493 Comments
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Jeff Tiedrich's avatar

let me once more repeat my comment from previous days off, "by the way, I am very aware of how lucky and privileged I am. most people do not have a hundred thousand or more people who care about them. that has to make a difference in the grieving process. so, once again, thank you. I love you all"

Prima Sarcastica's avatar

And we love you too, Jeff. Sending hugs, love, and good vibes your way. Claudia was a beautiful lady who I am sure had a beautiful soul. Take care of yourself and thanks for all you do for all of us.

Michelle Kenoyer's avatar

What Prima said. Thanks so much for helping to keep us all moored and sane in these crazy fucktacular times. Much love to you and your family.

Bonnie Council's avatar

What they both said. You are the glue that keeps us together. I'm glad we're here for you, too.

Carol Blankenship's avatar

I’m thinking of you and sending love. Grieving is hard. The pictures of Claudia are beautiful; post more whenever you can.

Diana's avatar

Carol- I was going to post this as well♥️

Deborah Cotter's avatar

How perfectly lovely Claudia is in both photos. Thank you for sharing them, and do take as many days as you need, whenever you need. We will all be here sending love and support.

dameemstr@icloud.com's avatar

I will steal your post, Deborah…….I cannot think of a better way to say what you did!

We love and support you Jeff, and take these days to go through pictures, of you and your lady!

I am surrounded by pictures of my life with my husband, and it does help me!

Bob Bowden's avatar

“I feel adrift and unmoored, and I miss Claudia so much.”

Of course you do and please know, from the perspective of your readers on Substack your ship is stable in the water. You may not see the chain and the anchor but it’s still holding you right where you want to be, Jeff

Kathleen Weber's avatar

Young Claudia was a fox. Old Claudia looks like Jane Goodall. You look like an old chimp who needs a good friend.

Tetherless? Dissociation which is a kind of retreat from reality is one way to deal with unbearable pain. I wish I could benignly wrap you in a thunder blanket to hold together all the innards that want hurl themselves into nothingness.

Margaret Carreiro's avatar

Those photos of Claudia spanning the arc of time and your love for her are beautiful. My heart aches for you. Take all the breaks you need. We will still be here when you return.

Bob's avatar

We feel your heart break, Jeff.

Claudia Montague Wheatley's avatar

Listen: From things you told us about Claudia and the two of you, she GOT you on a level that few people are lucky enough to experience. You were loved for being exactly who you are, 10/10 no notes, and she clearly enjoyed playing along with your brain-games.* It's something we all want in a partner, but not everyone gets.

So take days off when you need to. Got any plans with family this summer?

* I mean this in the best way possible. Two smart people, trading insights and jokes—it's heaven for people like us.

Barb Powell's avatar

Glad you are paying g attention to self care. It’s always there but you learn to cope over time … we’re with you every step of the journey

Jan Moon's avatar

Jeff . . . as Barb says, pay attention to self care. Always, always do you first. We'll wait as long as it takes. We all love you and weep with you. And also laugh our asses off with you when it's appropriate. Be well. We'll be here.

Permian Extinction's avatar

Can we just make a rule? No more apologies for mental health days. Just post what you feel like, or not. We Know.

myhoopbabies's avatar

I like this idea. We're coming back for more whenever there is more, guaranteed. And I still laughed and cried reading this short-ish post.

Linda Weide's avatar

This is from someone on Malcolm Nance's Substack Podcast.

"There once was a chump named Trump

Who's head was stuck in his Rump

It developed a boil

He drilled it for oil

And charged you to keep up the pump."

Cheers Jeff!

michellefromchicago's avatar

Ms. Spouse was a beautiful woman who really did not change that much over the years. Hugs to you, Uncle Jeff. Blessings on you in your mourning

MountainBoyMike's avatar

oh man Jeff, this got to me...I can't imagine losing my partner...losing my mother - which is supposed to happen after 85 years of life - wrecked me...so much love to you and thank you for sharing your grief with us, it's good to know it makes a difference for you

Lairbo's avatar

Lovely pix of Claudia. Thanks for sharing.

Ann Anderson's avatar

From the look in her eyes, Claudia had your number from the get. I ache for you, Jeff. How awfully frickin painful.

Pamela Blunt's avatar

Losing the love of your life is brutal.

Margaret's avatar

Thank you, Jeff. Sending love.

Jeff Tiedrich's avatar

today in Shit That Happened While I Was Busy Writing This Shit—

"Trump, Iran are locked in high-stakes standoff as oil prices hit 4-year high"

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/04/30/trump-iran-standoff-strait-hormuz/

awesome job, Donny

Tess's avatar

Time for his space flight!!!!! (that you mentioned years ago!!!

Linda McCaughey's avatar

Can we please limit the fuel supply to one way only? And give him Hegseth and Elon for company?? And Miller and KKKaroline and, and....we're gonna need a bigger boat.

James Vander Poel's avatar

I wanted a repeat of the launching of the Tesla roadster that Elon did some years back... with Elon and Donny in the seats, and enough oxygen to reach moon orbit. Let them ruminate on the vastness of space as they exhaust their air supply.

Linda McCaughey's avatar

OOOOO----- how delicious!!!

Terri Nighswonger's avatar

I will help raise $ to send him to Mars or any place out of our orbit. Send them all. Especially hogs breath.

THEY ARE THE STUPIDEST HUMANS ON EARTH.

SO FLAMING DUMB!!!!

Selfish MORANS.

Pam Humphrey's avatar

They’re not just ignorant, they are all incredibly annoying. Imagine the hell of being on that spaceship with that crew.

Michelle Vancura's avatar

One day at a time, Jeff. There’s no time limit on grief. It does get better, but can sneak up like the bastard it is and hit you hard. You do you, we’ll be here for you.❤️

Patricia Poohkay's avatar

Oh gosh Michelle - with all due respect - January 5, 2027 will be 20 years since my daughter’s passing. For me it doesn’t get better. I used to say it gets different. But even that does not describe it. I guess one just learns to go on despite the pain 🇨🇦

Chris Hierholzer's avatar

It would have to be a really big rocket because of the size of the bathroom with all the files he fucking stole. Let's not forget the diapers too and some other shit he'd need or we could just let him crap himself to death in one of those space suits.

Karen S's avatar

Also - as reported by The Other 98%: While you paid $4 at the pump, ExxonMobil made $11 billion. While you paid $4 at the pump, BP more than doubled its profits. The top 100 oil and gas companies on earth made $30 million every single hour.

That is the Iran war. That is who it is for.

The Guardian and Global Witness put a number on it. As reported by CNN and confirmed by Fortune this week, in the first month of the war alone the top 100 oil and gas companies collected $23 billion in windfall profits: money that exists only because the war happened and the price of oil spiked.

Not total profits. The bonus. BP's quarterly profits more than doubled year on year. Lockheed Martin is up nearly 40 percent since January. By December, at current prices, the projected windfall for the industry hits $234 billion.

Dana Hidalgo's avatar

Holy cow. I knew there was a reason.

Bob's avatar

The cult faithful over Elon’s Nazi Bar believe everything Secretary of War Crimes Kegsbreath says about the fabulous success of his “excursion.”

Sharon Hudnall's avatar

Kegbreath spoke to Congress as if they were Fox News viewers, stupid and credulous. We're in this war because of Iran's "nuclear aspirations," not its actual nuclear capacity which he and Trump bragged about bunker-busting away last June. And not because the U.S. has been Israel's left testicle for territorial expansion for decades.

Bob's avatar

Bibi couldn’t dupe Drumpf’s three or four previous presidents (including Biden as the most recent predecessor) to join his wet fever dream of bombing Iran and killing all the mullahs. But Donnie didn’t even care if half the shit Israel said could be done had the chances of slim to none because he’s a dope and doesn’t believe his own national security and intelligence people. $25 billion + $5 billion for damages to US bases in the region. As a point of reference, NASA’s annual budget is $25B, and it’s more than the discretionary amounts for Commerce and Interior. Trump wants to give the Pentagon 40 times that to spend on weapons wouldn’t need if A) he hadn’t started the war, and B) if the US under these ass clowns didn’t have the goal of being the bully of the Western Hemisphere.

Kim Nesvig's avatar

Seriously, do you have any doubt about Ukraine was stuck in trump’s anus/mouth? He had spent 90 minutes on the phone with his boss, Vladimir. I think we can safely assume that Vladimir is fine with Trump tanking the world economy on the odd chance that Ukraine won’t burn down all of his oil facilities before November.

Chet Brandt's avatar

Slava Ukraine! The Ukrainians have the best drone technology in the world—which can now reach deep into Russian territory! The Russian scum started the war and the Ukrainians are going to finish it!

P123Sunny's avatar

Really struggling to decide if this global ‘unplugging’ is deliberate, or…

hard to believe all of the moneyed interests would just let this go on if you get my meaning…?

SethTriggs's avatar

When you're ruled by a maladministration, what else could happen but ruin for the average people?

It sure would be great if American life helped prioritize alternatives to driving for our daily activities!

Oh well, rest assured there's very, very terrible people making oodles of cash from all this.

Toni Ballard's avatar

❤️ Take care.

SeekingReason's avatar

We understand your very normal grieving process. I’m so glad that these posts are of help to you just as they are to us. Thank you Jeff. ❤️🤗

Susan P Thatcher's avatar

We miss Ms Spouse, too.

Melissa Carter's avatar

Taking time to grieve is very important, and we will be here when you’re ready.

lflorence's avatar

Love the photos ❤️

Jodi Richard's avatar

Thank you for sharing those beautiful photos of Ms. Spouse with us Jeff. Take all the time you need to grieve this wonderful woman, we aren’t going anywhere!

Jim Smith II's avatar

Dude take all the time you need! We will all still be here. May our sympathies be a comfort

TY111's avatar

I'd hug you if I could.

Scott Zamurut's avatar

Full Blessings to you Jeff. May Claudia's memory always be a blessing as well.

Jeffrey's avatar

Peace & Love to you. Thanks for making me lol every day! ❤️

Joanne Rossmassler Fritz's avatar

We love you, Jeff! And we also understand that, though we number in the hundreds of thousands, we will never replace Ms. Spouse, nor would we want to. Please take all the time you need to grieve. And thank you for the photos of her!

Diana's avatar

Well said Joanne‼️

Steve houlette's avatar

It would be cool and understandable if you took a month my man so thanks for everything you give us.

Kathy's avatar
4hEdited

Sending love and hugs and wishes for moments of peace. ❤️‍🩹

Stephanie Lajeskie's avatar

Also, I wish the astronauts had told Donny that his bone spurs would’ve disqualified him from spaces exploration.

Diana's avatar

Priceless… thank you💥

Bonnie Boyce's avatar

What a beautiful, exemplary tribute to the one you loved most! Thank you.