Chipmunk capers, Misfits box, and Mrs Gaskell

Chipmunks in various blogs lately and why I look askance at the cute little critters.

To wit: library friend reported a chipmunk got in through an open patio door after she'd repeatedly reminded her husband to shut it every time because of chipmunks and squirrels on the patio. 

She thought she saw something flittering across the living room to the kitchen where the dishwasher was running. Couple of minutes later, explosion in kitchen, flames and water together shooting about,  fire fighters cut water and power to extinguish the fire and found a tiny charred body in the wiring. I don't know what she said to her husband.

To second wit: pet supply store friends came home from vacation, to find water running down the driveway, discovered the basement was full, couple of inches throughout the ground floor, and many tiny toothmarks in the pvc basement water supply pipes,  through which water had evidently been jetting while they were away. 

Also a drowned chipmunk. And all appliances drowned and needing replacement. Serious furnace damage.

On a cheerier note, I have added to my classic Kindle library a complete Mrs Gaskell, and I'm currently rereading Cranford with much more appreciation than when it was a school set book. 

While I'm stitching, I also found a good audio version, so my FOMO is satisfied.

Before the pink Misfits van arrived, I fitted in a walk to admire late patio flowers, natural color combos and fall colors at the pond, little wind coming and going 

Misfits day

Great deal on white sweet potatoes, which will be roasted, baked, souped, various meals.

The yogurt front needed a boost from Nancy after several weeks of homemade. The flour may become bread. The big size seen here isn't often available. Cooking with Will Yeung uses up rice, so there's reinforcements. 

The ground turkey will be burgers soon, and spaghetti sauce, and the chicken will be in the depths of the freezer till I need chicken again.  Mozzarella because it's a melting change from cheddar. Future toasted cheese sandwiches.

I also found a good chickpea pasta dish which I'll try with the fettuccine currently in the freezer. It can work with my other favorite, cannellini beans, too. Hummus because it's been a while since I had any I hadn't made. And I've been out of vanilla forever, high time.

Nice haul, and as usual, great quality.

Early voting in North Carolina is booming. Huge turnout. Many anecdotal reports of GOP voting Harris, had it with the wannabe dictator. They may split their ticket, so we can't count on their Senate yet, but we'll see. 

Ticket-splitting, for blogistas in furrin parts,  unfamiliar, is where you vote one party for one or more offices, another for other positions. 

There are usually a lot of offices up for voting in a Presidential year because they seize on voters who don't turn out for the midterms and other elections. Unlike immigrants who make sure they're heard in everyone election no matter what's up for decision.  President or dog warden, hear our voices.

In primaries many states only permit registered party affiliates to vote, in their own party primary, some variation across states. 

But in Presidential elections you vote freely any candidate, any party,  you choose. And you can usually, in any election, write in the name of someone not on the printed ballot.