Tuesday, July 16, 2024

Three Beautiful Things 07-15-2024: Science and Doubters, Improving Copper's Litter Situation, Fun Chicken Rice Bowl for Dinner

1. I finished the book, Cougars on the Cliff today, a most satisfying reading experience. These books I read about animals, whether beavers, salmon, eels, whales, or cougars, always come down to the varying attitudes different humans have toward animals and fish. Cougars on the Cliff is, in part, the story of the conflict between men and women who regarded the cougars as vermin, as aggressive and ruthless killers of elk and deer and other animals valuable as commodities. Maurice Hornoker's research and careful observations of the cougars challenged these ideas about the cougars, concluding that they were a positive influence on the well-being of elk and deer by culling out weaker animals and by helping to move elk and deer way from overused land to land where they would feed better. 

I found his work fascinating and also found the harsh backlash his studies generated from hunters, guides, and others who distrust scientific studies interesting. I'm struck by how this distrust of science is always with us, maybe as strong or stronger right now than ever. 

2. Patrick and Meagan hung out with us until early in the afternoon. Patrick helped Debbie improve Copper's litter pan situation in the Vizio room, hoping that these improvement will keep the litter more contained in the box, meaning less litter on the floor. 

The one post-transplant restriction that bothers me the most is that I have to steer clear of the litter box. I don't like that I brought Copper and Luna (RIP) into our home, ready to take responsibility for their care, and that I have to rely, now, on Debbie and others (when Debbie travels) to do litter box duties. It can be an unpleasant task and I was totally committed to it. I don't like that I've had to break this commitment. 

3. I made Debbie and me fun sweet chili chicken rice bowls for dinner, compliments of HelloFresh. I put a bed of jasmine rice in each of our bowls and topped the rice with a combination of onion, yellow pepper, and pieces of chicken thigh all cooked together with a soy glaze and chili sauce. Over the top of this mixture I put the sugar roasted peanuts I made along with cilantro and each of us had two quarters of a lime to squeeze over our rice bowls. 

It worked. 

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