BBQ – Pain In The Bud

Stay Cool, Friends!

It’s officially a sweltering July 4 weekend.

We’ve now officially joined our European friends in deep summer, with an oppressive heat dome settling over the central and eastern US ahead of the July 4 weekend:

My extended family’s July 4 cookout is starting to look more like it’ll be a cook-in, pool or no pool. I think I’ll sit inside and watch baseball, thank you very much!

On behalf of Bud and myself, I hope everyone is taking it easy and staying indoors as much as possible.

For our friends in the New York area, you already know what the deal is: sticky, soupy heat from the high humidity that is the trademark of our summers.

Of course our furry friends have it even worse in this weather. Imagine having a jacket you cannot remove in humid 100 degree heat! Even Bud, a domestic shorthair, has modified his sleeping habits, snoozing next to my head with a paw on my hand instead of draping himself over me like he usually does.

Here’s to hoping everyone stays safe, hydrated and lazy this holiday weekend!

Happy Independence Day 2025!

Happy ‘Merican Birthday from the Buddies!

The Buddies would like to wish everyone a happy Fourth of July!

We hope you have a great Independence Day, whether you’re spending it in the company of family and friends or quietly at home.

Buddy has bravely endured the fireworks show a block away from Casa de Buddy, shrugging it off like the fearless feline he is!

Who’s That Handsome Kitten?

This kitten looks very familiar…

I was digging through some old files when I found these photos of a young Buddy the Cat:

handsomebuddy2 — “Hey, where’s that steak you promised?”

These were taken in my brother’s apartment on the Upper East Side. It was early summer, so Buddy was probably about four months old, give or take.

He spent almost the entire day in the yard where he made friends with Cosmo the Dog and had lots of fun chasing insects, running around and rolling in the grass. He made friends with every human there, of course. Then when he was tired out from all that playing, he had a super special treat: Steak from the BBQ.

I’d love to bring the little guy to more social events and barbecues, but alas, almost all of them involve dogs who are not Cosmo, and I’m not sure how Bud would do with three or four dogs running around, let alone 20+ people. Smaller gatherings sans pups are a better bet.