Red diamond

Title a la Kandinsky. When I passed a house this AM (early - before
9!) that had simply painted over this detail, I realized what a
difference just a little bit o' paint can make. The thing I learned,
too, is that the sun really _isn't_ up so far in the sky @ that time
of day this time of year, so in addition to it being just a little
above freezing, it was kinda shady, too. I'd left early to get the
jump on some errands before the lines got too long & to cast my vote
for a potential new senator. We'll see who wins. I imagine it's going
to be our attorney general, who has the greatest name recognition, I
certainly hope it isn't the part-owner of the Boston Celtics who works
for Bain Capital. Snitch is settling in my lap & kneading my left arm
purring all the while, so I guess she things I'm going to be here for
awhile. On to practicing, vacuuming (yeah, I lied - I didn't get to it
yesterday - did get some laundry done). We're forecast to get that
miserable "wintery mix" tomorrow (something I always maintain should
be reserved for serving at holiday parties) starting as snow & then
turning to rain. Blech. At least I don't have to go anywhere & this
weekend is (so far) supposed to be cold but clear.

Curvey detail

Sorry I didn't include this with the curvy house picture yesterday. It's a closeup of the detail on the roof. We're up to 32F now, woo hoo, so I'll head out to deposit the corporate gig check soon. Then I get to stay @ home all day, yippee! Good news, too, since the laundry is to the roof (I exaggerate only slightly), and for some reason we have whore's wool of cat hair all around the house just begging to be vacuumed up (I don't know how I ignore the racket). And of course all the knuckle breakers in the Nutcracker waiting patiently for their daily workout. Once that gig's over, I can settle in for a long winter's nap until January. Of course Dvorak 5 is on the books for the March Melrose concert but a quick look @ that yesterday didn't reveal any particularly hair raising sections (though, goodness knows I could use a few of those) and one never knows what hellish tempo the conductor will take in the fast movements.

Nature's cathedral

I'm jumping ahead with my photo sequence to this morning (and hoping I don't resend this one like I did the pumpkins). :| The overhang makes mail delivery, etc., a little difficult (unless one realizes that one can go up the side steps to get to the porch. Left last night @ 4:30PM, got home @ midnight. Makes the $/hour a little less than overwhelming, but the dinner was good (I was happy to have been given the stuffed chicken entree & not the steak since I don't trust the FDA's mad-cow screening), it was good to see Matthew Doherty, the harpist, & the tunes were fun (except for the really chromatic ones in the fake book since the melody line is so small, my weakening eyes can't decipher them so quickly). And here's hoping mother nature's gotten weekend snow storms out of her system at least until after NEXT weekend when I have to schlep down to Franklin 3 times for rehearsals & performances.

Blue curves

Have sent my Sat. student off to work for the next two weeks, heading out soon for a Polarity treatment & then back to iron a shirt & see if any of my dark suits still fit for the 4-hour corporate gig (they also feed us dinner, so, assuming there's something other than red meat on offer, that'll be good). Hope all's well by you. OXOXO JR

Funnel Tree

Someone on Dakota Street obviously thinks this is a good look for a tree. Quite the the blustery day here - with a high of 63F (on Dec. 3!) forecast. Unnatural I calls it! It's apparently 66F outside now so someone goofed. The sun's now pouring through the clouds. I had thought I'd postpone the walk until later, but maybe I'll head out now.

Remember when I said I was doing laundry yesterday? Well, I lied. Since we were forecast to get rain (which we did), I decided I'd wait since I'd be hanging it up (or rather draping it over drying racks) just before the rain moved in. So it's (the laundry's) on the docket for today. That damned Bb scale still eludes me from time to time even @ mm 35 to the 1/8th note. The picc is much more susceptible to movement so I have to push harder against my lip to keep it steady. Since that's not what I usually do, I tend to forget. Fascinating, eh? I should alsways have such problems.

Odd angle

There are some houses around here that certainly have odd angles build
in. Heading off soon for the morning constitutional. Will pick up a
paper to read the text of Obama's speach last night (we watched Merlin
instead). There was some interesting commentary on Charlie Rose last
night after the fact. <http://www.charlierose.com/#schedule_lower>
(I'm not sure that link will work - it's taking too long to load &
I've got to get going). I'm curious to read what others have to say
with at least a few more hours to digest it. Ask me, we're
doing no good there & should get out now.. Thereafter,
tootling, housework which today consists of laundry & vacuuming
(_where_ does all that cat hair come from???), & then stitching &
watching a version of Dorian Gray on Netflix.

Another Dakota Street scene

Someone else likes kitties, too. Heading out for a morning's worth of shopping, I'm afraid - then cramming to get my practicing in before my student shows up this evening. Sunny here today, but only 36F - forecast high of 44. We'll see. I think it's the first really cold (well comparatively speaking, anyway) we've had this season. Happy (?) World AIDS Day. <http://www.worldaidsday.org/>