Saturday: Flowers

Last Saturday was flower day, although I'm not sure we exactly planned it that way. I had to go back to the Honda dealership to get another key made and coded. I've learned that car keys are no longer made, they're programmed. This can take some time. After a proscuito panini at the Balducci's in Westport (highly recommended) I mosied on over to the Izzo & Son's Nursery. This being Martha Stewart land, it's a huge nursey. Olga and I had talked about getting flowers for the front porch and the slightly ditzy woman there explained that all I needed was a molly anchor. Never heard of 'em. But we're now intimately familiar with the clever little device. I spent way too much trying to pick out flowers, mixing and matching, mixing and matching. There just wasn't enough options for the four flower pots we'd need. The shady spot underneath the porch limits the choices.









While I was at the dealership Olga spent the time pulling these fern-like plants from the front of the house. We think the previous owners planted them, but they looked like gigantic weeds -- with deep roots. I took out our drill and ladder and we proceeded to push the molly anchor into the space between the vinyl siding and the wood of our porch roof. With a little wiggling it was a perfect fit. The only issue was that with all the mixing and matching I discovered that one of the pots I took home from the nursery was smaller than the rest. Great flowers but we lost our symmetry (look at the flower pot on the right). Damn ditzy woman. Damn Izzo. And his sons. The flowers are an improvement. Now we just have to remember to water them every day. Oh, in the picture you can also see our snazzy new "17" next to the door we put up.

Friday: Spirits Cabinet

We spent Friday night putting together a Crate & Barrel spirits cabinet. We love how our C&B stuff looks after we put it together. It's the putting it together that doesn't bring us joy. We argued, er, debated about whether spirit bottles can be stored in the cabinet's wine rack (it's too hot right now to store wine). It would save some shelf space and allow us to possibly store some glasses... but it's ugly. Olga says yes. Robert says no.

Midtown Steam Pipe Explosion: The Red Truck

Last Wednesday's steam pipe explosion engulfed a red truck. The young guy in the truck was burned over 80% of his body -- by steam. Ever get burned by a tea kettle? Now think what that guy must is going through. I took this photo on Friday from my office on Park Avenue.

Side Table for the Upstairs Landing

We also received from Olga's mother what I think would be categorized as a side table (two words, not one). There's not a Wikipedia entry on this one so I'm trusting my gut. (Someone go and write a piece on side tables please.) It fits perfectly on our 2nd floor landing.

The Temporary Couch

We now have a couch, temporarily, in our living room. We met our neighbor the other day who told us that there were some deals to be had down the road at Bob's Discount Furniture, who's tagline is the not-so-original Come on Down! Well, we went on down to Bob's and found a sleeper sofa that will be perfect for the study after it serves its duties in our living room until we find the right couch for the room.

Rose of Sharon, Orange Lilies and Other Flowers We Don't Know the Names Of

Despite the neglect this yard has recieved -- and we have continued -- flowers are blooming. We own flowers. Strange concept indeed. There's a long row of Rose of Sharons (or is Roses of Sharon) that runs along the west side of our yard. There's all sorts of other trees and bushes fighting their way up into the row. We bought a pair hedge shears (think that's what they're called) and I've been chopping away at them. It's pretty cathartic. I've also been weed wacking. Mostly, I've wacked at the weeds on our sidewalk and along our pathways. That lead me to obsessively pulling out crab grass. Logically, you know you're never going to beat crab grass one on one but once you get started, it's hard to stop. Anyway, we have a nice view of the Sharon flowers from our kitchen window. They also happen to block our neighbors from peering down on us. Although it hasn't stopped her from talking to me through the bushes. I never saw her but we had a full conversation today. She complained that Cassie (her 9 month old Lab) can't see Dougan because of the bushes... but she told me that come fall when there's no darn leaves she'll be able to see right down on our yard. Oh boy.

We also have Orange Lilies (think that's what they're called) and other flowers that I've grown up around... but for the life of me I can't at this moment recall their names. Help? Anyone?

Sideboard: Before and After

I Googled "sideboard" because I couldn't remember if it was one word or two. The top result was a Wikipedia entry. I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But who writes these kind of entries? For free? Where do they live? Who are they friends with? Now, I understand if you want to write about Babe Ruth or the Rolling Stones or some other special interest or hobby. But who writes about generic sideboards? From Wikipedia I also learned that sideboard is a nickname for sideburns. Lo and behold, there's a really, really long entry on sideburns, or my favorite term, mutton chops. Go take a look at all the prominent people with sideburns. Olga and I have decided we're going to grow a pair each so that we can become prominent too. All of this is a long-winded way of saying that we received a beautiful sideboard (one word, not two) from Olga's mother that had been in storage for several years. It arrived with some damage to the veneer. The storage company happily sent someone over to fix it. The veneer fixer guy was young but diligent, polite and careful. His work is above.

No Comments, Just More Photos Part Deux

No Comments, Just More Photos

"Found" Table and Other Photos

The first of the month must bring innumerable values to the streets of Manhattan. We've certainly never noticed. Life passed by. We had our junk; we didn't want anyone else's. Well, the morning of our move the antennae's were buzzing. Now that we were moving it seemed as if half of the Upper West Side was moving along with us. And the sidewalks were filled with -- plausibly -- useful stuff. Would this table work on the patio? If we fixed the three legs of this chair, would it be awesome? The temptation to pick stuff up was overwhelming. We did find two chairs and a table that we've put, temporarily, on our deck. They've seen the sun. But they work -- and have come in handy. Glad we very, very awkwardly lugged them two loooong blocks to the car. We also took our rooftop chairs and put them 0n the patio. Also, the furniture from storage arrived. Very special stuff. From Helena's family. NOT Ikea. Beautiful. Someone who believed their work was a craft built this stuff. We think it's great that our furniture has history... and family roots. Well, at least some of it does. We bought a bed set from Crate & Barrel. The bed was, for the most part, easy. The dresser? Hard as hell (did I say that already). Perplexing, confusing, and, again, hard as... hell. Besides, that, we've been cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.

We Did It!!!

Wow, that wasn't easy! Let me repeat, that was really, really not easy. Another adjective. Hard as hell. Another one: exhausting. And another one: hard as hell. (Did I say that already?) Okay, first there was packing five years of stuff. A lot stuff. Moving is a war of attrition. There's no resounding victory. No flag raising. It's a long war. A skirmish here, a skirmish there. Defeat the bathroom and then retreat from the bedroom, tail between the legs. And then another retreat in the kitchen. A gathering of forces in the living room. A new strategy. Bring in reinforcements. Mother-in-law from Vail. Cannon shots at the wine glasses. Lobbing grenades at our Villeroy & Boche china. Last-minute roadblocks. A sink hole on our street the night before we move. No joke. Five years without a problem. The day before we move: A GIANT GAPING HOLE ON 82ND STREET. Are the GODS working against us. And then, a quiet victory. The hole is filled. The "Oz" moving company guys turns out to be wizards at moving. I force Olga to take a picture with them. Much against her will. The. Adventure. Begins. We've infiltrated our new home. What now?