Another promo for E's house, aka Jo Dee Messina's childhood home. Check it out in the Globe. The gray box above is Jo dee singing Bye Bye.

hi chien chi!

Dear Chien Chi,
We visited your old stomping grounds. We ate dim sum at the restaurant you took us to once, the one with the shrimp and lobsters in tanks by the door. We saw the old men gambling in the park. We did not see your prostitutes and pimps. These men did not like it when I took their picture. We were sorry you were not here. Michele says hi. Love to Cheryl.
PS
In answer to your question, people get married lest they forget what shitheads they are.

faux cils

Maman et fille mettent les false eyelashes. Que belles!

just a memory

How evanescent are the snows of yesterday (or the day before)—just a memory of purity melted into a pool of grime. The self-styled French Invasion has returned to watch TV and visit the M & M store in Time Square. Ah, America, that thy cold commercial heart could melt like polar caps during global warming.

whose granddaughter is this?

Okay, who's voting?

why didn't i marry for money?

One wonders while overlooking Central Park with the old college ties.

neither rain nor snow nor sleet

. . . could keep the travelers from their rental cars.

street, obscured

Yay! Finally snow! Except that Michele et famille and Ed unt crew are trying to fly in today, and Keri is trying to drive to Vermont to take farm pictures for Horizon organic milk. All in all, not the best travel day.

moon, consumed

the artist's studio

PS Don't forget, a total eclipse of the moon tnight at 8:43, if it's clear enough.

february thaw

The view from Joe and Holly's house. I did not put the bananas in my backpack. I put them in the refrigerator. I doubt they're that good any more.

goin up country

gonna paint my mailbox blue

off to the Berkshires

Don't know how the surf will be up there. Anon.

winter tree

H sends this postcard from the North Countree. I will be going to meet winter myself tomorrow, in the fabled Berkshires, home of famed painter Kate Knapp. See link.

here we go again

It's still February, and before I was even awake I was building cabinets and buying washing machines and trying to decide whether to paint the porch railings white like on the other house. You can enlarge by clicking on the pic.
Well, what do you think? White?
Also. Frank sent me The Best Web Storefront Ever.

mountain/sea

I've been reading about the mountains, and dreaming about the sea shore. Yes, those are kataks (sp?) from the Himalayas. The conch shells are from Jamaica.

Claudia says

hook up or break up

It's your last chance. Tomorrow is the Big Relationship Day. The pressure is on. Do you have a sweetheart? Is your sweetheart really your sweetheart? Face the facts before they hit you over the head. And if you do decide to break up, post an obituary for the relationship on http://www.relationshipobit.com/

monster

I was walking down the street at night when I saw a monster. Then I got up close and it turned out to be this leaf, rampant. I took it home and introduced it to its brother.

claudia says

swept under the rug

. . . not my rug. H's.

road trips

Perhaps it's the 50 degree weather. Or the fact that it's Febuary. Or that we almost went on a Carribean weekend but bagged it on account of weather (yes, in the Carribean, if you can imagine). I usually go on a loop south through Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana and up home through Missouri. This year, we're thinking of adding a Key West leg. What do you think? It's an awfully long way. We could spend longer in the Ozarks and maybe go floating if we didn't go to the Keys.
Then there's the question of the vehicle. It's fun in the truck because we all sit (tightly) up front. Also because we inevitably have a truckload of stuff. But I need the truck to make it through the summer, and it's getting pretty old. Also gas costs a lot. Should we rent?

the ex wives of dbg

Cowboy boots on Wall Street.

a very long lunch

. . .that turned into dinner

honeymoon block island

Indulge each other in your own cozy casa by the sea
. . . walk on the beach
. . .light a fire
. . .have a bubble bath
. . . snuggle under down quilts
. . .listen to the waves
Hannah’s Honeymoon Hideaway Weekends
June, September, October
$2000 Champagne Included

A neighboring house is also available
Reserve: Offshore Property 401-466-5446

no electioneering

OK, so enough with the electioneering already. But—is it just me or is this the most exciting primary ever? Or maybe it's just the TV. Super Bowl and Super Tuesday. I swear I'll take the thing out before November. Actually, I'm taking it out next month.
In other news on the addiction front, today is the twelfth and last day of my lemonade fast. Well, actually, today is a transitional orange juice day. I'm feeling excellent (if a little stupid—the brain may require protein), I'm feeling virtuous (always novel), and I'm feeling lighter by about ten pounds (only about thirty more to go). There is one substance I commonly indulge in that I'm missing dreadfully.
Can you guess what it is?

PS E's house went on the market today. Check it out here.

nuff said

why i don't have a tv

I watched the Super Bowl last night. The entire thing—commercials, play—and only about one second of the Puppy Bowl. The Super Bowl was too gripping (how about those Giants!). I even found myself making the sign of the goal post at the end when the Giants made their last touchdown.
Have I gone sports mad? No. I am just exhibiting the incipient signs of TV addiction. And the only thing an all-or-nothing kinda girl can do to keep it under control is never to turn the damn thing on. Not having one works even better. I put this one in for my mother (with cable) and will take it out after some visitors from France (with kids) depart. Then I will be safe again.
But I can see it now. Tomorrow's election returns. . .
Oh and, BTW, who are you voting for?

surfers' poll

Super Bowl is today. Being a New Yorker/New Englander it's tough to know who to root for. Except, Tom Petty, of course. Always rooting for Tom Petty. At Puppy Bowl, simultaneously on Animal Channel, you can root for all the players. And don't miss the kitten halftime show!

Of more interest, Super Tuesday is coming up. Let's take an unofficial poll.
So.
Who are you voting for?

they really liked it

Apparently the folks doing this rehab of an old mill liked the first mural CG did for them so much that they want another one. Wheels within wheels.
Don't forget you can click on the pic and see the mural better.

it's all art

Actually Kate Knapp did a whole Shoes series, though now she's painting a lot of dog portraits. Check them out on the link at the right. Yes, another life-long artist struggling to make a financial go of it. As far as I can figure out, there are two routes to making it as an artist: 1) Family money or 2) Low overhead.