Parking lot

I pass this place sometimes on the way to work from our new apartment.



Check out the shack!





"Please lock the gate or vacate." Hand painted, in a mixture of angled cursive, capital letters, and small caps! And it rhymes!

On the other side of the structure, a modern approach (this kind of blows my mind):



Also like a poem! Set in Helvetica! Weird!

And up above:



Yep, lots to read here.

Weekend joy

Chomp.

Mmmm, maple glaze.

Note

I have affixed a pompom to my sandal.



I advise you to do the same.

It's worth it

I am wearing these today.

My right foot is just a bit numb.

Finally!

Our new apartment is starting to feel like home.

Table is in place:



(Still working on hanging the art and fine-tuning the lighting, but at least we have a place to sit!).

I bought the newspaper. Greg made pork chops.



We ate a decent meal:



Our mice are on the table:



Important items are on the fridge!



It's good.

Down the street

Yes, it's a bum.



I am SO against this.

Summer styles

Before:



After:



It's not dignified is it, Kuan. But admit that you feel better without that fur coat!

Kuan lives in Montreal. She is a verrrry good kitty.

Ponyo!

I'm not going to say it's Miyazaki's best movie, but it has some good stuff in it!

Worth seeing—especially if you love the sea.

Coming soon!

Greg has ordered an etching press.



Conrad Machine Co. is making it for him right now.

He's going to have his own printshop. I'm excited!

Educational!

This book lives in our bathroom.






















It's REAL!



Inside cover:



Title page:



The editor gets a byline!



Yeah, Helen! [fist bump]

Table of contents:



Helpful diagram:



"Sea Food and Such":



I love this illustration:



"RAAAAARWW!"

About the authors:



And it's award winning!



Most excellent.

Sold out!

Waaaah, I wanted to buy this!


















I guess it wouldn't have fit me, anyway...

This is also nice (Moomins!!!):

















And also sold out!

:(

More Astoria front yard decor

Check this out:



Yes, it's a homemade plaster pig standing in the dirt, with a little "straw" hat and flowers on its side.

Also: sunglasses! (Looks like it has cataracts?!)



And a little friend.



So so odd.

But at least it's not making me gag!

Astoria Park!

Omelette guards the picnic.





Thanks Omelette!

(Or do you spell it Omelet?)

New apartment

If I put sunflower seeds on the air conditioner outside the kitchen windows, will birds come and eat?



I HOPE SO!

(Note: infamous flesh-colored pebble in foreground mini cactus pot.)

New landlady

The handwriting of someone who did not grow up with computers.

Saturday, 4 pm

Walking slowly to the coffee shop, after 40 hours of packing, stacking, hauling, loading, driving, unloading, and hefting all of our belongings from the old apartment to the new one in humid, 90-degree heat.

I saw a chair on the street!



Me (excited): "Greg, let's go look at that chair!"

Greg (monotone): "There is no way in hell I am going to carry that chair anywhere."

Me: "Urm. OK baby."

No new chair.

Astoria, Queens

Lawn ornamentation:



ABSOLUTELY.



HORRIFYING.



ICK ICK ICK ICK ICK ICK ICK!!!

Chorney, come home!

"Chorney"?

Moving-day helper

Friend in a bag.

Not only were these gigantic, mysterious street bags excellent Beth swaddlers (she got over-excited and needed a "time out"), they were wonderfully useful for moving! I packed all our clothes in them, towels, stereo speakers, cleaning supplies . . . And we filled a few with our paper recycling as well:



And they're recyclable too! Best street find ever!

Picked up in Nova Scotia

Beautiful.

I did not fake the transcripts

I did in fact graduate from preschool.



Found while packing.