Earthquake Follow-up: The Damage

These photos capture the magnitude of the devastation wrought upon the Aw2pp household by last night's tremor.



Actually, the room looks like this pretty much all the time. But those of you who know us (a shout out to the Poop Doula, hello!) already knew that.

- Aw2pp, on-the-spot-reporter

The View from My Window

For some reason, I have this notion that you (and Andrew Sullivan) would be interested in seeing what the view out my window is. Thanks for asking.





It's hard to explain, but my office is in my (our) closet. Thing is, out closet is about a kajillion times bigger than what Sue and I need. So we partitioned the thing, giving me a little 50 square foot cubicle. When I stand up, I look west out that window, and see what you see here.

- Aw2pp, hempen homespun.

Lessons resume tonight

I've been away from lessons for a couple-three* weeks. During this time, I:

- Went from "yick, that sounds awful" to "hey, I recognize that!" on Stella del Mattino. Might fall back on this as my recital piece in November.
- Completed Festive Dance (oh, I owe you a recording) and did enough on Alfred's Scherzo to be annoyed by it.
- Worked some on the Clementi Sonatina I asked for last time.

* - "Two or three." This phrase works much better verbally, it seems.

So it should be a full lesson this evening, which is a bit of a problem. PT likes to talk. A lot. Each 30 minute lesson usually contains about 10 to 15 minutes of talking and catching up. Not sure there is enough room for that today, but we'll see.

In the meantime, since I have nothing much else to say, here are the annual first day of school pics, including Ro's First First Day of School. Enjoy.











- Aw2pp, new "Mad Men" fan.

New houseguest

We've seen this creature before, around the neighborhood. We think he (she?) lives up the street, and likes the cornfields across the road. But for a few days recently, she (he? bird-o-philes, help me out here) decided to stick around a little.

And the local gentry* is NOT happy it.

* - By that, I mean the birds who were living here already. Other critters were unavailable for comment.







- Aw2pp, who is keeping a close eye on the family cat, making sure she stays indoors.

Happy 3rd birthday, Ro

Sue doesn't have many pictures from her baby years. The few that we have of her toddler years suggest that we don't need baby pictures for Sue... I am convinced that we have basically a carbon copy in Rowan, our third child, who turns 3 today. Cute and funny and feisty and spontaneous and unpredictable and smart and loving, just like her mother.

Since we're sending her to pre-school in about a month, I guess she is no longer a "toddler", but rather, a pre-schooler. Rowan, that is. Sue passed that milestone a long time ago.






- Aw2pp, who should be immune to the cuteness, given that he gets a daily dose of it. You would think. But no.

Happy Birthday, Joey

"Joey, today is your birthday! Any comments on that?"

"Yo de yo de yo de yo de yo."

To be fair, that is his response to just about anything.





- Aw2pp, who can't believe it either.