy and grainy.
The guy’s pet turtle was turned loose in the living room, where we were all sitting on the floor, and after sneaking up behind each person and nipping them in the butt, he made his way across the room to the TV cart. Suddenly I noticed that the picture had cleared up!
Seems this turtle was an amateur TV repairman and had jiggled a cable or two in just the right way to fix the video.
Remember the days back before cable TV when we had antennas on TVs and had to move them sometimes to improve the picture quality? And sometimes the “bunny ears” wouldn’t stay in place and we’d (only half jokingly) tell the person moving them – “stay there!” – for the rest of the show so we could watch it without the static.
O.T. We had “freezing fog” here this morning. Very pretty, everything covered with rime ice until the sun melts it. Hopefully it will warm up in the afternoon so we can put up a new mailbox post and a larger mailbox (this is a rural route). The old metal post finally gave up the ghost when the (female) mail carrier forced an Amazon box into the old, small mailbox. Not to mention that my weak arthritic hands had a really hard time removing the tightly wedged package. It’ll be fun trying to get the remainder of the old post out of that very hardly packed red clay, and trying to pound in the support for the new “no digging required” post. As Roseanne Rosannadanna used to say, it’s always something. But we’ll try to have some fun in the process. And I’ll enjoy having a shiny new mailbox. Might even put some Christmas decorations on it. Hope everyone in the Orbiverse has a great Sunday and a wonderful week ahead!♥️
To avoid tangling, wrap the light cords around foot-long pieces of cardboard when putting them away for next year. C’mon, everybody has cardboard around the house these days.
Hoping to get the tree up today. Lights should be no problem. I carefully wrap them up every year… But first I have to clean part of the rug since the Big Gray Kitty left me horkage this morning.
Adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution: 1865, abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime.
Mitten Tree Day: Mittens grow on trees? Who knew? Do new trees sprout from lost mittens? Or are there secret mitten plantations? Are only the mittens lost by kittens fertile? Does one mitten carry the genetic code for all colors of mittens, or does each mitten result in a tree of only one color mitten? Are multi-colored mittens hybrids? Stay tuned for a special investigative report at 11!
National Microwave Day: “Fire phasers, Mr. Sulu!” Most know that microwaves are used for more than heating or cooking food, though they are a tremendous boon to tea and coffee drinkers, and office popcorn eaters. The “popcorn” button on most modern microwaves has pride of first place on many, if not most, modern microwaves. I think this is a mistake. We never make popcorn in the microwave, preferring healthier air-popped. Microwave popcorn is so popular it is almost impossible to find a good air popper. IT’S A CONSPIRACY!
National Gazpacho Day: Otherwise known as “Salsa as Soup Day.” Cold soup in December?! Get real! Move this day to the middle of July!
Saint Nicholas Day: Actually a real Catholic Saint, Nicholas of Myra, and the far distant “ancestor” of Santa Claus. It is appropriate that his day not be on Christmas. So in a sense, this is Santa Claus’ birthday. So whether you are Christian or not, perhaps a little recognition for ’Ol St. Nick is appropriate.
… I wonder, are Santa’s gifts to others on Christmas “repurposed” gifts he received, today? The Elves aren’t talking, and the reindeer mooned me …
Ok! Here is my fool proof, but slightly labor intensive method for storing tree lights.
Leave lights on tree. Start at one end of a strand and gather around 6 light bulbs together and wrap with a twist tie at the bottom of the bulbs. Gather the next 6 bulbs and wrap. Keep going around the tree to the end of the strand. Repeat for the next strand. I then stored them in large Zip Lok bags.
Then next year test each strand. Take twist tie off off of first bunch of bulbs and put on tree. Repeat to end of strand. You can drape the strand over your shoulder while you work around the tree. It goes real quickly as the strand doesn’t get tangled or in your way.
This takes me back…Mom and Brother assembling the tree (artificial tree looked great, once you got the branches on right. and that could get tricky!) while Dad and I untangled the lights that we had been so careful putting away the previous year. All the tricks never seemed to work. And, of course, the cats insisting on helping.
Le'letha Premium Member almost 4 years ago
If Lupin saved Christmas, does he still have to worry about his reputation with Santa? Meanwhile, someone indict Pucky’s construction-kitty hat on charges of murder, because I am DEAD OF CUTE.
(Also, relatable. ALL of my mom’s outdoor Christmas lights died just as the weather turned cold, and she had to go out and buy new ones to wrap up her fruit trees warm.)
Sue Ellen almost 4 years ago
I love Pucky’s hard hat with ears!
McColl34 Premium Member almost 4 years ago
“Nobody move!” Yeah, good luck with that.
Three seconds later, they all go out again. Been there, done that! (Recently, even.)
kangtourcat Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Just had some nog, and some below average temps here in TX. Loving it!
deadheadzan almost 4 years ago
The brightest Christmas tree EVER!!!
marilynnbyerly almost 4 years ago
Goldie seems to be a daddy’s girl.
TampaFanatic1 almost 4 years ago
Elvis certainly does not look like he wants to be San-Tea Cozy for the holidays….. It always amazes me how the Christmas lights always manage to get tangled despite how well you store them! They are worse than the cables connecting my computer, mouse, modem, splitter, monitor, speakers, printer, surge protector etc….
Kit'n'Kaboodle almost 4 years ago
I just finished my decorating yesterday. It’s a little difficult, actually. Some of the things I have out now were inherited earlier this year. Hanging up “my” ornament on my own tree instead of the one at my grandparents’ house was tough and I did not expect that.
DorseyBelle almost 4 years ago
I like Goldie’s bemused expression today. I spy Lupin rear toe beans! And cats do indeed love to help and to supervise. Good job, Lupin!
Formedras almost 4 years ago
Annnnnnnd this is why modern/good light strings still work when individual bulbs die.
I Mad Am I almost 4 years ago
Sanity Tip – when putting all the lights away. First off… either have the string of lights on a simple piece of cardboard… or bundle them in an orderly fashion. Best thing is to bundle them with a velcro tie… the same kind you would use to organize all the electrical lines of your computer. Next… before you put the individual bundles in a box for next year – make sure they work. Bulbs are at a lower price after the season! And if for some reason you discover the string does not work – get rid of it! Why have the massive amount of frustration as you are working on setting up the tree? Best to have it done when you are taking everything down and getting it all organized. Next year… when you are unpacking and working on the tree… you will breath easier knowing all of it was done!
BTW – I know this because I have three boxes of strings of lights. About ten strings per box. And some give off so much heat (very old style bulbs) that I can not pry the cats away from them! Had to make a wire cone tree for the cats to bask in the warmth and lights!!
WelshRat Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Lupin helps by hinderance. And Elvis isn’t happy with the state of affairs.
Robin Harwood almost 4 years ago
Now why is The Woman holding an aggrieved-looking Elvis while asking about San Tea Cozy’s head. Could there be connection?
fullmoondeb Premium Member almost 4 years ago
SUNDAY FUNDAY TIME!
catmom1360 almost 4 years ago
Puck so cute with his hat and check list.
Santana almost 4 years ago
Look how the Man,
Does what he can,
Then has to say,
Throw strings away
But Christmas is grand,
Bring out more strands,
To such glee, of
Puck and Goldie
Wires so dang long
Much can go wrong, but
With joyful play
A cat saves the day
One seems to hear
Praise for Lupin dear
From everywhere
Filling the air
Oh how lights glow,
What a great show,
O’er the pine tree,
Twinklin’ so pretty
Gaily they shine
While there appear
Smiles of good cheer,
Christmas is here
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas,
Merry, Merry, Merry, Merry Christmas
On on they send,
On without end,
Their joyful light
Into the night
(Mykola Leontovych / Paul Mark Oakenfold / William King Ross – Carol of the Bells)
face.less_b almost 4 years ago
Man, some advice from Martha Stewart: get your lights in strings of 50 bulbs. The small strings are easier to maneuver around the tree.
some idiot from R'lyeh Premium Member almost 4 years ago
I absolutely love that beat panel at the end there.
Jungle Empress almost 4 years ago
Cats are just so helpful! However would we get through life without them to supervise and lend a paw when necessary?
andycat Premium Member almost 4 years ago
I love the expression on Goldie’s face in panel three.
Gent almost 4 years ago
Ho ho ho! Jokes apart, you gotta be careful with that thing and not let your cats or kids near it like this. If there’s a little leakage in the wires it can give you a dangerous electric shock. Dunno if the wires of LED lights these days are converted to DC from AC. But the old ones with teeny incandescent light bulbs inside them, their cables were dangerous if there was a cut or a break that exposed the metallic wire inside. I wonder why LEDs weren’t used much earlier for this purpose. They were around since a long time and they were already being used for colourful indicators. Maybe they were more expensive to manufacture than the bulbs? Oh well. I’ll stop my Sunday musings now.
dadoctah almost 4 years ago
About 35 years ago I went to the house of someone I knew from a BBS (that’s what we had before Facebook, kiddies). A whole bunch of online-only people were there in person, and I brought a videotape that everyone could watch or ignore as they saw fit, but the picture was choppy and grainy.
The guy’s pet turtle was turned loose in the living room, where we were all sitting on the floor, and after sneaking up behind each person and nipping them in the butt, he made his way across the room to the TV cart. Suddenly I noticed that the picture had cleared up!
Seems this turtle was an amateur TV repairman and had jiggled a cable or two in just the right way to fix the video.
cat19632001 almost 4 years ago
Remember the days back before cable TV when we had antennas on TVs and had to move them sometimes to improve the picture quality? And sometimes the “bunny ears” wouldn’t stay in place and we’d (only half jokingly) tell the person moving them – “stay there!” – for the rest of the show so we could watch it without the static.
That’s Lupin for Christmas this year.
cat19632001 almost 4 years ago
Illustrated Pucky chart! With pointer! Dang!!
arolarson Premium Member almost 4 years ago
OT. Yen
Tigrisan Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Pucky’s hard hat is to die for! Cuteness overload this morning.
sprint almost 4 years ago
Puck’s hard hat- lost it- LOL!
cat19632001 almost 4 years ago
Panel nine – “Let there be light!” And let it begin with Lupin.
cat19632001 almost 4 years ago
Well of course Puck has a clipboard to go with his cat eared hard hat.
Pet almost 4 years ago
Yay Lupin! The Daring Cat Of Adventure that SAVES Christmas!
Perhaps Georgia will have a new Christmas book out soon! 8-D
rs0204 Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Goldie looks perplexed at all the lights.
diskus Premium Member almost 4 years ago
I know someone who just stores the whole decorated tree in the basement. Simple enough
Pinemelon almost 4 years ago
haha santea cozy
kittylover.truitt almost 4 years ago
Lupin saved Christmas awwww
GSD Mom Premium Member almost 4 years ago
“Lupin just saved Christmas” – words I never thought we would hear … but words that will surely put him on Santa’s NICE List!
Miss Mina almost 4 years ago
Lupin saves the day!
scyphi26 almost 4 years ago
Well, I suppose it was going to happen someday.
Bucinka almost 4 years ago
Love Pucky’s hard hat. I just want to smooch his little face!
Seed_drill almost 4 years ago
I actually have a few strands of wired in sequence (one goes out, they all go out) C5 lights, but didn’t put any up this year.
Isaacwastaken almost 4 years ago
im glad to see other people setting up their christmas decorations, im getting my christmas tree today too
willie_mctell almost 4 years ago
A truth universally acknowledged is that cats love to help.
marciaforrester Premium Member almost 4 years ago
LUPIN saves Christmas!!! I LOVE it!!!
Catmom almost 4 years ago
O.T. We had “freezing fog” here this morning. Very pretty, everything covered with rime ice until the sun melts it. Hopefully it will warm up in the afternoon so we can put up a new mailbox post and a larger mailbox (this is a rural route). The old metal post finally gave up the ghost when the (female) mail carrier forced an Amazon box into the old, small mailbox. Not to mention that my weak arthritic hands had a really hard time removing the tightly wedged package. It’ll be fun trying to get the remainder of the old post out of that very hardly packed red clay, and trying to pound in the support for the new “no digging required” post. As Roseanne Rosannadanna used to say, it’s always something. But we’ll try to have some fun in the process. And I’ll enjoy having a shiny new mailbox. Might even put some Christmas decorations on it. Hope everyone in the Orbiverse has a great Sunday and a wonderful week ahead!♥️
mistercatworks almost 4 years ago
To avoid tangling, wrap the light cords around foot-long pieces of cardboard when putting them away for next year. C’mon, everybody has cardboard around the house these days.
Kitty Katz almost 4 years ago
Meanwhile, Back on the Nile
Serfig-Aro: Has anyone seen my herald trumpet? I had it put away and now it seems missing.
Elvis-Anum: Do we really have trumpets in Egypt?
Serfig-Aro: Indeed we do. Mine was made of gold, with a gold mouthpiece. It had a few dings, so I haven’t played it for awhile.
Puckmosis: A few other things have gone missing. Has anyone seen Lupinium lately?
Elvis-Anum: Last I saw he was out riding with Avenger. He should be back soon.
A Day Later
Serfig-Aro (Trumpet fanfare): Good morning Royal Court!! Please join the queen for a royal breakfast!
Beatrixia: Serfig, is that you on the trumpet?
Serfig-Aro: Yes. It’s all shiny and like new!
Beatrixia: And you just found it this morning?
Serfig-Aro: Yes, and it plays better than ever. Wonder who fixed it?
Lupinium (Enigmatic smile): I guess we’ll never know! (Sotto voce) Iron Glove did a great job on that.
cat19632001 almost 4 years ago
The Man deals with the second pain of Christmas.
LucyLuLu almost 4 years ago
Hoping to get the tree up today. Lights should be no problem. I carefully wrap them up every year… But first I have to clean part of the rug since the Big Gray Kitty left me horkage this morning.
scaeva Premium Member almost 4 years ago
Today Is:
Adoption of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution: 1865, abolishing slavery and involuntary servitude except as punishment for a crime.
Mitten Tree Day: Mittens grow on trees? Who knew? Do new trees sprout from lost mittens? Or are there secret mitten plantations? Are only the mittens lost by kittens fertile? Does one mitten carry the genetic code for all colors of mittens, or does each mitten result in a tree of only one color mitten? Are multi-colored mittens hybrids? Stay tuned for a special investigative report at 11!
National Microwave Day: “Fire phasers, Mr. Sulu!” Most know that microwaves are used for more than heating or cooking food, though they are a tremendous boon to tea and coffee drinkers, and office popcorn eaters. The “popcorn” button on most modern microwaves has pride of first place on many, if not most, modern microwaves. I think this is a mistake. We never make popcorn in the microwave, preferring healthier air-popped. Microwave popcorn is so popular it is almost impossible to find a good air popper. IT’S A CONSPIRACY!
National Gazpacho Day: Otherwise known as “Salsa as Soup Day.” Cold soup in December?! Get real! Move this day to the middle of July!
Saint Nicholas Day: Actually a real Catholic Saint, Nicholas of Myra, and the far distant “ancestor” of Santa Claus. It is appropriate that his day not be on Christmas. So in a sense, this is Santa Claus’ birthday. So whether you are Christian or not, perhaps a little recognition for ’Ol St. Nick is appropriate.
… I wonder, are Santa’s gifts to others on Christmas “repurposed” gifts he received, today? The Elves aren’t talking, and the reindeer mooned me …Mx Crazy Cat Person almost 4 years ago
OMC, Puck in his hard hat coordinating everything. So cute! and can he come to my place and help me sort out my house?
Mx Crazy Cat Person almost 4 years ago
Magnificent chart Puck. I now fully understand.
BluebelleCat almost 4 years ago
Last year, had half a string go out on the tree on Christmas Day! Replaced all of them this year!
quonk999 almost 4 years ago
Ok! Here is my fool proof, but slightly labor intensive method for storing tree lights.
Leave lights on tree. Start at one end of a strand and gather around 6 light bulbs together and wrap with a twist tie at the bottom of the bulbs. Gather the next 6 bulbs and wrap. Keep going around the tree to the end of the strand. Repeat for the next strand. I then stored them in large Zip Lok bags.
Then next year test each strand. Take twist tie off off of first bunch of bulbs and put on tree. Repeat to end of strand. You can drape the strand over your shoulder while you work around the tree. It goes real quickly as the strand doesn’t get tangled or in your way.
My lights lasted years this way.
nerd warning almost 4 years ago
pucky’s helmet! also, is this a new arc at the end?
ChrisTrey almost 4 years ago
I love that Goldie sticks to the man like glue.
serenasakitty almost 4 years ago
Is that Lupin beside Goldie in the ninth panel? Or is it just the way the lights are hanging. My inferior keyboard is too small to see for certain.
almost 4 years ago
Thank goodness Christmas is saved. Great job, Lupin!
bonita.eley almost 4 years ago
Lupin you are a hero!!!
knight1192a almost 4 years ago
Lupin saves Chrstmas, terrifying thought.
Sionyx almost 4 years ago
This takes me back…Mom and Brother assembling the tree (artificial tree looked great, once you got the branches on right. and that could get tricky!) while Dad and I untangled the lights that we had been so careful putting away the previous year. All the tricks never seemed to work. And, of course, the cats insisting on helping.
Erin Pierce almost 4 years ago
That hard hat, tho (:
Mr. Reader almost 4 years ago
Hey look! In the background of the final panel, YOU CAN SEE LUPIN AND GOLDIE BEING FRIENDLY HOORAY!
*inster something here* almost 4 years ago
Georgia: decorating on the sixth of December My family: decorating the day after thanksgiving
leopardglily over 2 years ago
Lupin just saved christmas!