Dolly’s Spay Recovery Surprises, Universe 25 Refresher, and a True Crime Binge (Ep. 863)
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This week’s episode covers a little bit of everything: a candid update on Dolly’s spay recovery and the surprisingly loose aftercare advice we received, a thought-provoking walk-through of Universe 25 (the infamous mouse “utopia” experiment that keeps echoing through modern culture), and a renewed true crime docuseries kick that had us revisiting events from the 90s and early 2000s with fresh eyes. I wrap with a quick cabin road/delivery update and our running Bitcoin price guess game from the Telegram chat.
Grab a mug—today’s pick is Survivor Series Aces Blend from Food Forest Farms—and let’s dive in.
Coffee of the Week: Survivor Series Aces Blend
I’m sipping Survivor Series Aces Blend—a light Colombian base for that classic “coffee tastes like coffee” profile, blended with light Ethiopian for a gentle floral top note, and rounded with a medium Nicaraguan for a bigger mouthfeel and chocolatey finish. It’s a solid early-morning cup and pairs perfectly with a chilly November start.
Try Food Forest Farms: Premium small-batch roasts at foodforestfarms.com. Use code LOTS10 for 10% off + free shipping.
The Survivor twin pack (Aces & Eights) is available for a limited run—worth a taste test if you want two distinctly enjoyable morning cups.
Dolly’s Spay: Conflicting Aftercare Advice (and What We Actually Saw)
We brought Dolly in for her spay and expected the standard 10–14 days of activity restriction, cone/onesie, and pain meds. That’s what the internet says. That’s what most vets communicate. Instead, we picked her up the next morning to… no pain meds, no strict restrictions, and a casual “she should be fine—just keep an eye on her.”
Our reaction was pretty much “Wait, what?”
What the internet said vs. what we were told
- Typical guidance online:
- 10–14 days activity restriction (no jumping, wrestling, zoomies).
- E-collar or recovery suit to prevent licking.
- Pain management for 1–3 days.
- Monitor incision twice daily; watch litter dust.
- What we were told at pickup:
- “She’s fine.”
- “Keep an eye on her.”
- No specific pain med plan.
How Dolly actually did
Dolly settled in quickly—groggy day one, then gradually more active. The dogs (especially Clyde) were thrilled to have her home. We watched play closely and noticed Clyde instinctively dialed down the energy around her. No incision issues so far; appetite and litter habits returned to normal within 24 hours.
Takeaway for our situation: Sometimes minimal intervention works—but it was jarring to hear such a stark contrast from common guidance. We monitored closely and let Dolly set the pace. If anything looked off, we were ready to call.
Universe 25: Why a 1968 Mouse Experiment Still Gets People Talking
Every few years Universe 25 pops back into my head—usually when something in the world feels… familiar. In 1968, John B. Calhoun created a mouse “utopia” with unlimited food, water, nesting, and no predators—a world with needs met and only space as the constraint. The population soared, then behavior unraveled. Calhoun observed a consistent pattern across repeated trials:
- Population boom: Abundance fuels rapid growth.
- Overcrowding pressure: Even without scarcity, proximity induces stress.
- Behavior changes: Aggression, isolation, maternal neglect.
- Collapse: Mice stop mating and parenting; social structure fails.
- The “Beautiful Ones” emerged—typically males who withdrew from society, obsessively groomed, didn’t compete for mates, and focused only on self-maintenance.
Calhoun reportedly replicated similar outcomes many times, which is why the experiment still gets referenced whenever society looks a bit frayed at the edges.
Does it map to humans?
That’s the perennial debate. Mice aren’t people; real life isn’t a lab box. But the pattern—abundance → density → social strain → apathy/isolation—feels uncomfortably familiar in certain contexts. It’s at least a useful thought exercise: if needs are “met,” do we lose something essential in our social fabric and purpose? Or are there counter-pressures in human culture (faith, family, creative work, mission) that prevent the mouse trajectory?
Either way, Universe 25 is a good mental reset—reminds me to cultivate meaningful purpose, real connection, and healthy constraints.
The True Crime Docuseries Loop: Why We’re Back
We slid back into a true crime docuseries groove—starting with the Oklahoma City bombing, then revisiting cases like Laci Peterson and JonBenét Ramsey, and exploring several stories we missed the first time. I’m especially drawn to events I lived through; revisiting them now, with distance and better reporting, exposes the differences between initial coverage and a fuller record.
One thing that stood out while watching archival news clips: the buzzwords and frames feel very familiar. Decades pass, platforms change, but the cycle of speculation → narrative lock-in → correction repeats. It’s instructive to see how early reporting shapes expectations—and how often those assumptions age poorly.
We’ll keep the playlist rolling and see which series spark bigger conversations in upcoming episodes.
Cabin Update: Roads, Clay, Deliveries… and Decisions
Quick cabin build note. The access road is the variable of the week. We had a stretch of dry, sunny, and windy weather, and I successfully drove in and out—but the surface is still bare clay in key sections. It’s rock-hard in places and modeling-clay slick where there’s any moisture or edge loading. Two hills define the challenge: one long steady climb and one shorter but steep approach.
Momentum, tire placement in previously compacted tracks, and patient throttle made it doable. But I’m still hesitant to green-light deliveries until the road is topped with rock. If a driver gets stuck after I say “you’re good,” I feel responsible. Windows and doors are due this week per the original timeline—so we may need a temporary holding plan unless the road finish happens first.
Progress is progress, even if it’s not the sequence we’d hoped for. We’ll keep clearing the solar field, tightening up prep, and stacking what we can control.
Bitcoin Corner: The Guessing Game Rolls On
We keep a running Bitcoin price guess each week in the LOTS Telegram chat. Last week’s winning “prize of nothing” went to Carson, and my new guess landed at $111,111 for next Monday’s show. If you want in on the fun (and the bragging rights), jump in the chat and drop a number.
Join the community: Come hang out in our Telegram group—ask questions, share projects, or just lurk and sip coffee. It’s a friendly, filter-free corner of the internet.
Sponsors & Resources Mentioned
- Food Forest Farms — Premium small-batch coffee. Use LOTS10 for 10% off + free shipping.
https://foodforestfarms.com - Blockstream Jade / Jade Plus — Self-custody your Bitcoin. Use code TheLOTSProject for 10% off.
https://store.blockstream.com/?code=TheLOTSProject - Signature Solar — Gear and components for your solar build.
https://signaturesolar.com/?ref=LOTS - ComfreyRoots.com — Bocking #4 comfrey crowns and cuttings for regenerative gardens.
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