Colliseo a notte

Beams in Place

 
 

Carbon Leaf and Doughty

Check em out...

http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/carbonleaf/lifelessordinary.html

http://mikedoughty.com/music/lyrics/69

Doggies

So, kris and I made an agreement to spend 15 minutes a day "training" our dogs (together in FC or when they (and we) are apart, training individually. She gave me several REALLY helpful training tips when she was observing me "train" ben and geli. Weird but SO effective. Almost unbelievably effective. It was like turning on a switch with those guys.

Back to the beams

Mounted One of the hallway timber beams today. (would have done more, but the drill battery died (spare is dead as well)). Kris and I realized that coming into the house you have high ceiling, then with all the beams it will create a nice focused narrowing and a draw into the kitchen area. From the other side though, it looks a little strange. So, we decided that the only way to round it out would be to do the kitchen as well. Two outside half-beams embedded into the wall and two full beams midspan. This will give the illusion that the beams are more than decorative. Back at it tomorrow with full charge on battery. Pictures pending.

Work at the table

 

Some hauswerks in progress

The pretzel house won accolades. The Big House in the back had several votes for it's inventive use of imprinting on the icing for wall texture (not shown)

5th Annual Gingerbread house party

Samller than in years past...but that was OK. Our house isn't conducive to a big party like we've had before. Next year we reserve the clubhouse (waaaay in advance) and make a mess there. Yes....there are QUITE a few (empty) wine glasses in the slideshow pics.....as I brought the camera out after much progress was made. We missed you guys that couldn't make it this year! (E!)

Still life +6hrs

About an hours work on the right cap

Persimmon Still Life

About 1/2 thru a painting. Here's progress....after just a few hours. A new appreciation for the skill it takes to get the coloring right. I originally thought it'd take me only a few more hours, but after working on it 'til midnight (while watching JAWS for the 20th time) I think I'll need about 10 hours to get it where I want it. Overall, I'm very happy with how it's turning out.

The Village minus M Night

The Gingerbread village is shaping up. Kris was having trouble with the icing strength, but that was worked out at the expense of one poor ginger homeowner now penniless on the streets and there is an alien creeping around now and...(wait..........maybe this IS an M Night movie...)

Ben, big surprise, LOVES ginger bread walls and roofs and yummy, sugary icing.

Couple of angles (sorry for the blurriness-my digital is having trouble processing flash lately. think it's time for a new one)

We probably won't have em so close together in the end, but they look cool as a euro-village, close in. More friday during the event.....

Faux Beams for the hall way

Faux Beams for the boring hallway. Not really mounted, just held in place for the picture. Have 3 more in the works. (Was fun 'distressing' them) THEN, I'll start mounting them (actually, I'm considering a LV light embedded in the posts and removing the can lights-this might take some planning)

Too much partay-ing

Even Geli was baked. 

Buddy is Back! :)

So, we suspect that buddy got through the fence hole (still on his massive cable) and couldn't get back in. Probably someone on the park side took him to the pound. He was in jail for a few days and the college guys went and picked him up. he's back now and playful as ever (although he looks a little haggard).

Les Halles

Les Halles and St Eustache (second biggest church in Paris...it's HUGE)

This was the original 'market'; the arbors each having a particular product. now disbanded and moved south of town, Rungis (where they have refrigeration!!). Still a nice place to stroll and buy drugs or get beat up at night. :) 

Le Bistro Du Dome

This place looked REALLY nice. Everything on the menu, I was ready to try. Unfortunately only open for dinner, so kris and I wandered down Rue du Rivoli and found ourselves drinking beers with the locals (and we somehow forgot about dinner....) 

Bocci

Bocci Ball in Paris. These guys got PISSED when they saw that Kris was trying to work me into a picture with them (think I made that guy miss his shot.........) 

Hours later......the gnocchi are ready to cook

 

Making Gnocchi di zucca

 

Buddy is missing :(

So, someone stole Buddy from next door (apparently). For those who do not know who Buddy is, he's an awesome German Shepperd, Collie mix that these college guys have (had) next door to our garage (Qwest). He comes to the fence when we pull in and is simply a great dog with THE BEST disposition.

Animal control has come to these guys house several times based on complaints from people passing (the neighborhood park entrance is on the other side of the fence) . Nothing seemed to come of it, so someone must have taken matters into their own hands. It's not like Buddy was abused, just a little neglected. He was tethered to a large tree (using an unwieldly 1/4" braided steel cable that weighed more than he did as a puppy). He was constantly getting tangled and wrapped up as he ran from side to side to greet people. I've jumped the fence several times to refresh his water and untangle him. The owners should have just closed off the front of the house as they have fence on 3 sides. Buddy would be immensely happier to roam the sizeable yard and play at will. But, they preferred the cable.

Anyway, this morning there is a HUGE sign on the park side fence that reads "Does anyone know who stole Buddy?"

Feel bad that he's missing for two reasons: 1) I can't go play with him anymore 2) the possibility that someone took this wonderful puppy for cruel reasons.

It was obviously deliberate as the clip on the cable was undone and the collar must still be on Buddy. Don't think these guys registered him, so if he did get loose, there would be no way for the Pound to find the owners. maybe I'll make a call down there...

my favorite!!

I DO pick up!

The catacombs

down in the catacombs. eeek!

(I was fine with this for about 1/2 hour. Then, after seeing bones and bones and bones and bones and bones (you don't even know how many bones are in there!) I started to get a little creeped out.

Of course there is always some jackass goofin' around down there with the skulls, despite about a hundred signs saying 'touches pas!' Have some respect, pal!

The rowdy british of course. Had another run-in at the market with a british lady.......:it's not poppy, it's puppy! You're saying it's a dog and clearly, it's a puppy seed!"

(she promptly corrected me at the market when the boulange asked me how to say "pave" en anglais ).

Street life (w/o us?)

Rue something....







Beaubourg

slightly crooked

Art in the Church

Cheesin' it at Sacre Couer

Fashionito

Test post from MS Word.  Despite the repeated comments about my hair looking like a) Dark Hair Bart Simpson and b) a Something about Mary scene…..

I’m going to get a hair cut today after work.  

Paris Pics

Mid October trip to Paris. Great time of year to visit. Some Big Tower there (left) and some HOT chick at a caffe (right) .....that's actually Kristine; ma femme. DOCTOR Kristine to the rest of you...

Curt Asa

This is the back of the infamous BIL, Curt. (he specifically asked me to add good things about him......This is his best angle!)

Novembre 3, 2005

Primo Post. Buon Giorno and Welcome!

General postings coming - travel pics, thoughts, recipes and journal entries. Don't expect a daily (even though it IS a quotidiene) , but pretty much when I feel like it, I'll upload something.

Peace :)