Brutkey

Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca
Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca

Happiness is a sunny window.

#Caturday

Tabby cat lounging on the back of a sofa next to a sunny window. Hie eyes are mostly closed, his front legs stretched out in front of him with his paws crossed.
Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca

Soaking it up.

#CatsOfMastodon

Tabby cat lounging on the back of a grey sofa next to a window in the sun. He's partially laying on a taupe faux fur throw. An evergreen tree and bits of blue sky are visible outside the window. He's looking away from the camera, nearly in profile, with his eyes half closed. Tabby cat lounging on the back of a grey sofa next to a window in the sun. He's partially laying on a taupe faux fur throw. An evergreen tree and bits of blue sky are visible outside the window. He's almost looking at the camera with his eyes half closed. Tabby cat lounging on the back of a grey sofa next to a window in the sun. He's partially laying on a taupe faux fur throw. An evergreen tree and bits of blue sky are visible outside the window. He's looking at the camera, his eyes half closed. The left side of his face (our right), is nearly in shadow.
Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca

10-second photo shoot. He rather enjoys being enigmatic.

#Caturday

Tabby cat lounging on his side with his head up. He's on a pale wood tabletop. One front paw is tucked in and his ears are turned sideways, making him look like he's frowning. Tabby cat lounging on his side with his head up. He's on a pale wood tabletop. One front paw is tucked in. He's looking slightly past the camera as if he's lost in thought. Tabby cat lounging on his side with his head upside down. One ear is squished under his head. He's on a pale wood tabletop. One front paw is stretched toward the camera, showing black toe beans.
Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca

You might be seeing posts from artists and craftspeople about no longer shipping to the US due to the "de mimimus" executive order.

Some posts include the background, but if you haven't seen that, here's a quick summary as I understand it:

De mimimus is an exemption that allows small orders to enter the USA duty-free from other countries. It ends August 29.

So not only do tariffs apply – paid by US customers – but there could be an additional fee applied by the USPS of anywhere from 10% to a flat fee of $80 - $200. Also paid by the customer.

No one knows which fees will be applied, and of course no one knows when or if that will change.

So there aren't a lot of options. Someone suggested orders of less than $100 be shipped as gifts, which is still permitted, and I suspect there will be some businesses willing to roll the dice. (FWIW I'm not one of them.)

The executive order can be found here for anyone interested.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/suspending-duty-free-de-minimis-treatment-for-all-countries/

Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca

Update from another network:

"1844 Air support is clear of Bayers Lake and returning to their respective provinces. At this time, the fire is believed to be manageable by Nova Scotian resources — but remains an out-of-control fire.

"Ground crews are now re-entering the woods.

"Due to safety, crews pull out of the woods after dark."

Screenshot from Nova Scotia Fire/Emergency/Info Facebook post that reads as follows: 18:44: Air support is clear of Bayers Lake and returning to their respective provinces. At this time, the fire is believed to be manageable by Nova Scotian resources — but remains an out-of-control fire. Ground crews are now re-entering the woods. Due to safety, crews pull out of the woods after dark.
Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca

Holding our collective breath and hoping for the best.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/crews-battle-forest-fire-in-bayers-lake-1.7607019

Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca

A gathering of plovers and gulls.

#SilentSunday

A smooth gravel beach leads to large rocks and then to the ocean. Gulls and piping plovers are gathered in more or less horizontal lines on the rocks, the plovers in the foreground. The water is dark blue under a hazy sky. No surf is evident.
Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca

The latest chapter in the car repair story: It popped a spark plug while I was driving.

I know. "Wait, what?"

The mechanic doesn't know either. Spark plug undamaged, replaced, and everything is working fine.

Except I have to get some rocker panel work done so it'll pass safety inspection before the end of the month mutter sigh.

If anyone is curious, a popped spark plug sounds like the most obnoxious after-market muffler, but the sound comes from under the hood. It'll make the Check Engine light flash too, go figure.

Next chapter: Find a good body shop asap.

Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca

Morning handsomeness, with a side order of silly.

#CatsOfMastodon #FediCats

Tabby cat lounging on a bed covered with a grey-green paisley comforter and blue cushions behind him. He's partially on his side with his tail stretched out behind him and one front paw slightly extended. He has a contented expression. Tabby cat rolling on a bed covered with a grey-green paisley comforter and blue cushions behind him. He's on his side with one front paw stretched out in front of him. One ear is squished into the bed.
Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca

Gotta appreciate the professionalism of a car repair shop (full disclosure, it's my local dealership, where the car was purchased back in 2013) that calls you to say your car's arrived and how much the "check engine light" investigation will cost, plus they're verifying a note about how your pretty old car is popping out of first gear – which is something you discussed with the mechanic some time ago.

And that they'll call as soon as they have more information.

I continue to be impressed by the culture created, and more importantly, sustained, by the management here. They take a small extra step to deliver excellent customer service.

That return of investment, aka ROI (I hate jargon, but still) is massive.

Whoever is in charge, five big gold stars. This is why I've not sought out a potentially cheaper option elsewhere. And as a marketing cynic who's worked in the field for years, including teaching marketing workshops... this is how it should always be done.

Still praying the repair won't break me. And I still loathe late-stage capitalism.

Cheers to everyone who's stuck with the story so far. Fingers crossed.

Stacey Cornelius 🇨🇦🇨🇦
@StaceyCornelius@zeroes.ca

Well, the car is fixed. They didn't call to tell me it was going to cost a fortune, so I'm hoping I won't get a nasty surprise.

Next challenge is figuring out the least painful way to get to the shop to pick it up. It's going to be an adventure.