new york

loving

While I was at ICP paying tribute to CCC, I also saw Grey Villet's famous LIFE story (more pix here) about the Lovings, a couple who married in DC because "miscegenation" was verboten in Virginia, their home state. They were arrested in bed in the middle of the night and proceeded to fight their case all the way to the Supreme Court. They won in 1967 and spent the rest of their married lives together. Forty years later in 2007, shortly before she died, Mildred wrote, "I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard's and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight, seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That’s what Loving, and loving, are all about."
   Oddly, I am at work on a LIFE-style picture story for ex-LIFE editors also about racism, activism and art. Subject: collage artist Romare Bearden.

before the flood

Looks like Zone AE in Block Island, where I have FEMA flood insurance on one house. But being as this rain means flood season is coming up in Missouri, I thought I'd look into flood insurance there. After much fussing on the website, I ascertained that the Goose is indeed in Zone A. If you look at where the two rivers meet, there is a tiny grid of the town under water. That would be T'ville and the Goose. However, after further research I found that the town of T'ville "does not participate" in the FEMA program. Whatever else that means, It definitely means no insurance for me. Just the usual prayer: The good lord willin' and the creeks don't rise. Oh wait, I'm told that's Creeks, as in Indians. Oh well.

rainy day

No, there's no such thing as climate change. It's only 53 in the depths of January in New York City. The daffodils are up in Alabama two months early, and they say every summer now they have a drought. It's been icier than usual in the Ozarks in the past few years. The ice caps are melting, and there's a war on for oil and mineral rights in the Arctic—now that it's not so arctic—and for fishing rights in the Antarctic. Keep your raincoat, your woolies and your tank tops packed. You never know what you'll be needing.

Are you jealous? J sends in "Remains of the Day," a picture of her current location: Courchevel,  Les Trois Vallees,  France. I am not jealous of the skiing. The beverage, maybe. . .

family time

It happens more seldom these days, but there are the occasional gala evenings when the Artist is in the country and Danger Man hauls his ass out of Brooklyn and we foregather to talk about art and journalism and travels. And less erudite things like health and friends and dogs. And really, how lucky we are to be able to do it. Quadruple happiness.

the way it is

I am still totally in love with this toon app even though it does make people look like Dorian Gray's portrait.

And in the latest news, the Alabama contingent was baking cookies and didn't even know about the storm, a Democrat's cat was killed in Arkansas and left on the pol's doorstep with the word "liberal" painted on it, 40 snowy owls were spotted in Missouri, friend Allison Adato's book, Smart Chefs Stay Slim,  was plugged in Mark Bittman's column in the NYT, and Chien-Chi Chang held court at his opening at the International Center for Photography, everybody still hates Newt Gingrich and how about those Patriots!

how about those giants?

Ready but not eager

Sour cream sans chips

happy new year!

Or gongxi fa cai. Year of the water dragon is supposed to be a very creative time.

The video for Wear Your Music is underway, including a cast of, well, quite a few, including a number of relatives (above). Those of you who have questions about just exactly what a guitar string bracelet is and how they are made should have them answered once and for all.

dada-ism

Well, in this picture Dada is 34. Now he's twice that. Happy birthday!

no web for you today

living in the future

That's the lot: Everything booked but Labor Day for 2012. Yes, some people may lose everything on 'change and need their money back, but basically all is set from June 22 to mid September. So, yes, the PR portion of this blog is in abeyance for a bit.
And speaking of the ocean, how about that cruise shipwreck?  and this fishing boat off Block Island?

fore and aft

fore

aft

Meanwhile, this is the guardhouse to my castle, and this is the guard at his post. My nevvie made it past last night. Okay, it may look as we're in the top 1 percent, but I assure you it's no such thing. Check out your percentage in this interactive map. And if you want to feel rich, check out how you compare in Memphis or Mississippi or Alabama or Arkansas or Detroit. I have this dream. But so far no reality.

my home is my castle

OK guys, I keep saying that the Ozarks are a bargain for homeownership, but check this out: A castle for $1.8 million. That's what my apartment would go for in New York!
    My commune for aging women would fit comfortably in here. It's not far from that fabu entertainment center called Branson (direct flights!) and should be pretty close to the new American Art Museum for the Recordbooks. I cannot find that has a pool, which could be a serious problem, but look at the listing for yourself. Maybe the nine-foot fireplace and the 13 bathrooms make up for the lack of a pool. Might need a trust fund for maintenance, but let's crunch the numbers: If 12 people (the number of bedrooms) put in $200,000 apiece, that allows $600,000 in the bank for expenses. Judging by the Goose ($48/yr), annual property taxes wouldn't be prohibitive. We could hire help! I mean serfs. . .

bulwark

Yes, that's the white line on the makai side of Corn Neck Road. If the waves are 11 to 16 feet today and the water is already coming across the road by the Beach Head, it's just a thin crust of rock and sand that keeps the water from pouring down the driveway. We didn't call it Claudia's Surf City for nothin'!

really bad shopping list

There has been some concern that I did not post yesterday. "Are you all right?" they want to know.
The shopping list at left should explain why I have not posted. I have now made the soup and purchased the mouthwash—as well as toilet paper and light bulbs. Now there's something to blog about, fans!
Fortunately, I have a fascinating inner life. But no way I'm getting into that.

like lightning striking

Ran across this amazing picture from the balcony of Hannah's. Lucky I had a regular camera then—apparently the iPhone, which I've totally converted to, can't capture lightning. Something about the time lapse. Dunno. It was explained to me, but I blacked out during the explanation.

oopsie

The
problem
of
living
in
a
stack
.
.
.
Plumbers
been
and
gone.
Plasterers
manana.

the view from here

Now attempting: A return to normal. As normal as things can get with bookings, website problems, tax filings, financial roundups, scheduling and general housecleaning for a new year.

In exciting annual roundup news, Wear Your Music raised $60,000 for charities last year, and much press like here in doing so. And, oddly, while finishing the recent Jane Fonda biography on the subway, a friend ran across my name and here it is.

booking up

Claudia's is almost booked for the season, and just as I listed Hannah's with VRBO as well, they had a website disaster. I am tearing out my long, blond, beautiful hair.
  I guess it's that time of year—everybody scrambling to sew up their summer plans and jockeying with one another for position. And servers tanking. Too much traffic.
    I was talking with another friend who rents properties on Cape Cod. "Some people think they are going to get better deals at the last minute," I said. "But there's so much demand this year I could fill the space twice!"
   "Heck no," she said. "I raise my prices as the summer gets closer!"

heritage

I went to lunch with a friend. We were wearing the same sneakers.
    When I went to get the sneakers, I looked inside them.
    "Heritage?" I asked the salesman."What does that mean?"
     He smirked.
     "Old," we said simultaneously.
     My friend, 81, said she got black laces because she thought they looked less old ladyish. At 61, I am thinking of detailing mine with permanent marker.

la petite famille

The little family left today, bearing baby gear, Apple gear and camera gear.
And chia seeds. Much more on that later.

the long party

No, I'm not referring to the Iowa caucuses, although I'm hopeful that this exciting primary season will go on and on.
    I'm referring, as my Faithful Followers certainly know and probably never want to hear about again, to Hannah's 30th. For me, it began at 6 am and ended at 4 am the next day.  It was good fun, and Ed's macaroni and cheese (made to the Reagan White House recipe) was a big hit. People started coming shortly before noon and the diehards (above) left after midnight.

Hannah's birthday 30

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