Such Kindness

Today there was a package waiting at the front door for yours truly.

Oh, the joy!

Just getting a package is enough to make me feel special, never mind what's in it!  So you can imagine my delight when this one was filled to its package-y gills with goodness.  The Rize dvd, a photo-print dress with a velvet tie, and a necklace from Les Precieuses!!!!!

Holy moly, people!  I am now the proud owner of a Les Precieuses necklace!  They are incredible necklaces handmade in Brussels.  They have a few (adorable!) boutiques in Brussels, where they sell their magical necklaces alongside Diptyque candles and other such cuteness.  (In French, "window shopping" roughly translates to "licking the window."  Suffice it to say, I have lapped all over the Les Precieuses windows!)  Thankfully no one was home when I got the necklace because I put it right on and was dancing around.  Wouldn't you?!

I am such a lucky.
Like I said.... Keegan, I can't EVEN.

Photos

File under "What's WRONG with people??"  This arse has his bare foot all up on the seat in front of him.  Gross.  This guy was coupled with another weirdo with a backwoods look in his eye and a coffee tin clutched in the crook of his arm,  into which he kept hacking.  I heard him claim to have some sort of "acid reflux" issues.  I am just glad I wasn't sitting next to him because there would have been two of us hurling.  Needless to say, it was a pretty freaky flight back from Philly.

Terrible iPhone photo of the harvest moon (taken a little too late) with Jupiter just underneath it.  Cool!

I love my new bed!  It's like a kitty slumber party!

Tracy broke it down in Arabic for me.  I have to, have to, have to visit them in Saudi Arabia!

Ghost legs.

Last Weekend... Philly Love

Despite trouble from the Belgian consulate on a day-jaunt to NYC, I spent a lovely weekend in Philly.  I really do miss it there.  It's such a magical city, full of magical people.  It got a little stressful trying to squeeze everything in, and I missed some favies and didn't have enough time with others, but still.  It was good to be back, if only briefly.

Hey Carlos, I got your "package" right here, buddy!  (On 3rd Street in Queen Village.)

Pretty birdy outside of Southwark in my old 'hood.

Monkey family in the subway in NYC.  Shame I didn't take any pics of Leila and Drew!  I was lucky enough to coordinate a meet-up with them in the city.  So good to catch up, and so glad they were there to help me deal with the blow dealt earlier by the Belgians.  Boo.

Subway crackage.

From the cupcake shack in Old City.  My favorite.

Oh, Philly.

Oh, Philly:  part 2.

Mere's amazing taxidermied mountain goat!

Mere's amazing Mrs. Wiggums!  Even with her "stupid face" she is full of kitty love.  I was on the receiving end of some good snarfings, I tell you!

Mere and Neal in Nicki's lovely backyard.  I want to LIVE back there!

I *wish* I had a better picture to convey the hotness that was Nicki on Saturday night!  Nicki, your public cries for more updo's!

Tryout for community theater production of City of Lost Children:  Take 1.

 Tryout for community theater production of City of Lost Children:  Take 2.

The lovely Vien and the sweet Powder.  Love that we weaseled our way into someone's apartment just to meet a new feline friend, who was then offered for sale to Vien and Philippa.  So odd!

Nicki gets her point across to Neal, who is dashing in his stripes, over brunch at Tinto.

Squirrel hat!  Mere is wearing the most incredible hat ever!  That tuft of fur is the hindquarters of a squirrel!  And there is a tiny squirrel foot to secure the chain on the other side.  Droooool.

This Weekend...

I can't wait to see all of my Philly favorites...

(Been saving this last one forever.... hahaha!)

Raspberry-Hatted Happiness

These are two of my ultimate favorites (the third wasn't home from work yet).  Cheese, bubbles, curls, raspberry hats, a polite dog (and guest appearance by a shy cat), and some good ol' fashioned porch-sittin' made for a lovely night.

Cuchi-Cuchi!

Channeling some Charo, hairwise.

Out of hand.

I love them all like children, but these... these may be my favorites.  (Don't tell the others.)

Recent Thoughts

(sans photos)

(1) Speaking of photos, shooting medium format is going to be very expensive.  But worth it.  (Until I get the new 35mm cams, that is.)

(2) Yeah, that surgery.  It's happening.  Ugh.

(3) Uncle Bernie was a good man.  Someone I looked forward to seeing at the family events.  Let's not forget he was the one insistent upon hearing what was trending for Spring at last Thanksgiving dinner.  He had such a wit about him, even once his hearing had gone.  And I will never forget his animated 3rd strike call; I used to beg him to get up and do it.  Really, he was an umpire artiste.  Well, and a good basketball player.  And a stand-up guy.  Wednesday we get together to bury him.  I am thankful to be here for it.

(4) Hilde is starting to like me more.  She's still a skittish chatface, but she doesn't mind lying on my bed every now and again.

(5) Cochino is still the best.  Always and forever.

(6) Winter's Bone.  Do see it.

(7) Got some rad "nail art" appliques today!

(8) Missing Paris right now.  'Tis the season.

(9) Chez Leon avec Sr. Catherine demain.  Should be fun!

xo
j

More Cat Posters

MiiiAAAw!

Les Chats Perdus

One of my obsessions around Brussels (and anywhere else in Europe, for that matter) is lost cat signs.  There is such an artistic quality to them there.  Sometimes it's the verbiage, sometimes it's the layout, and sometimes it's just a darn cute photo.

Of course, the whole idea is generally depressing and I feel strange when I stop to photograph one and someone sees me (almost as awkward as someone seeing me take a picture of someone's window... I want to shout, "I'm not a peeping tom, there's a kitty sitting here!"... but  how do I say this in French?).

But then, maybe they think I'm some sort of renegade cat-finder and I'm photographing and cataloguing these signs in order to brief properly my team of feline sleuths (um, people that look for felines, not felines who are detectives... though that would be the ultimate!  Imagine--cats finding cats!) so that we can bring these kitties back to their owners tout de suite!

Anyway, here are some lost cat signs.  And one found cat sign!

More to follow....  As you can see, being cooped up in the house in St. Louis has made me a little crazy. Oh, who am I kidding?  I'm always cat-crazy!