This is the weekly dispatch from Bizarro Studios North, where I have been writing and drawing the Monday through Saturday Bizarro comics since 2018. My partner and friend, Dan Piraro, created Bizarro in the late twentieth century and continues to do the Sunday comic from Rancho Bizarro in Mexico.
Wayno
Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
Anatole France
Howdy, friends of Bizarro. I had some business to take care of this week and was out of the studio for a few days, so I composed this post back on Monday, which felt weird as I typed it, because I was referring to the present in the past tense, and I'm doing it again right now (that is, on Monday).
Anyway, this post will be briefer than usual. We'll skip the lengthy intro and get right to the pipe pic.
It's the cover of a CD by free-jazz pianist Paul Bley (1932-2016) on the Hat Hut Records label. I found it on the Hat Hut site while ordering a double-disc set by my old friend Ellery Eskelin, a prolific and forward-thinking musician. Here's one of Ellery's early recordings, which knocked me out when I first heard it back in 1995:
Recommended for those looking for something on the wild side.
Without further ado, here's our latest cartoon sextet.
Monday's panel was a tribute to a very good boy: our beloved feline family member, Foster. My spouse had the idea for the cartoon, and I drew it a couple of days after we had to say goodbye to him. Making the drawing gave me comfort at a time when I couldn't speak about Foster without getting choked up.
He was with us for fifteen years, and we miss him every day.
The caption made me laugh, but my favorite part of making this panel was drawing the lightning.
Every species has a certain percentage of know-it-alls.
We'd like to see the phrase "I call shotgun!" replaced by "I call happy dog!"
In scientific circles, this is known as aspirational evolution.
The customer was politely told to clam up.
That's it for this week's abbreviated post. I suppose you could call it a "blogule." More comics and commentary will come your way next Saturday. Thanks for reading.
Bonus Track
Dr. John: "My Buddy"
from In a Sentimental Mood
Warner Bros. Records, 1989
Warner Bros. Records, 1989
Miss your voice, the touch of your hand
Just long to know that you understand
My buddy, my buddy
Your buddy misses you
Lyrics by Gus Kahn, 1922
A Mess of Bizarro Materials
If you like what we do and appreciate that it's free, we encourage you to explore the following links.
Wayno, so sorry to hear of your loss of Foster. Our rescue kitties passed in 2019 after 18 years of loving companionship, purrs and scratches. It gets better with time and for what it's worth I still talk to them expecting to hear a familiar meow in return. If I ever do I'll let you know.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Dave. We still forget, and think we see him from time to time.
DeleteWhen you lose a beloved pet, they travel to the extra chambers of your heart, there forever.
ReplyDeleteSo true, Jo. Thank you.
DeleteA couple of days ago Stephen Colbert was shown with a large pipe (and wearing a Sherlock Holmes hat). That would be a good pipe picture!
ReplyDelete👍
DeleteYes, I think that's a recurring bit. A few people have sent photos of Colbert!
DeleteOur feline friend lived to be 19, but left us a long time ago (35 plus years). Never had the heart to replace him.
ReplyDeleteI understand 🧡. There's no replacing them, but sometimes another companion finds you.
DeleteA cat is a trusting soul, God’s gift to trustworthy caretakers. And we’ve always been as good to them as they’ve been to my bride and me. We’ve had as many as 11 sharing our home with us at one time and act as if they’re members of the family! Which is the way it should be.
ReplyDeleteWe’ve had to have several of our kitties put to sleep at one time or another over the many, many years we’ve shared our home with these incredible friends. We would bring them to the vet’s office and hold them in our arms, saying our goodbyes to them as the vet was injecting them with whatever it was that allowed them to embrace eternal sleep peacefully.
But in September of 2024, after a number of appointments at the clinic, we were all in agreement that with the incurable cancer Stella was facing the right thing to do was to let Stella go on her way.
But we couldn’t bear taking her to our vet’s office one more time. We didn’t want to do that to Stella. So we asked the doctor if he’d be willing to come to our home instead. He didn’t hesitate before saying absolutely!
This wonderful, caring individual—who always kissed each kitty on their head when he removed them from their cage at veterinary appointments—showed up at our door with an assistant at the agreed upon time. I sat on the floor and held Stella in my lap while the assistant injected her with a sedative to lessen the impact of what was to follow. After a few minutes our vet gave Stella a second injection. The final one.
Choked up and with tears running down my cheeks I stroked her head softly with my left hand while with my right hand on her chest felt her breathing slow to a stop.
I was an absolute basket case then, and coming close to being another right now, as I sit here reliving the life changing experience that both Stella and I underwent that afternoon.
Continue to rest in peace Stella, and although unable to be with us and your fellow kitty buddies here in the house, know you’ll forever be a part of our lives.
Thank you for sharing your memories of Stella. It's wonderful that she was able to say goodbye in familiar surroundings where she felt safe and loved.
DeleteI'm so sorry that you lost your beloved friend. Members of our families not only walk on two legs, but on four as well. After a lifetime of cat friends, when my first dog 'Ferguson' died I was inconsolable, I couldn't go anywhere or do anything, my husband told our friends that "her best friend just died", and offered no more explanation. That was perfectly accurate.
ReplyDeleteThank you for caring for your best friend Ferguson. I'm sure he knew he was loved.
DeleteI hope the pain you feel now will soon give way to the sweet memories of all that you shared in the time you had with Foster.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Talking about him has helped us a lot.
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