Porte Photos’ Daily Pic: Monday, January 19th, 2026 – Blue Monday

“I wish I could write
as mysterious as a cat”

~ Edgar Allan Poe
Author and poet
Born on: 19th January 1809

Porte Ponderings:

The third Monday of January is known as Blue Monday.

AI says it’s a marketing ploy to sell vacations. Christmas debts are now due and mental health issues are highlighted.

Me, it’s unexpected bills piling up and needing to be addressed.

My WordPress site bill is due. $198 for 2 years and $26 annually for my domain name.
Wow.
Time to look for a cheaper alternative.

I guess I’ll change to the “free” version and change my website name. You’d think if you’re paying the $198 for 2 years the website name would be included. Or if you’re paying for the domain name you wouldn’t need to pay for a subscription. All I want is the domain name. I don’t care about the “extras” included in paying for a WordPress account.

What benefit is there to pay the $198? It’s for a personal site with no advertising or income generation.

I just got a $400 ($800 was requested but I negotiated to $400) additional monthly expense to “house sit” my 2nd Cat Smokey. No hotels permit a 3rd pet, so we decided to travel with only Rickie and Archie. Drury Inn charged $65 extra for the first pet and $10 for the second. So $75 for 2 pets. No third pet was permitted. Poor Smokey is now 17 and starting to have health issues. She never travelled well and meowed all the time she was in the pen. We used to have to put her in the “trunk” of the truck so we couldn’t hear her. Broke my heart.

So, here I am on Blue Monday and feeling blue about all the money………

Porte Photos’ Daily Pic: Tuesday, October 7th, 2025 – National Taco Day

“Don’t raise your voice.
Improve your argument”

~ Desmond Tutu
South African social rights activist
who rose to prominence as
an opponent of apartheid in the 1980’s
Born on: 7th October 1931

Porte Ponderings:

Taco Tuesday. The first Tuesday of October is also National Taco Day. Two reasons to eat tacos. As if you needed any 😉

After missing for more than a week, Archie has come home. He’s very dirty and lethargic, but he’s back ❤

Porte Photos’ Daily Pic: Wednesday, April 30th, 2025 – National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day

“I think people
should elect
a cat person”

~ Stephen Harper
Former prime minister of Canada
Born on: 30th April 1959

Porte Ponderings:

What kind of dog is that? It’s a shelter dog. In 2014 the Tampa Shelter was going to euthanize dogs due to overcrowding. A local radio station heard and decided to take a positive action by supporting adoption. $20 to adopt a dog. That was how I adopted Rickie. So why not celebrate National Adopt A Shelter Pet Day and go to your local shelter for a new companion?

Today is also the last day of April, Income Tax Day for Canadians. So get those 2024 taxes filed and avoid penalties on any taxes owing.

Porte Photos’ Daily Pic: Friday, February 2nd, 2025

“What greater gift
than the love of a cat”

~ Charles Dickens
British novelist and author
Born on: 7th February 1812

Porte Ponderings:

Outside taking pictures Archie decided to follow beside my footsteps.

My odd-eyed cat insists on going outside. His name should have been Lucky. The day after we adopted him his brothers and sisters were all killed by a dog. He had an eye infection and one eye was closed. Once it was better we discovered he had odd coloured eyes. A genetic trait often believed to be a good luck omen. He insists on going outside and if he isn’t let out he beats up our indoor cat, Smokey.

This week Smokey hasn’t been feeling well. At 15 she had diarrhea and was vomiting so off to the Vet’s. $345 later and blood tests, a shot, diarrhea medicine we discovered she has hyperthyroidism. So $65 worth of meds and $49 blood test follow-up in 30 days. Her thyroid meds are almost 10 times what mine cost. Now for the daily pill before bed. But she is feeling much better.

Below is the AI generated image:

Porte Photos’ Daily Quote: December 13, 2022

No matter what happens in life,
be good to people.
Being good to people is a
wonderful legacy to leave behind.

~ Taylor Swift

Porte Ponderings:

We’ve reached the mid-point in December until Christmas.

I finally put up my Christmas Tree yesterday and within minutes Archie already found his favorite spot for the Christmas Season.