Alien Spouse

Enchanted April (Book 1922, Film 1992)

This morning I woke up wanting to read "Enchanted April" a 1922 novel by Elizabeth von Arnim.  It's quite charming, and occaisionally I just feel like reading about terribly nice upper middle class ladies (and a minor member of the aristocracy, who is slumming it), in the 1920s, swanning off to Italian villa for a month and finding that it solves all of their problems.  Because wouldn't it just?  It's one of those stories that's very much of it's time and class, so I'm sure any hard-core socialists would hate it, but, if that doesn't bother you unduly, it's a nice light read.  Not a lot really happens; except everyone starts off sad and ends up happy.

I first became aware of it when I saw the film adaptation, which is perfectly cast and beautifully shot.  If you haven't seen it I have to say it's a very sweet film that you could safely watch with your grandparents (bearing in mind my socialist caveat) and feel a lot more relaxed by the end of it.  I didn't read it until a few years later when I found a second hand copy from the book stall by Brighton Pier (Oh, I miss Brighton!)

Maybe it's because Christmas is over and I have to be back at work tomorrow, and the weather forcast is grey for the next few weeks, but I really feel like reading descriptions of gorgeous Italian gardens, and a plot that revolves around the premise that being a little bit of selfish pampering of yourself can be a very good thing for everyone around you, because it makes you happier and therefore more pleasant.

So I glanced at my bookshelf and immediately I knew that that particular book wasn't here; because, as an ex-bookseller, I tend to memorise the spine of books for ease of location, and there were no tall dark green ones on my shelf.  I think it must be in the attic at Mum's house (Mum, find and read it!  You'll like it!)

Rats!

I mentioned my book sadness to Doc C and he asked if I'd tried to find it vfor the iPod.  Which I hadn't thought to do.  So I went to Project Guttenberg, via the iPod Bookz app, and there it was!  Yay!  Wisteria and sunshine will be mine after all!

Back to School.

It was the Doc's first day back at school today, he was a little bit nervous.  What if the new kids don't like him?  I don't think he needs to worry, but that is how the Doc likes to operate.  An absolute nightmare of a worst case scenario tends to be in his head at all times, so that way he gets a pleasant surprise when things turn out to be actually ok.

One good thing is that he has a new timetable for this term, which means he isn't teaching any early morning classes.  This is much better for two simple reasons, first of all the Doc really is not a morning person and it took a lot of pain and effort for him to be awake and fully functioning for those early classes.  Second of all, students definitely aren't morning people and they would either not show up the day after a big football match or party, alternatively they would show up, stagger to their seats and then simply have a little zizz in class.  Apparently one kid slept through most of last term, but he would turn up in the Doc's office later in the day to clarify anything he was snoring through and didn't understand from the notes (I hasten to point out that when the Doc is telling me amusing student stories he never identifies the student, so confidentiality is always respected).

It's going to be really weird getting used to hanging around the flat by myself all day again.  To re-cap, I still don't have a Social Security number and, based on the 15 week delay we were told about in December, it's likely to be at least another couple of months before I get one, so that means I still can't look for a job.  It's getting quite tedious.  Not that I'm not loving the free time, but the lack of salary obviously then leads to trying to think of activities you can do for free, which in London or Brighton was actually pretty easy but here?  Well, I think I've pretty much exhausted most of the possibilities already.

Fortunately Doc C came up with the brilliant notion of ordering the first three seasons of "The Wire" on DVD from Netflix, so that I can catch up and fully comprehend it's brilliance.  That means I'll be spending the next few weeks in the company of Dominic West.  So things aren't so bad.

New Year's Eve

I've never really understood why New Year's Eve is such a big deal, because it just seems so arbitrary to celebrate the purchasing of a calendar.  However it is the main holiday for things covered in glitter, usually hats or cardboard tiaras with the year emblazoned across it, so it has a definite upside.  Plus you do usually get a glass or two of champagne, or at least something champagne adjacent.

My favourite New Year's in the past were the ones I spent in Brighton, because all you really had to do was leave my house and turn the corner to the sea front to enjoy an impromptu firework display from the beach over the sea at midnight.  I'd be with a group of friends, and we'd walk along wishing other groups of people strolling on the sea front a happy new year.  It was just nice.

This year we will be going out to dinner with friends, and then over to their house.  They have a Wii and two cats, so I'm thinking this could also be a pretty good New Year.

I love this picture

Rather than show you thrilling step-by-step shots of bags being packed, I thought I'd share this delightful picture.

Last time I visited Brighton I went to see Jason, and it was on his fridge.

He'd done the hair for a wedding party, and a small boy had drawn this picture for him.

Jason discussed the work with the artist, and was told that it was a Monster.

Even better, if you hold the picture up to the light, there is actually an essential accessory drawn in invisible ink.

He's wearing a crucifix.

Because?  Well, as Jason was told in ringing tones, this is a picture of "A Monster! A Monster who loves Jesus!"

We Don't Need Another Hero, We Don't Need to Know the Way Home. We may, however, need to look up the rest of the lyrics.

One of the things I always meant to do in Brighton was to go for one of the tours of the decaying North Pier.

And then it burnt down, under some fairly mysterious circumstances, and I lost my chance for ever.

I quite like the way the Pier itself looks now, but the gateway that now leads to the proverbial long walk off a short pier?  Well, that gateway always makes me think that Tina Turner is going to come striding along with enormous apocalyptic hair, enormous apocalyptic earrings, enormous apocalyptic shoulder pads, and an outfit featuring frightening amounts of chain mail, to announce that Mad Max will indeed be fighting in the Thunderdome. 

I think it's the barbed wire that does it.

One of Many Stories About Brighton

I have really enjoyed being in Brighton this week, it's just one of my favourite ever places to be and if I could have found jobs there for me and Doc C?  Well, I'd probably still be there.

When I'd lived there for about a year, I was having a bit of a bad month or so with my flat share turning into a nightmare (Top Tip: Never encourage your flatmate to marry a girl with anger management issues, particularly if you will still be living in the same flat with them.) and everything that could possibly go wrong seeming to be doing just that.

I was on the beach with a friend after dark on a Saturday night, we were drunkenly analysing the problem and she said "I hope you don't blame Brighton, you do still want to be here right?"  and I said "Of course! I love Brighton, for one thing you never know what's going to happen next here!".  Literally the moment I said those words we noticed a cluster of coloured lights in the sky, they were drifting about in a very odd way, so we could tell that they weren't aeroplanes, or fireworks but we had no idea what they were.

Over a few minutes those lights got closer, and closer until a team of skydivers wearing coloured spotlights landed neatly on the beach right next to us.

It was actually a drinks promotion, but for me it really proved my point.  I lived in Brighton for another 6 years after that, and there was (and is) always something interesting going on.  I like that in a city.

En Route

I'm about to catch a train back to Norfolk, I'll catch up with you when I get to a nice Internet connection again.

Final Katsu Daily Report

I don't know where Katsu is right now, but when I woke up this morning he was playing King of the Castle with me.

Katsu, of course, was King because I was the Castle and by default, therefore, the Dirty Rascal as well.

So unfair.

Katsu Daily Report

Katsu is one of those cats who is positive that toes moving under a duvet must be hunted to extinction.

This morning he massacred my toes, rabbit kicked the duvet and then chased his own tail.

I'm going to miss the insane little ninja.

Postscript:  As I was making the bed I noticed several distinct teethmarks in the duvet cover.  He was so going for the kill!

It's been a while since we had some CAKE!

 

Have I ever mentioned Choccywoccydoodah?  It's chocolate as an art form, so the window displays are always amazing.

Katsu Daily Report

I know that now Stu and Lee are back I don't really need to do the daily Katsu, but look how sweet this picture is?  This Katsu being perplexed by my cat-shaped travel-sized hot-water bottle.

Katsu was actually missing for all of this morning, I think Stu and Lee were wondering what the hell I'd done with their cat.

He turned out to be involved in a skirmish as part of the on-going turf war with the evil Siamese, and eventually emerged from underneath the decking with an enormously fluffy tail.

Saturday Socialising

Today Stu and Lee got back from New York, and I have to say they are remarkably alert for men who have literally just stepped off a trans-Atlantic flight.  They come bearing new jeans, new books and a awe inspiring iPod Touch.  It's like the future has been made pocket sized, and wafer thin. sigh.

We went into Brighton to have lunch at Wagamama's, and my friend Caitlin came to join us so we could go for coffee afterwards and catch up.  It's always great to see Caitlin, who is beautiful, talented and thoroughly lovely.  It's been ages since we last had a girly chat, and swapped gossip.

Of course, after lunch, all three of them were treated to the sight of the bruise on the crook of my arm where the blood was taken, if I have to suffer everyone is going to know about it.  I also have an achey arm from the tetanus shot.  They really make you work for this Visa thingy.

Ms White, Ms Orange and Ms Blonde

When Jason and I went to the Indigo exhibition we also looked at some of the other displays in the museum.  There was one on body image, and there was a display case full of Barbies.

These were produced in 2000 to tie into the election and are in fact Presidential Barbies.  If you look at their lapels they have little campaign badges saying Barbie for President.

I like how the display has been arranged in a vaguely "Reservoir Dog" pose.

Katsu Daily Report

Katsu was in a very scatty mood when I got home, he appeared to be chasing molecules of air and he could hear you reading this.  Just look at those ears, he hears you!

Of course he's probably just happy that Stu and Lee will be home tomorrow, but it could also be that he's jealous of Kitkat having finally made it through the rigorous selection process to be chosen for Stuff on my Cat.

You can see Kitkat with stuff on her here.

Indigo

Jason and I met up when I got back to Brighton and went to a private view at the Pavilion Museum and Art Gallery of an exhibition called "Indigo: A Blue to Dye for".

It was an amazing exhibition of clothes and fabrics all dyed with indigo, ranging from the first pair of Levis (actually the pair in the exhibition were a replica of the Nevada jeans) to some amazing art work involving ceiling hangings and dip-dyed hemp balls of different sizes.

It's actually a travelling exhibition, so if it comes to a town near you it's an interesting thing to check out.

Katsu Daily Report

I'm thinking that Katsu may be working through some abandonment issues.

When I got back to the house today he was very chatty, and once he'd been fed, he jumped straight on my lap.  I thought that was very sweet, until he started nipping my hand.  We discussed why I didn't think he should be doing that.

He's calmed down a bit now.

Reader Discretion Advised

I was talking to Jason about my medical tomorrow, and I was saying how much I'm dreading the blood tests.

Jason said he likes having blood tests, and he always thinks "I must get a pair of shoes that colour".

I beleive my reply was "Ewww!".

I Finally Went on the Pavillion Tour

It's been a very busy day, I met up with Jason and ticked off the following items on my itinerary:

1. Haircut, which was extremely urgent.
2. Ate fish and chips from Bankers (the best chip shop in Brighton, possibly the best in the UK) on the beach.
3. Went on a tour of Brighton Pavilion

I lived in Brighton for seven years, and I never visited the Pavilion.  Jason has been here for eight years, and he had never been either.

It is just staggering.  It's like an explosion in a gold leaf and chandelier  factory.  It's not a particularly big building for a royal abode, but it's quite exhausting to walk around because your optic nerves are just so over stimulated.  I wish I had pictures to post of the interior, but photography is banned.

The Pavilion was essentially a seaside retreat for the Prince Regent George, and he was very keen that it fully demonstrate how wealthy and fashionable he was.  I think he probably managed that.

We talked to one of the team of restorers, who was working in the music room gallery.  He was showing us the difference in the wallpaper they have uncovered behind during restoration of the door frame, and the paper put up by restorers of the Pavilion over fifty years ago.  He was saying that the paper covering much of the room, which is gold, should really be silver and that it would probably need to be handed painted and hand gilded to get the proper effect again.  Oh My God.  It's going to take forever, but he seemed quite cheerful about it.

We also stopped off in the Queen Adelaide Tearooms, which are fairly restrained with only the eight chandeliers, and I had a cream tea.  It was a very very nice day.

Katso Daily Report

Katsu is such a handsome cat, until he has an itch, and then he goes all cross-eyed trying to get it.

Today involved a lot of sleeping again, but he also went a bit loopy and started pouncing on his scratching post, to try and kill it.

Katsu is still eating well, but he has been finickerty today.  He licked all the jelly off his breakfast, but wouldn't touch the chunks.  He did inhale his dinner of shredded chicken though.

bear CUB

Is this the cutest graffitti call and response you've seen for a while, or is it just me?

Technical Genius

Have I mentioned that Stu is a computer wizard?  He's seriously like the Dumbledore of technical stuff, except younger and with a much funkier wardrobe, which is interesting in an abstract way but is totally fascinating to see in action.

Stu's home cinema set up involves a wireless connection to his Mac, which means you can use the TV to access the films, music and TV shows he stores on the computer.  Somehow, I managed to re-boot the thingy that connects the TV to the Mac, which is not something I could do if I was actually intending to but is apparently something I can do when I really don't mean to.

Being an extremely kind person Stu took time out of his holiday to Skype me, so he could talk me through re-coding the connection.  Bearing in mind that he couldn't see what I was looking at, was remembering the coding without notes and had to rely on me to type what he was saying accurately, I think it's amazing that it worked first go. 

And then the next day I re-booted again, whilst enjoying a particularly great episode of "Bones",and I couldn't remember what on earth I'd typed before. 

So Stu patiently talked me through the coding for the second time this afternoon, and this time I made notes.

I Heart Second Hand Bookshops

Today I was actually supposed to be looking for a smart handbag that doesn't have several unnecessary buckles on it and doesn't cost a ridiculous amount of money (my current shoulder bag is waterproof, and is the perfect size with several useful pockets. It is also neon pink, so I'm finding there are some outfits it doesn't go with), but that got boring very quickly, because all bags were turning out to be a frenzy of buckles for vast sums of money, and so I stopped off at the Oxfam bookshop on Kensington Gardens.

I always have a detective novelist that I'm trying to collect, I managed to get a complete set of Ngaio Marsh with only two or three brand new buys, and now it's Gladys Mitchell.
She is a lot more difficult to find then Ngaio was, and I don't have the option of just buying them new because almost all of her books are out of print. This also makes her highly collectible, and I have seen copies of some of her better regarded mysteries going for over £100.

Today I was checking the Ms, without much hope, when I found a copy of "The Rising of the Moon", this is the novel that was actually in print for the longest, and is supposed to be one of her best. And it cost me one pound and ninety-nine pence.

Katsu Daily Report

One thing I love about having a cat in the house is that when a strange noise wakes you up in the middle of the night, you can just tell yourself it was the cat and go back to sleep.

Last night I was woken up by something, and thought "It's ok, it's just Katsu" and then saw he was sitting outside my door looking at me, having just been woken up too.

We investigated, and decided it was just the wind rattling the cat flap, or possibly that sneaky Siamese.

He slept for the whole of today, which made today's photo shoot a bit dull.  Fortunately he's decided the wrist strap on my camera needs to be killed, so I got a nice shot of him sizing his prey up, just before he pounced.

Modern Romance

Stu and Lee have a web cam on their computer, which meant when Doc C Skyped me this afternoon he was able to see me as we were chatting. 

He, unfortunately, doesn't have a web-cam so I spent the entire call talking to a still picture of a Simpsons avatar.

Brighton is for Smooching.

This sculpture was put up about five years ago, just down the road from the pier.

It's a sheet of metal with the images made by punching holes right through it.  This means you have to be at exactly the right angle to the sculpture to see the faces.

Fortunately that view is pretty much perfect from the pedestrian crossing, or from the very nice bar across the road.  I recommend the spicy bloody marys, especially if you can get the window seat with the sea view. 

Katsu Daily Report

Katsu had an exciting day of sleeping in a nice patch of sunshine planned, but then had the lovely surprise of a live video Skype call from Stu & Lee.  He was a bit bemused by the whole thing, because he could hear them and his ears perked up, then his nose started to to twitch but he couldn't smell them.  His little cat brain clearly thought this was most peculiar.

He's also been using his scratching post, which I find fascinating because no cat that I've ever owned has even considered using a scratching post when there is a perfectly serviceable sofa in the room.

Katsu is such a good cat.

Enormous Debbie Harry

This club, the Ocean Rooms, gets re-painted every so often.

I don't think I've ever actually been there, but I have always liked seeing the new murals as I walked past it.

Vaccination Records - Tick!

I picked up my vaccination records today, on the way there is occurred to me that I hadn't changed my name with my GP.  It further occurred to me that the only ID I had with me was in my married name, so then I worried that they wouldn't be able to give me the records without my marriage certificate.  Then I thought Mum could maybe fax that if necessary.

Then I arrived, and they just handed me an envelope with everything in, and I didn't even need to sign anything or show any ID.

The records are pretty dull, except for the clinical notes of the convulsion I had when I was given the measles vaccination as a toddler.  The description of the convulsion is a bit odd "She stared blankly into space, jerked her limbs, made funny noises and this lasted 4 - 5 minutes". 

Since when is "...made funny noises..." a medical term?

Katsu Daily Report

Last night Jonny came over to eat salad and watch "Heroes", Katsu came to say hi and then went out to patrol the garden.  Then we heard the infra red safety catch on the cat flap click.  Then click some more.  And just kept on clicking.

I turned on the outside light to see what was going on, and Katsu was sitting outside about a foot to the left of the cat flap, just staring at it and apparently fascinated by the clicking.  He stayed there for about 20 minutes.

Stu & Lee told me that Katsu hasn't been eating very much since a recent trip to the vets for an injection that he didn't much like, but he seems to have got his appetite back this evening.  At 5 he started to prance around the cupboard his food is kept, and, once I'd got the message, he ate a small tin of chicken with duck, then went out.  He came back in an hour later, miaowed in a very demanding way and then started licking his empty bowl until I gave him some biscuits, which he ate immediately.

Saatchi haven't made an offer yet

Helping Jonny pack yesterday was very nostalgic, because we met whilst working in a book shop and I was mainly helping by packing his books into boxes.

It was really fun too, and we found time to create this lovely work of art.

I call it Lampshade with Sombrero on Chair #1.

And Relax

I'm having a lovely lazy Sunday, just me, a sofa and a giant TV.

Traditionally a lazy Sunday would start late of course, but a window needed replacing in the bathroom and I wasn't sure what time the builders would be here, so I got up early.

Apart from that I'm pretty much sticking to the classic lazy Sunday pattern, I mean obviously Doc C wasn't here to make me blueberry pancakes so I had porridge with raisins and almonds instead.

Oh, and my muscles felt a bit tight and achey, so I did yoga for 45 minutes to stretch them out and relax.

But apart from getting up early, eating a healthy breakfast and having done some exercise, I have just been totally slobbing out today.

Katsu Daily Report

Katsu did not like all the kerfuffle this morning when Stu and Lee left for the airport, but he threw himself into an intensive program of sleep on my bed and seems more relaxed now.

Katsu didn't eat much breakfast, but he miaowed for his tea and then finished it all off (One of the small tins of chicken).

Wait, didn't I do this already?

My friend Jonny moved away from Brighton and went to Edinburgh to do a second degree there. He came back to Brighton about six months after I'd left, and, coincidentally, my old room was available so he moved in.

Jonny's just got a new job, so he's leaving again, I said I'd go over and help pack.

I lived there for seven years, so it's going to be weird packing stuff that isn't mine, in a room I know really really well.

But you know me and packing, I just can't resist a cardboard box.

Brighton Bench Plaques - Second Photo Essay in an Occaisional Series

As part of my visit to Brighton I am re-visiting some of my favourite places as well as some of my favourite people. 

Yesterday I was going to meet up with Jason and I was early, so I walked along the promenade by Hove lawns, which runs along the sea front away from Brighton and moving into Hove Actually.

This is always a nice place to walk, because the view is beautiful and because there are benches looking out to sea, so you can sit and enjoy the view.

A lot of these benches have plaques on them.  I love plaques on benches, and I previously wrote about them here.

I know some of the plaques quite well, for instance I've always had a soft spot for James Briffett, because that happened to be the bench I'd sit on most often when I went for a walk.  It's about 15 minutes walk from my old house, just the perfect distance for a stroll in fact.

Some of the plaques I saw yesterday were fairly new, so I read for the first time when I took these photos yesterday.  There are a couple which are funny, and there is one that very nearly made me cry right there on Brighton beach front.

Some are a bit tricky to read at this size, but, as ever, if you use your mouse to click on the photos you'll get a larger image pop-up in a second window.

Lost Bear

When I left the house this morning to get and get some breakfast (which I ate in the Pavilion Gardens), I found a small teddy bear on the pavement just down the street.

I picked him up and sat him on the window sill.  He wasn't there when I came back this afternoon.

I hope he got home ok.  I think I know exactly how he feels.

Pedometer Reading

Whilst I'm in Brighton Mum can't get me out of bed and on a three mile walk, but I brought my pedometer with me, so I can keep track of my daily ramblings around the city.  So far today I've walked 14697 steps, which it works out to being 6.95 miles, based on an average stride.

Getting used to Aunty Jen

One of the reasons that Stu & Lee asked me to cat sit this week is that Katsu can get quite anxious around new people.  He apparently remembers me from previous visits, so he seems happy for me being here to feed and fuss him, so that should be less stressful for him than a cattery.

He's recently taken to relaxing on the spare bed, where I'll be sleeping this week.  Last night I left the door open ajar, in case he wanted to come in and, fortunately, he was delighted to find someone there (very early) this morning. Katsu promptly curled up on my stomach purring like a trooper.  He also pounced on my feet a few times, and then got under the covers to explore.

Katsu is used to being fed at about 7.30 every morning, so I expect I'm going to have a furry alarm clock this week.

Norfolk Lavender

I keep forgetting to take my camera with me when Mum and I go for a walk in the mornings, but fortunately my parents have lavender growing right outside the front door so I took a picture of that before lunch.

It's white lavender, which I hadn't seen before they planted it, it smells exactly the same and the bees love it.

International Flight Recovery Process

I'm awake now! 

Wait it's 3 in the morning here?   Which would make it midnight in North Carolina?  So everyone else is asleep now? Gahhh!  Stupid body clock.

When I got to Norfolk, my Mum made me a cup of tea and then left me to get settled in.  I checked my Hotmail and Facebook, only to find that although it felt to me like it had taken decades for me to get back to a computer I only had one e-mail, because in actual fact it had only taken Sunday night and Monday morning. 

I was really only hanging around the computer until Doc C got logged in to Skype, and once we'd had a chat I felt a bit better.  But just so we're clear, leaving him at the security gate of the airport was really horrible and I cried.  Everyone in the South always asks "How you are doing today?", and every time a check-in desk person or an air stewardess asked, I'd get a bit weepy again.  Stupid tear ducts.

Anyway...

Once I knew Doc C was ok, I could get on with some important staring into space.  I found that I was too tired to do anything constructive, but at first I just couldn't sleep because my brain was just whirring and making me think I could still hear the plane's engines.  In the end I did some yoga to stretch myself back to feeling normal-ish, and then had a bath which helped relax me a lot.  And smell better, which is always a bonus.

I went to bed at about 3.30pm, Mum woke me up to see if I wanted any dinner but I could barely open my eyes so I carried on sleeping.  Until now, but I think as soon as I've eaten some Doctor Karg crispbread (The cheese and pumpkin seed variety, in case you're wondering.  I always take a pack on long haul flights now.) I'll probably go back to sleep.

God of Moving Please Accept These Wedges as Thy Tribute.

We have made it to Norfolk with all** of our stuff, except I remembered on the train that I had some shoes stashed under the wardrobe I'd meant to retrieve.  Oh well, they were a lovely pair of duck egg blue wedges in a very 50's style, but as I couldn't actually walk in them they were essentially useless.

If that is the sacrifice I must make to the God of Moving House, I consider that a light tariff.  I've actually lost whole dining tables before now.

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**My Mother wishes me to make it entirely clear that the photo posted on Alien Spouse earlier today was not, in point of fact, everything that my parents were requested to transport.  It gives an indication of the variety of rubbish priceless and irreplaceable items, but not the volume.  For example there was also a bass guitar and a foot high statue of a chicken covered in mirrors, which both belong to the Doc, not to mention all my "useful" things that I suddenly decided I couldn't replace.

The Alien Spouse Parental Home

One of the lovely things about coming to visit my parents in Norfolk is how relaxing it is.  I know quite a few people who find trips home stressful, but I am very lucky.

The Doc and I are able to enjoy views across an unbroken stretch of field from our bedroom window, and once we've adjusted to the quiet we sleep like logs.  It's so nice not to hear the sound of helicopters and car alarms mingling with The Doors Greatest Hits on full volume from next door.

Not to mention the G&T.  Nothing aids relaxation in quite the same way as a nice fizzy Gin & Tonic with a fresh slice of lemon.  Thanks Mum, love you!

Sunny Norfolk

After work this afternoon the Doc and I will be hopping on a train to Norfolk to visit my parents.  They live in a middle of a field, and we are looking forward to some lovely fresh air and bracing walks.

This does mean that I don't know exactly when I'll be able to post over the weekend until Wednesday, and I may not be able to post photos at all.  We will have to see.