Laura Blegen
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laurablegen.bsky.social
Laura Blegen
@laurablegen.bsky.social
440 followers 660 following 850 posts
Writer.
Part-Time Bookkeeper
Part-Time Introvert.
Full-Time Goofball

laurablegen.com
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laurablegen.bsky.social
Hmm... What about this?
Close up photo of a very smooshable calico cat face, resting her sleepy head on my wrist.
October 9, 2025 at 9:09 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Why do cat food companies not put the same varieties in their small cans that they put in their big cans? What is the point of testing to see if my cats will eat what's in the small cans, if I can't then buy the food at a sustainably affordable size?

(let's see if today's cat picture will upload)
Close up photo of a very smooshable calico cat face, resting her sleepy head on my wrist.
October 9, 2025 at 7:41 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Who needs a little mid-week pep talk?

Well, Zoë doesn't care much about that. She doesn't care what you're working on today. She just thinks you should get on with it and bring her treats when you're done.
Photo of a calico cat, lying stomach-down on the raised knee of her favorite human, with one of her front paws curled to hold her in place. Her head is turned to look at the photographer with a stern expression, that says any activity other than petting her is just procrastination.
October 8, 2025 at 8:18 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Had to drop Malcolm-the-cat off for an ultrasound this afternoon. They're gonna call me when he's done, as if there's anything I could possibly concentrate on in the meantime.

Poor little dude was SO confused about why we wouldn't let him eat this morning.
Photo of a gray and white cat, curled up a green laptop bag, looking woefully in the general direction of the camera.
September 29, 2025 at 8:01 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
I was gone for a couple of days, so right now, I only have one job...
Photo of two cats lounging on the lap of a person wearing jeans who has put their feet up. In the foreground, the calico has her heading resting on my stomach. In the background, a white and gray cat is stretched between my knees and feet.
September 28, 2025 at 10:59 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
I hear you.

As an optimism placeholder, may I offer this fluffball?
Close-up photo of a gray and white cat napping with his front paw curled under his chin his back paws in front of his face, and his tail curled around in a circle. He has pink toe beans which match his little nose.
September 10, 2025 at 5:55 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
My husband is out of town for a few days, and the cats are REALLY cranky that they've been left with only one human, and this one isn't very good at running zoom meetings while also serving as a cat bed.
Photo of two cats sitting on a messy desk. The gray and white cat is between the photographer and the keyboard. The calico is between the keyboard and the monitor. Neither of them are looking at the photographer, because they are cranky and resentful.
September 4, 2025 at 9:34 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Zoë knows that my fountain pens are valuable to me, because she knows how quickly I will get mad if she starts to bat them around.

But I think cuddling with them might be going a step too far in the other direction...
Close up photo of a calico cat lying down on a black surface. She has one paw extended over a couple of fountain pens, the way a child might hold a stuffed animal.
August 29, 2025 at 8:20 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
If you love someone, hold on tight.
Never let them stand up,
or go to the bathroom alone.

#caturday
Photo of a calico cat lying on her human's knee. Her front paws are wide and her gaze is vigilant.
August 9, 2025 at 2:20 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
I am the complete monster that has to disrupt this cat from her nap. But I need to take a shower.

#caturday
Photo of a sleepy calico kitten napping on a stack of blue towels. She is looking at the photographer through half open eyes, during her to take those towels out from under her.
July 26, 2025 at 3:33 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
We've been out of town the last two weekends, and Zoë is getting cranky that we never take her anywhere fun.
Photo of a green duffel bag on a gray tile floor. A calico cat is inside the duffel bag, poking just her face out to look at the camera.
July 21, 2025 at 8:56 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Photo of a small crowd of protesters in an outdoor amphitheater, most wearing sun hats, and listening to a speaker.
July 17, 2025 at 10:32 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Current Mood.

I actually took this picture last night, right after Zoe realized it was Sunday.
Close-up photo of a calico cat resting on a gray blanket. She is staring off into the middle distance with an expression that seems to say, "I can't even."
July 7, 2025 at 8:16 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
It filled in okay...
Photo of a large crowd gathered for a #nokings rally. Lots of signs and American flags. Photo of a large crowd gathered for a #nokings rally. Lots of signs and American flags. Photo of a large crowd gathered for a #nokings rally. Lots of signs and American flags. Photo of a large crowd gathered for a #nokings rally. Lots of signs and American flags.
June 14, 2025 at 7:30 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Hello from Colorado! The crowd is starting to fill in at our event.

#nokings
Photo of two people wearing red, white and blue in the hot Colorado sun. Behind them, a crowd is starting to gather
June 14, 2025 at 4:48 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Last night I went to V.E. Schwab's launch party for Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil. I've never been to a book event that had quite this much... atmosphere.

@torbooks.bsky.social
Photo of a hand holding a copy of the book, a sheet of temporary tattoos, and a dark red rose. In the background, wood church pews are visible. Photo of a church chancel, where the altar has been moved aside to make room for two leather chairs, dozens of electric candles, and dark floral decorations.
June 10, 2025 at 11:12 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
I won't be around this weekend, so here's a photo of Zoe helping with the laundry.

#caturday
Photo of a calico cat lying on a wood floor with her paws caught up in and wrapped a small pile of towels. She is looking up at the photographer as if surprised anyone thinks this behavior is odd. "What?" she seems to be asking.
June 6, 2025 at 8:45 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Related to my comment yesterday about despair...
Quotation on a light green background: "The focus on survival demands that you notice the tiger in the tree before you pay attention to the beauty of its branches. The one person who’s furious at you compels more attention than the eighty-nine who love you. Problems are our work; we deal with them in order to survive or to improve the world, and so to face them is better than turning away from them, from burying them and denying them. To face them can be an act of hope, but only if you remember that they’re not all there is.” - Rebecca Solnit, Hope in the Dark
May 28, 2025 at 8:57 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Image of a book quotation, with black text on a beige background: "If you are like me, sometimes you are just too tired. Too tired to cry. Too tired to feel. When that moment comes, I ask you not to judge the emotions in your body. Let them come and go. There is something called "empathy fatigue" that happens when we get overloaded by other people's pain. The good news is that you don't need to feel empathy all the time. Love is not a rush of feeling: Love is sweet labor" by Valarie Kaur, See No Stranger
April 23, 2025 at 10:32 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Malcolm started the day by hacking up an epic hairball, so he obviously needed his rest later...
A close up photo of a gray and white cat, with his head resting on a human leg, and his eyes closed. He's paws are tucked in under his neck, and his magnificent long whiskers are easily visible against blue jeans.
April 21, 2025 at 8:29 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Post a gif of who you wanted to be as a kid.

No time to make a gif, unfortunately, but here's an image... (and, boy, this is a problematic cartoon now...)
Black background with a cartoon image of a woman dressed vaguely like tarzan, with a white jaguar lounging near her feet, and a monkey on her shoulder. The text above her head reads: Hanna-Barbera Classic Collection, Jana of the Jungle.
April 18, 2025 at 4:54 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Zoë has one of those, too. This picture is a couple of years old, but she still goes there first thing every morning when the furnace kicks on in cold weather.
Photo of an empty cat bed several inches away from a heating vent. A calico cat has squeezed herself between the bed and the wall, because there's a heating duct under the floor there.
April 7, 2025 at 10:17 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Found a new beautiful coffee shop, reading a beautiful book. This moment is for re-fueling.
Photo of a small table, holding a blue ceramic cup, and a copy of See No Stranger, by Valarie Kaur. In the background are two brown leather chairs and a fireplace.
April 4, 2025 at 5:18 PM
laurablegen.bsky.social
Ending the day with The Priory of the Orange Tree and my favorite lap warmers. All the better to try again tomorrow.
Two cats, one calico and one gray and white, cuddling on a pair of legs in gray sweatpants.
March 25, 2025 at 1:59 AM
laurablegen.bsky.social
No cheating: post the last photo of your pet.
Two cats napping on one set of human legs. One cat is a calico and the other is gray and white, but they otherwise have the uncanny resemblance of litter mates, especially in the way they curve their necks at the same angle.
March 18, 2025 at 12:36 PM