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Two beloved cats had to be rehomed, and their full-circle story is bringing people to tears

Grab a tissue and brace yourself for the tale of Penny and Lucy and the two women who loved them enough to let them go.

By

Annie Reneau

By

Upworthy Staff

Array
The tale of two beloved cats owned by two caring women show how love sometimes means letting go. – Photo credit: Photo by Sarah Shull on Unsplash

There are many reasons a pet may have to be rehomed, so it’s a good idea not to judge when we hear of it happening. In fact, an incredible story from Oregon animal hunger charity The Pongo Fund is bringing home the fact that rehoming a beloved animal can sometimes truly be what’s best for everyone involved.

The Pongo Fund shared the tale of two cats—Penny and Lucy—and the two women who love them on its Facebook page. It’s not exactly a happy story, but it’s not a sad one either. It’s a story of life, love and loss, and of strangers connecting in mysterious ways.

And it’s genuinely bringing people to tears, so grab a tissue and read on.

The Pongo Fund shared:

“She asked us to rehome her cats ASAP. Both of them 12 years old, she’d had them 10 years. Said she needed to travel and do some things she hadn’t been able to do for the past ten years, not being able to travel and take care of her cats at the same time. Hard as it was, it was time to let them go.

She didn’t want to go anywhere exotic. No summer in France or finding herself in Kathmandu. Not Belize or Cancun or even Vegas or Palm Desert. She just wanted to see her Mom again. Old friends and family too. Back to where she came from. That was her calling. And anything else she could do this next year or two.

Giving up her cats wasn’t part of the plan. Neither was cancer. And one year, maybe two; that’s what her oncologist told her. If there were things she wanted to do, this was the time.

She adopted Penny and Lucy from The Pongo Fund a decade ago when a wonderful woman had her world turned upside down. She lost her home, her marriage. Everything stopped all at once. She loved her cats so much that she asked us to find them a new Mom. And we did.

Now, the wonderful woman who welcomed those kitty friends ten years ago needed us to return the favor so someone else could welcome them.

This woman, she didn’t want to let them go. But it was for their own good, not hers. Same thing the first woman said. Imagine loving someone that much, that you need to let them go.

Penny and Lucy. Pure love, those two.

She told us if possible, she’d like to meet the person we chose for the adoption. She just wanted them to know that Penny and Lucy were the best ever. She wanted them to go with all of their toys and beds and food and treats. And she wanted the new person to know that sometimes Lucy got an upset tummy and how Mom would put her on her lap and lay her on her back and rub it while she sang to her.

Maybe she’ll never get an upset tummy again, but if she does, at least Lucy’s new family would know what to do. Her only request was that they stay together, these two sweet older girls who each had their own bed but most often ended up in the same one.

She wanted to make sure we didn’t think poorly of her for what she was doing. She just knew that at some point soon, they were going to have a new family whether she liked it or not. If she could do it now and meet those people, she would feel better about it.

We knew how hard this was for her, because she was the one who was there ten years ago when Penny and Lucy had nowhere else to go. She said yes back then, and now, she was asking someone else to say yes.

Finding a new home for two cats is not easy. For two senior cats, even harder. But we had one card to play, and we played it then.

We called a woman who used to live in the Portland area but moved away several years ago. She used to have two cats but needed to give them up when her life turned upside down. She bounced back in a new place a few states away. New job. New life.

But always following The Pongo Fund on Facebook and cheering us on with love and kind words.

We thought maybe she would welcome two senior cats.

Because ten years ago, she was the one who needed to let them go, Penny and Lucy.

Over the years she had told us, if there was ever a cat needing a safe place to go, to please let her know. Because she knew how it felt to have someone let you go. Someone let her go. She let her cats go. So that’s where we left it. To please keep her in mind, and she would be there.

None of us knew it would be for the same cats she was forced to let go ten years ago. The cats she loved so much that she gave them up for their own good. For what was best for them. Every now and then we gave her an update, to let her know how they were doing. She didn’t want too much information, that was too hard, she said. But just to know they were safe and happy and most of all, that they were loved.

Yes, we told her, they were loved. She loved knowing that.

We called her. Told her we had a cat in need of a home. Two of them, actually. A bonded pair. We shared a bit more information. She didn’t have a clue. All at once she stopped talking and started sobbing. That’s when she knew.

Sometimes life is like a rubber band. What goes around, comes around. For this woman who loved her cats so much that she let them go ten years ago.

And now, she was there to welcome them home.

A few days later she was in Portland. These two special women hugged over their shared love for the same two cats. For both of them, the loves of their lives. One of them is back home now, with the cats she never thought she’d see again. And the other one is telling her Mom she doesn’t have much time left.

Both of them, with love as their guide.

Sometimes life is like a rubber band.

And this is why we Pongo.”

Hope you heeded the tissue warning, because judging from the comments on the story, it was needed.

“I haven’t even been up for an hour and I’m sobbing like A BABY,” wrote one commenter.

“I don’t get very emotional but this made me cry,” wrote another. “I am so happy for both the cats and the women involved.”

“Bloody hell, made me cry!!” shared another. “So much love and huge hugs to these two wonderful women, and of course their sweet little babies xx.”

One person shared, “This is why every person who gives up a pet should be treated with dignity and grace.”

Indeed. We never know what people’s stories may be. Hopefully, this one will serve as a reminder that love can mean letting go, and that sometimes things work out far better than we expect, even when they don’t go as planned.


This article originally appeared on 6.14.22


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  • Gen Xers share 17 nostalgic dishes they ate growing up—and still make for dinner
    A family enjoys dinner during the 1970s. – Photo credit: Image via Reddit
    , , ,

    Gen Xers share 17 nostalgic dishes they ate growing up—and still make for dinner

    From sloppy joes to pizza bread, these dishes still slap.

    Emily Shiffer

    Generation X (those born between 1965-1980) grew up eating classic Americana meals. During the 1970s, comfort meals like tuna casserole and salmon roquettes were popular meals.

    Gen X also grew up eating some pretty unhinged (but all the more yummy) sandwiches. These meals are steeped in childhood nostalgia.

    And to this day, Gen Xers are still fond of their favorite dishes they grew up eating. Together, they discussed on Reddit their most-loved home-cooked dishes that they still whip up, starting with sloppy joes.

    Here are 17 iconic Gen X comfort meals to keep in mind the next time you make dinner:

    @genx_shawn

    🤤😂 Top 10 Things ONLY GenX Knows the Taste Of… #genx #over50club #genxtiktok #over40 #genxcrew #generationx #genxers #genxtok #over40club #over50

    ♬ original sound – Shawn | GenX

    “Breakfast. We will have a ‘breakfast for dinner’ at least a couple times a month. Yum!” – fadeanddecayed, KddKc

    “Pizza bread! My mom would cut Italian bread into pieces, put butter and garlic salt on them, then pour some spaghetti sauce on them, cover with mozzarella cheese, and broil for like ten or fifteen minutes. Super easy and quick to make and so tasty. I’m sure my mom loved that I was so into something that took roughly zero effort for her to make.” – hornybutired

    “Grilled cheese and soup.” – reincarnateme

    “Meat loaf. I use 2 pounds ground beef, replace bread crumbs with minute rice, add 1 pkg beef soup flavoring, chop an entire onion for it, and mix BBQ sauce into mixture. Oh, important: do not overmix! Place all ingredients into bowl, then mix quickly 10 or 12 swirls of a large spoon. Grease loaf pan, carefully place mixture in, pat down & bake about an hour. (Extra info: for even better flavor, mix the night before, pat into loaf pan, cover with plastic, put into fridge overnight. Remove from fridge about an hour before baking. BE SURE TO REMOVE PLASTIC WRAP! [Esp. If in Pyrex glass loaf pan])” – jehardt, AbbyM1968

    “White guy tacos.” – najing_ftw

    “Skillet dinner. Kielbasa, bell pepper, onion, spuds in a cast iron pan. One dish. Easy peasy.” – UnimportantOutcome67

    “Chicken pot pie or chicken ala king.” – sattersnaps

    “Fried catfish, greens, and red beans and rice.” – User Unknown

    “Shepherds pie, technically cottage pie if it’s ground beef. Homemade enchiladas, usually made as a layered casserole instead because I don’t have time to roll them. Pork chops with mashed potatoes and veggies.” – XerTrekker

    “Fried rice with chicken or pork leftovers.” – AlternativeResort181

    “Hot hamburgers: hamburger patty open face on Texas toast thickness bread, cover with fries then cover that with brown gravy. Wife’s variation is hamburger patty over rice with brown gravy.” – EnricoMatassaEsq

    @past_archives

    American Gen X Foods That Kids Today Can’t Understand#nostalgia #childhoodmemories #backtochildhood #90s #2000s #usa #80s #90skids #80schildhood #capcutforus #capcut #capcutpioneer #America

    ♬ original sound – Past Archives

    “Stuffed peppers. I make it much more easily by cooking it all in one large frying pan ‘deconstructed’. Sauté onions garlic and ground beef, add cut up peppers, tomatoes or tomato sauce, sometimes a little spinach, then add separately cooked rice, salt and pepper and serve. It comes together pretty quickly and tastes just as good as stuffing and baking peppers in the oven.” – Affectionate-Map2583

    “Macaroni and cheese with cut up hot dogs. Seriously, that’s what I ate tonight.” – Dazzling-Walrus9673

    “Homemade Stroganoff casserole. Ridiculously easy to make. Ingredients:

    1.25-1.5 lbs. Ground Beef
    1 each of large white onion, green pepper, and red pepper
    1 can mushroom pieces, drained and rinsed
    12 oz. Bag of wide egg noodles
    1 can cream of mushroom soup
    16 oz. Sour cream
    Worcestershire Sauce
    Louisiana Hot Sauce
    White or Black Pepper
    Panko bread crumbs

    To Make: Preheat oven to 360 degrees. Worcestershire, hot sauce, garlic powder, and pepper are all to taste, depending on how much flavor and punch you want it to have. Cook noodles per instructions. Drain. Peel and slice onion (not diced), core and cut peppers into strips Brown meat, onions and peppers along with liberal amount of Worcestershire; garlic, pepper, and hot sauce. Add mushrooms. Cook until meat is fully brown, onions are translucent and peppers are tender. Drain. Combine drained meat, etc. with whole can of soup, half of the sour cream. Gradually add noodles into the mix. Add sour cream as needed to maintain consistency. Add Worcestershire, hot sauce, and pepper to taste. Dump into large, deep Corning dish or whatever. Cover too with bread crumbs. Cover and bake for forty minutes.” – CynfullyDelicious

    This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.

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  • Canadians tickled at Bad Bunny’s halftime show inclusion revel in their ‘snow Latinos’ identity
    Canadians are feeling their broader connection to the Americas. – Photo credit: Canva
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    Canadians tickled at Bad Bunny’s halftime show inclusion revel in their ‘snow Latinos’ identity

    “It’s Canadá until further notice!”

    Annie Reneau

    The Super Bowl LX halftime show was one for the ages, both for its record-breaking four billion social media views after the first 24 hours and for the chatter and debate it sparked. Puerto Rican music star Bad Bunny performing the official halftime show entirely in Spanish highlighted the complexities of defining “American identity,” a reality the artist addressed directly as he paraded flags from countries across North, Central, and South America and shouted out their names in a call for unity.

    While heated controversy around the show swirled in the United States, our neighbors to the north had a hilarious reaction to it. Like the sweet, unassuming kid who stays out of middle school drama but still yearns to be included, some Canadian viewers found themselves tickled by Bad Bunny’s shoutout and embraced their Latinized identity.

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    https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThuKMuKK/

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    @n4ll.y.xxo

    Next stop- VanCuba ?? ? #badbunny #superbowl #canadians

    ♬ Bilbao – Studio Pro Sound

    Canadians are sharing that they’re from British Colommmbiaaaaa, Juancouver (or Van-Cuba), Saskatchejuan, Montreyál, Alberto, and other Latinized versions of their homeland. Some have dubbed themselves “Sorta Ricans,” while Peruvians are calling Canadians their cousins because the two countries’ flags are so similar. In the comments, Canada is being embraced by the broader Americas with open arms, with messages like “Welcome winter latinas,” “Canadá is invited to the Quinceañera,” and “Welcome to La Familia.”

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    Indeed, to come out and boldly assert that American identity can be viewed in a broader sense, accompanied by the message “THE ONLY THING MORE POWERFUL THAN HATE IS LOVE” displayed in plain English, was a powerful statement. Holding up a football that read “GOD BLESS AMERICA” while defining America not only as the U.S. but as the collective lands and nations of the Americas was a bold choice, and one clearly intended to be unifying and inclusive.

    Even a Brazilian comedian shared how much it meant for his home country to be included in that collective, saying that Brazil sometimes feels a bit on the outside in South America because it speaks Portuguese rather than Spanish:

    https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThHVQ5FF/


    The celebration of every nation in the comments is beautiful to see. The feeling of being connected to one another through our shared humanity and proximity, despite geographical and cultural differences, was felt by people of all ages, races, and nationalities.

    https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZThHs9pvT/

    So many people from around the world felt the message loud and clear: we are one human family, and diversity doesn’t have to mean disunity. Questions of geopolitics and immigration policy remain and will, of course, continue to be debated, but they often overshadow the bigger-picture reality that lines on a map, political ideologies, and cultural prejudices are all things humans made up.

    International relations may not be that simple, but what the Super Bowl halftime show demonstrated, in a powerfully creative way, is that we as individuals can choose to see ourselves differently by expanding our circle of “we” until we see “them” as “us.”

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  • Gen Zer tries to dub Gen X ‘the worst generation.’ A Millennial hilariously shut them down.
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    Gen Zer tries to dub Gen X ‘the worst generation.’ A Millennial hilariously shut them down.

    “Gen X is Boomers if they knew how to turn a document into a PDF.”

    dannyreaktiv

    It’s a tale as old as time: tension caused by generational differences. From Baby Boomers to the up-and-coming Gen Alpha, every generation seems to have a little bit of beef with the others—especially Gen Z.

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    One brave…or naive Gen Zer decided to declare that Gen X is “the worst generation” seemingly unprompted. But a Millennial quickly put them in their place.

    @laurahigh5

    Do you also like pissing off beelzebub for funzies? #genx #millennial #genz #generations #lol #joke #80s #vhs #movie #foryou #foryoupage #fyp #fypシ゚viral #fypage

    ♬ Wes Anderson-esque Cute Acoustic – Kenji Ueda

    In a stitched video, Millennial Laura High gave a succinct cliff’s notes version of why it’s best to not speak negative thoughts on Gen X aloud.

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    Gen Z and Millennials respond

    Commenters agreed with her sentiment.

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    “Elder Gen Z raised by two Gen X parents. I do NOT back the younger half of Gen Z on this. I’m running into the woods on their behalf and leaving Ferris Bueller for my dad and a DQ blizzard for my mom,” another echoed.

    “Last thing she will hear from the woods, Red Rover Red Rover, we call Karen Hashtag over,” said a third.

    “If you’ve never played Red Rover with Gen Xers, just know you were lucky to have your head still attached to your shoulders after the game was over. There were no tears allowed and no telling your parents, they were gone anyway. In short: Gen Xers are ruthless, and it’s best not to cross them. Seriously.”

    Gen X responds

    gen x, generation x, gen x couple, gen xers, gen x life
    A happyu00a0Gen X couple have patience for younger generations, like Gen Z. Photo credit: Canva

    Thankfully, Gen Xers are also open to peace offerings (and humor). Here are a few of their suggestions:

    “I will accept ding dongs (in original foil) and a VHS of ‘the last star fighter’ I will also except a mix tape if it include at mix of metal, new wave, and Yaz.”

    “We will also accept any of the original Star Wars trilogy, Star Trek 2, Raiders, or Die Hard…though John Hughes films will likely will be the safest choice.”

    “As an Elder Gen X (1971) I accept offerings of ice cold Boone’s Farm and those little chocolate donuts in the plastic sleeve. Laura, you’re safe. Gen Z? Run.”

    “We will also allow The Neverending Story .”

    Moral of the story: tread lightly Gen Z. Tread very lightly. If you hear someone clinking together empty glass Coke bottles outside your door, do not come out and play. It’s a trap.

    This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

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  • Mom films teen son’s joyful reaction to opening his first ever paycheck from McDonald’s
    ,

    Mom films teen son’s joyful reaction to opening his first ever paycheck from McDonald’s

    It’s the most money he’s ever had to his name, and he earned every penny.

    Annie Reneau

    Upworthy Staff

    Getting a first job is undoubtedly one of the most drastic steps that teenagers make into full-blown adulthood. It can be a shock to the system doing hard work outside of a school environment, having a boss instead of a teacher, and having real money on the line. However, one thing all adults remember fondly is the time they opened their very first paycheck, and all that hard work (at least for a moment) felt worth it.

    One mom recently captured one of those moments on video as her teen son opened his first paycheck from his job at McDonald’s. The video shared on Reddit shows a teen in a McDonald’s hat sitting in the passenger seat of a car opening an envelope that contained his paycheck.


    teen, first paycheck, work, McDonalds, working, teens, mom, heartwarming moment
    Everyone loves payday. Photo credit: Canva

    His mom said it should be “200-and something” dollars, and after a hilariously long struggle to open the envelope (Gen Z have rarely, if ever, snail mailed, so no judgment), he looks over the check stub to get the full picture.

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    Teen opens first paycheck from McDonald's
    byu/ExactlySorta inMadeMeSmile

    “Let’s take it to the bank, then!” Heck yeah, kid.

    People in the comments are fondly remembering their own first paychecks

    Many viral videos of first paycheck reveals include complaints about how much is taken out in taxes, so it’s refreshing to see this young man’s joy at his after-tax pay. It was a beautiful moment to capture on film, as most of us remember that feeling of empowerment that came with our own first real paychecks.

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    “God that first paycheck felt so unreal. I will never forget you ace hardware.”

    “I remember my first paycheck was for like $300 after two weeks of being a counselor and I felt RICH. I immediately spent it all on a guitar that I still have 20 years later.”

    “I remember mine – from my first proper job. £64.29 in a little brown packet with holes in it to see the cash inside. 1980. “

    “My first “paycheck” was like $65, I was so proud. I took my mom to pizzeria to treat her and she was very very touched.”

    “Man… I remember my first paycheck… 23 years ago now. For two weeks of what limited hours I could work being 14 years old… that baby was $96.19! HO-LY smokes was I on cloud 9. Cashed it right there at work and bought myself a bag of Skittles. It was a good day.”

    “No matter how much we earn later in life, that very first pay check is everything!”

    “Man, I swear I had to watch this video like 20 times. There is hope for the future of America, love this kid!!!!

    Ah, to be young and unencumbered by adult expenses. Part of what makes this endearing is the innocence of it. As a teen, he’s not worried about affording a mortgage or groceries or diapers or retirement savings. His elation over making $283 is adorable because he’s just starting down the path of adulthood. Soon enough, that paycheck will seem small, but he’s not there yet.

    Such is the “first paycheck joy,” that TikTok is rife with adorable videos of young people opening their first paychecks after working their first real jobs.

    @fuck3n_andre

    Taco Bell on me ? I was fully expecting like $200? #fypage #firstjob #job #first #firstpaycheck #fyp #foryoupage #viral

    ♬ original sound – Andrea

    When you’re a kid, money is kind of an abstract concept. Maybe you get a small allowance or get paid a few bucks for odd jobs, and opening a birthday card with some cash in it is exciting. It’s not until you’re fully into the working world for a while that the regular flow of money and what it means for your life really sinks in.

    It’s not until you’re a fully independent adult that you really grasp how relative your feelings about your paycheck can be. There’s a big difference between being a 16-year-old getting your first paycheck and being a 30-year-old trying to raise a family on wages that don’t cover all your needs. Things like cost-of-living and inflation start to actually mean something as you get older and experience their impact. You might find that you can make a lot more money and yet feel poorer than ever as expenses pile up into adulthood.

    Don’t we all wish we could go back to the hopeful, happy days of making our first real chunk of money before all of those grown-up concerns arose? That simple sense of pride in having worked hard and earned something. The excitement of being able to pay for something you want yourself. The sense of freedom that comes with those early earnings. We see and feel all of that in this teen’s bright smile, and it’s glorious.

    He’ll have plenty of time to learn, in the very near future, the importance of budgeting, saving, and smart spending. And luckily, he’ll have plenty of resources in the modern media and social media landscape to learn from; far more than his parents ever had:

    He may not realize how different he might feel opening his paychecks down the road, but there’s no need to tell him yet. He’ll find out soon enough, as we all have, so let’s just let him enjoy this moment of bliss. He’s earned it.

    This article originally appeared two years ago. It has been updated.

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  • Olympic curling gets humor treatment as people recreate the bizarrely riveting sport at home
    Curling has become a surprisingly popular Olympic sport. – Photo credit: Canva
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    Olympic curling gets humor treatment as people recreate the bizarrely riveting sport at home

    Using everything from Roombas to babies, people are embracing the joy of curling.

    Annie Reneau

    When curling became an official Olympic sport in 1998, it was met with a fair amount of curiosity and confusion, at least among people outside Canada, Scotland, and the Scandinavian countries where it has long been a winter sport tradition. Without an explanation of what’s happening, curling can look downright bizarre: large stones sliding across the ice toward a target, while people vigorously sweep the ice in front of them as the person who threw the stone yells unintelligibly.

    It’s not obvious what skills are required for curling just by watching, which initially led people to poke fun at the event. More recent Olympic Games, however, have seen interest in curling grow as people find the sport strangely riveting. Now, curling has reached even greater heights of popularity, as evidenced by satirical curling-at-home videos popping up on social media.

    Many of them use a combo of a Roomba and a Swiffer, which works perfectly:

    Why Swiffer is not the official sponsor of all Olympic curling events is a mystery.

    Some creators take it a little further, adding in the yelling component:


    @amanda_carluccio

    We’re now professional athletes. ??? #curling #usa #winterolympics #olympics #thecarluccios

    ♬ The Olympic Theme – Paul Brooks

    Others use different household items, like a teapot, for a curling stone and add commentary:

    @breanneallarie

    Kitchen curling ? I’m ready @Olympics #milanocortina2026 #roadtotheolympics #teamcanada #olympiccurling

    ♬ original sound – Breanne Allarie ??

    And believe it or not, someone even used a baby as a curling stone, with the caption, “When new dads in Canada are left unsupervised.”

    So how exactly did we get here?

    The history of curling

    No one knows the exact origins of curling, but there is evidence of the sport (or something like it) being played by monks on frozen lakes and ponds in Scotland in the 16th century. Farmers would join in curling games during the winter months, and as the sport evolved through the 1800s, it became more organized. Rules were formalized, and people began traveling to watch and participate in competitions held outdoors in large Scottish cities. The Scots eventually took the sport with them to other countries, and by the 1900s, curling had transformed from a Scottish outdoor pastime into an international, mostly indoor sport.

    How does curling work as a sport?

    Curling is played by two teams of four, with each team aiming to get its eight stones closest to the center of a target called a “house.” Teams alternate “throwing” their stones, which really means gliding them along the ice. Sweepers brush the ice to help guide the stones, while the team captain, or “skip,” gives directions, often by yelling, to place the stones where they want them to go.

    After all 16 stones are thrown, the team with a stone closest to the center of the house scores one point for each of its stones that landed inside the house. The other team does not score at all in that round, called an “end.” There are eight or 10 ends per game, depending on the event, and the team with the most points after all the ends have been played is the winner.

    Here’s a visual explainer that goes through the basics:

    Fun facts about curling

    Tara Peterson of the USA Curling National Team shared some interesting facts about curling with Columbia Sportswear:

    • Modern curling stones are made of granite that comes from only two places: a quarry in Wales and an uninhabited island off the coast of Scotland called Ailsa Craig.
    • Curling is called curling because of the way the stone curves depending on how it’s spun, but exactly how that happens is still a bit of a scientific mystery. Curling stones actually move in the opposite direction of what the turn would normally dictate according to physics.
    • Despite the yelling, curling is considered a polite “gentleman’s” sport, with traditional etiquette rules observed before and after the game.
    • Though it may not be immediately obvious, you have to be in pretty good shape to curl. Throwing a 42-pound stone, even on ice, isn’t as easy as it looks, and the person throwing it must remain crouched close to the ground for long periods. Sweeping also requires arm strength and cardiovascular endurance.

    olympic sports, winter olympics, curling, curling stone, winter sports
    Curling requiresu00a0more athleticism than it first appears. Photo credit: Canva

    • Curlers wear two different shoes, one designed for gripping the ice and the other for sliding. The slider sole is made of Teflon or stainless steel, while the grippy sole is made of rubber.
    • Curling is called the “roaring game,” which might sound odd, but the sound of the stones gliding over the ice is apparently much louder in person than it sounds on TV.

    Every sport is more fun to watch when you actually know what you’re seeing, and curling is no exception. If you’re wondering who to watch, Canada has traditionally dominated the sport, though Sweden trails by only two medals in total Olympic curling medals. And if you’re curious how Scotland fares as the original home of the sport, its curlers compete under Great Britain’s flag.

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  • 27 words that have gone nearly “extinct” in the English language
    These old fashioned words have fallen out of fashion. – Photo credit: Canva
    ,

    27 words that have gone nearly “extinct” in the English language

    “Comely (meaning beautiful) and homely (meaning ugly).”

    Emily Shiffer

    Vernacular is always changing. Every generation has its own slang words, from Xennials to Millennials and Gen Z.

    In 2025, Dictionary.com deemed ’67’ as the word of the year. The Oxford University Press claimed the word of the year was ‘rage bait’. And Merriam-Webster claimed it was ‘slop’.

    These trendy words are here today, and will likely be gone tomorrow. And language lovers on Reddit shared their favorite old-fashioned words that have gone nearly extinct in English today (and many they wish would make a comeback).

    “Overmorrow. It means ‘the day after tomorrow’.” – TheGloveMan

    “I remember the word ‘grody’ from the 90s. It meant gross or yucky.” – Glittering_Age_5591

    “Comely (meaning beautiful) and homely (meaning ugly).” oddwithoutend, Suspicious_Art9118

    “Rolodex. There was something great about those. My own was a desk model with a lockable closing cover. Something about the tangibleness, the physicality and the control. Having the different kinds of cards and card covers, hearing them click when you spun it. I was sad to let it go.” Matsunosuperfan, BASerx8

    “Bitchin’ (meaning excellent).” – fox3actual

    “Yellow pages.” – Matsunosuperfan

    “Copacetic.” – Matsunosuperfan

    “Lunting: walking while smoking a pipe.” – RainbowWarrior73

    @pbsdigitalstudios

    Wouldn’t it be a dilly idea to bring back these 1900s slang words!? Which one fractured you the most ? Let us know in the comments and catch up on episodes of Otherwords with @Dr. Erica Brozovsky on the Stoired YouTube channel! #slang #english #language #linguistics #history #vintage @PBS

    ♬ original sound – PBS Digital Studios

    “Only a ‘square’ would remember things like that.” – EighthGreen

    “‘Cattywampus’ also sometimes known as ‘catawampus’. A cool word that you don’t hear much anymore.” – Dead_Is_Better

    “I use finagle and my high school students think I’m so weird. I’m 47. This word is normal.” – MLAheading

    “Handsome (when describing a woman). One day when we were talking, my mother (born 1930s) referred to the late Queen Mary (as in the wife of King George V) as a ‘handsome woman.’ We tend to see photos of Queen Mary in her later years, but earlier photos show that she was quite beautiful. However, I believe my mother’s comment was about more than just her beauty, and included her overall effect. Queen Mary always seemed to be tall, composed and imposing.” Odd-Scheme6535, Popular-Solution7697

    “Maybe not extinct but it’s meaning completely obliterated: nonplussed.” – LeFreeke

    “Oblige. Rarely hear it except in old westerns.” – ReadySetGO0

    “Druthers.” – Embarrassed_Wrap8421

    “Bogart. Monopolizing something that’s meant to be shared.” – CoderJoe1

    “Bumbershoot.” – kelariy

    “Ne’er-do-well. From the early 20th century, basically some who never-does -well, implying a slacker or underachiever. Although people never said it even when I was growing up, I still think it’s a cool word.” – fabgwenn

    “Niggardly. Meaning cheap or skimpy when it comes to giving. Someone said it during a press event once and some people thought it meant something racist. No one has ever used that word since.” – wawa2022

    “Whippersnapper – a young and inexperienced person considered to be presumptuous or overconfident. I’ve heard people on TV say it, (maybe Dennis the Menace, or some other 50s show). I heard a 90 yo woman say it IRL and I laughed so hard.” – JazzFan1998

    “Forsooth.” – fingermagnets459

    “Xeroxing a document.” – C-ute-Thulu

    “Blatherskite.” – Biff_Bufflington

    “I don’t seem to hear penultimate much anymore.” – TakeMetoLallybroch

    “I’m quite fond of the word slubberdegullion, meaning ‘dirty scoundrel’. I use it frequently when I talk to my senior, who is a rather clean upstanding citizen. We laugh and then he tells me to get back to work.” – r-pics-sux

    “Frippery, at least in American English (think it’s used in France for thrift shops?)” – KobayashiWaifu

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  • Man hires Austin Powers impersonator ‘just for himself’ and it’s delightfully awkward
    An Austin Powers impersonator shows up in Chase Hofer's apartment. – Photo credit: Photo Credit: Chase Hofer, Instagram
    , ,

    Man hires Austin Powers impersonator ‘just for himself’ and it’s delightfully awkward

    “You must live alone!”

    Cecily Knobler

    It was groovy, baby. Chase Hofer woke up one day and decided to hire an Austin Powers impersonator to just, well, come over. And that he did, creating a brilliantly funny and equally awkward exchange between two guys just hanging in an apartment. (Albeit one of them was dressed head to toe as the infamous English ladies’ man.)

    For those unfamiliar with the Austin Powers franchise, comedian Mike Myers created and played the character in a series of three films directed by Jay Roach. The gist was that Powers is a British international spy who loved crushed velvet suits and “shagging” and wasn’t ashamed of either. The purposely cringe-heavy dialogue created hours of fun, and the ’60s spy satire was blatant.

    In the clip, Hofer opens the door to find “Austin Powers” (as played by actual impersonator Richard Halpern) dressed in his trademark blue velour suit, frilly white shirt, and thick black glasses. They shake hands, and Halpern immediately says, “You must be Chase, baby! What a grip you have. You must live alone!” They laugh uproariously.

    Halpern asks, “So what do you want me to do? Like what I would do at a party?” He then begins laughing maniacally, pacing and yelling out some of his catchphrases—most notably, “Oh, BEHAVE.” After turning to his smartphone, he remembers a line that would only work if looking at a woman’s chest area: “Oh, you make a lovely couple.” This lands awkwardly, as he tries to explain that it’s a “boobie” reference. Hofer assures him he got it, though it’s a “different time.”

    @chase_hofer

    Yeah baby yeah

    ♬ original sound – Chase Hofer

    From there, the awkwardness just gets better. Halpern is now lounging on the couch. Hofer asks, “Did you watch the Super Bowl?” He answers, “Oh yeah, yeah sure I did.” Hofer follows this up with, “Are you more of a soccer guy since… U.K.?” He yells, “Soccer, I don’t even know her!” Hofer attempts to feign a laugh, but it putters out pretty quickly.

    The room is incredibly quiet for a bit, followed by a little more forced banter. The clip ends with the two of them watching a rap performance on TV in complete silence.

    The comments on both Hofer’s TikTok and Instagram page are also truly observant and funny. One points out the commitment to the bit: “Dude has the car and everything.”

    Austin Powers, Mike Myers, impersonator, viral video, Union Jack flag
    Austin Powers impersonator arrives at Chase Hofer's apartment. Photo Credit: Kenneth Webb, TikTok

    Another jokes, “When the Austin Powers impersonator thinks YOU’RE the weirdo.”

    On Instagram, a person references the rap performance they’re watching, noting, “The 2016 XXL freshman cypher at the end is pure gold. PURE GOLD.”

    Upworthy had a chance to chat with Hofer, who shares how the idea sparked. “I came up with the idea after doing it with a magician! The magician was a friend of mine. So I thought it would be great to do it with this Austin Powers impersonator that my friends have worked with.”

    Said aforementioned impersonator has been playing Austin Powers for ages. “Austin was played by this man on Instagram known as ‘Austin Powers Impersonator.’ He’s been doing this professionally for more than 25 years.”

    (Note: On Richard Halpern’s Instagram page, he lets it be known that he’s L.A.-based and “ready for YOUR event.”)

    We asked if Halpern had been given a heads up. “Basically, I gave him the rundown that it’d just be us two, and then I rolled non-stop for 30 minutes. So it was basically all improv.”

    As for Myers himself, Hofer is a fan. “I have not met Mike Myers! Big fan though. I felt like I was watching him a couple of days ago!”

    As popular as this clip has become, some wonder if this cringe humor would be too much for younger generations. On the Reddit thread, “Does Generation Z enjoy the Austin Powers movies or find them offensive and outdated?” the OP writes, “I recently watched Austin Powers with my nephew. He found half of it funny, but the other half he didn’t really get. Some jokes he thought were racist and not funny. This made me wonder, Gen Z, do you like these movies, or do you find them offensive and outdated?”

    The OP adds, “Personally, I found these movies really funny. I love that Mike Myers has the laugh-per-minute dialed up in these movies. There’s constant jokes… nonstop jokes. Definitely some of the jokes lost their luster from when I was 19 years old. But the jokes are still there.”

    This thread received nearly 3,000 comments. One Redditor wasn’t bothered at all, noting that being offensive is the POINT. “That seems funny to me because Austin Powers is a direct parody of the old Bond movies, so the overt sexual and offensive jokes are part of the satire.”

    Another points out that it’s all relative, writing, “The weird thing is that despite Austin being a complete and total horndog, he’s also weirdly more respectful than a lot of characters at the time or since. There’s a scene in one of the movies (I can’t remember which one) where the female co-lead is finally willing to sleep with him after he’s been unsuccessfully hitting on her most of the movie, and he respectfully turns her down because she’s drunk as a skunk and he has the decency to not take advantage of someone who’s inebriated and thus can’t consent.”

    Perhaps Dr. Evil (also played by Myers in the Austin Powers films) said it best when he pointed out in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery: “I’ve been frozen for thirty years, okay?”

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  • 28 things people around the world thought movies made up about America but are totally real
    Older couple sit in their home dressed in denim, holding red SOLO cups, surrounded by mini American flags. – Photo credit: Canva
    ,

    28 things people around the world thought movies made up about America but are totally real

    “Red Solo Cups.”

    Emily Shiffer

    Movies are all about magic. They tell stories that amplify and elaborate on the mundane bits of everyday life—leaving viewers questioning if things they see on the big screen are really real, or just portrayed that way.

    For non-Americans enjoying American films, the movies can give them some pretty whacky ideas about what American culture is really like. But sometimes, how America is portrayed in the movies is actually spot-on.

    People on Reddit discussed the things they’ve seen in American movies that actually are legitimate. From diners to the ‘burbs to Greek life and more, these are 28 things that really exist in America—and not just the movies.

    People

    “Cowboys. I mean I knew they were real and that some people dressed like the Hollywood version of cowboys but I did not realize it was still a present day job and that people still dress that way to do it.” – Cougarette99

    “Firefighters coming to help bring down a cat from a tree. I was visiting relatives one summer and one of the house cats climbed a tree and wouldn’t come down. I came up with the idea of calling the fire department, thinking they’d laugh me off and hang up, but sure enough, they came with a truck, ladders, gear, everything, and helped bring the cat down successfully.” – mrcmnt

    “Baggers in the grocery store. And door greeters in completely normal supermarkets.” – interesseret

    “‘More coffee, hon?’ On a visit to the US, driving through Nevada or Utah we stopped at a diner and as we were entering I joked around saying something like ‘if the waitress is wearing an apron and calls me honey I’ll lose my sh*t’. Was. Not. Disappointed.” – Jaimebgdb, Urik88

    Places

    “The way suburbia looks. I’m American and sent a picture of the street my home is on to a German friend and he was like ‘it looks like a movie set’.” – NewAnything8221

    “Waiting all day in the DMV. Even when I had to do car stuff in the person, I was never anywhere for an entire day sorting it out.” – ocelotrevs

    “Going into a bar for a drink, and sitting at the bar, by yourself. Chatting to the bartender. Chatting to the random person next to you. I always thought that was something put in TV shows just so they could make up a reason for someone to chat to the bartender, or pour out their woes, or whatever. People don’t sit by themselves at the bar anywhere else. I tried it in Australia and got weird looks.” – the_rain_keeps_comin

    “Diners and breakfast tradition? Don’t know if I should call it like that but I would see in movies how diners would be a tradition to go at breakfast and it’s really like that, those diners are busy!!” – ainacct

    Things

    “The over-the-top Halloween parties where everyone took a large amount of effort to dress up. Yep that is accurate.” – dion_o

    “The length of a CVS receipt.” – OptimistPrime527

    “The insane medical advertisements with a million side effects said in rapid fire at the end. We visited my husband bestie in 2019, when we were watching something on tv while eating dinner we saw our first one. Genuinely turned to him like ‘that’s satire, right?’” – Myhandsarecold11

    “Red Solo Cups. I thought they were just a Hollywood prop used to hide alcohol brands or signify ‘party scene.’ I went to a college party in Ohio and they were literally everywhere. I was shook.” – Unlikely_Praline9442

    Schools

    “The fraternity/sorority scene in college. I was an international student at UT Austin and it was a crazy realization that the movie depictions of college life is actually underwhelming. I witnessed shit that could not be legally portrayed in movies. You people are crazy.” – lucas14qr

    “The yellow school buses that have a flip out stop sign.” – MudMonyet22

    “Prom culture. The king/queen stuff.” – kyubeyt

    “lol I’m American from the CA coast and while we had high school football, I thought that it being a huge deal was only in movies/tv. Then I moved to Georgia and later Texas. Hahaha omg. Wow. I was wrong lol.” – TakeMeBackToCA831

    @iamsoldana

    The school system in the USA really is like the movies?????? #usa #america #highschool #americaninparis #americanhighschool #americancollege #americanculture

    ♬ original sound – Soldana

    Food

    “I am an American who lived overseas for many years, and had many friends on social media when I returned home. I posted a photo of Chinese food takeout in those white square boxes and had dozens of my friends from overseas react in surprise- they thought it was only something they did in movies.” – Kateseesu

    “‘Have a nice day’ everywhere all the time and blueberry muffins.” – AlfredLuan

    “The free refill at restaurants.” – craftlover221b

    New York City

    “All the smoke/steam coming out the vents on the road in New York in the movies.” – curious__curiosity

    “I got off a bus in New York and a newspaper blew past me. I could imagine the camera panning up from my shoes…” – JunkoKumaki

    “I got off a bus in New York and a dude came up to me, opened his jacket, and tried to sell me one of many ‘Rolexes’ he had hanging inside his coat. I legit thought that was strictly a movie thing, and I’m American!” – Ataru13

    “And constant police/ambulance sounds. I thought it’s bullshit until I came to live here. Now my daughters say the street noise is calming :).” – romario77

    “Manhattan. I remember my first trip and was like ‘Oh my God this is all fucking real’.” – fenton7

    Nature

    “Fireflies are pretty wild, you sure do just have swarms of glowing bugs.” – WehingSounds

    “Tumbleweeds. I was actually flabbergasted when I went to visit the US and people were casually talking about tumbleweeds. I thought they were just a thing in cartoons.” – PlanetoidVesta

    “I’m an American, an Alabamian. I made friends with a guy at work who is Russian. He was new to the country, so we’d invite him to come over and eat with us all the time. One summer afternoon, we were sitting on our back deck drinking beer and a hummingbird whizzed past his ear. Alex totally freaked out. I had to point out our hummingbird feeder to him. He sat there the entire day just mesmerized by the things. They really are magical when you stop to think about them.” – AnybodySeeMyKeys

    “Skunks! I genuinely thought they were a mythical creature of cartoon origins. Why? I don’t know. I guess I thought they were implausible, like unicorns. They don’t exist in Europe, so I only knew of them from cartoons, and from sitcom jokes. I made assumptions about their existence that went unchallenged until I was 27.” – difractional

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