Kitten!

Linda and kitten
Originally uploaded by Pog's Pictures.

I promise, it's not mine. This is a kitten from the backyard clan of felines. I will provide additional images of something other than cats or flowers. Someday.

Jack and I had breakfast at Denny's, his first time there. He seemed impressed, especially with the fact that they are open 24 hours. I had an interview at a haircutting chain this afternoon and now have to bring in a model on Tuesday. Any takers?

Oh, I applied for a job on Craig's List working a promotion for Super Dirt Week at the Fairgrounds. I figured that would be a blogworthy experience. Let's see what happens. And if I have the right "look" for Super Dirt Week. (I had to submit a photo. Should I be scared?)

Sully is teaching me his foolproof texas hold em method. Watch out. Sorry, no pics today. Anyway, it has been raining - you don't want to see that, do you?

Flowers

Sunflowers
Originally uploaded by Pog's Pictures.

Did I mention Rex LOVES to eat flowers? And plants in general? The sun and skies have been gorgeous. I am learning more about the digital camera, but it's difficult to take bad pictures with such brilliant light.

Let's go fly a kite

My friend Pete invited me to attend Art in the Sky at Cazenovia's Stone Quarry Art Park. The day was just gorgeous and the park is a treasure. It was a treat to see all the families playing with kites together. I will get a kite soon!

It's the first day of fall

Met with Bert's mom and Mabel's dad for dinner at King David's. Yum. Good to see you after my (ahem) 3 weeks away. Thanks for a fun evening! I'd love to hear how you enjoyed your whine tour.

We are chill.

Today, on the advice of someone wise, I started a knitting project. This is the first time I've knitted with cats in the house. They like yarn. And moving needles. It was a little erie sitting on the couch with Rex and Iris perched nearby, wide-eyed and ready to pounce. Rex jumped on one of the needles mid-stitch. Iris attacked a needle AND munched completely through the yarn (as I discovered in the middle of a row. Pretty amazing considering her lack of teeth). It is cool how something like knitting comes right back to ya, even after years of idleness.

I called a "low-cost haircutting chain" today to see if they would still hire me. I'm also intending to contact a state medical university nearby about administrative and clinical research positions. Oh, and on Friday Sully and I are meeting with his new employer about possible income opportunities for Pog in the eBay consignment universe. There's got to be something else I can consider. Yeah, a real estate license! Linda and I have made a pact to take the course in November.

My plants seem to be doing well. Linda took good care of them. Maddie, here are the sister spider plants to Spidey:

I'm back...

So I've been back in the city of my birth for several days now. Let's see... There have been a couple of haircuts (and a color for Sully, I mean Rusty). And I can't forget a visit to Katie's favorite hangout and some "Cher hair" for Katie. A lovely visit to Lavender Patch (thanks again for the tools, Stan!). Oh, and three felines seemed not too bummed out when I walked in the door.




Are they mad? Or mad cute?

Fewer cat photos and more job searching perhaps?

Homeward bound?

I've decided to drive home today and get back to my life. There will be a kitty reunion. If they remember me.

Ugh, but before I leave I am still trying to finish painting the back of the front door. It keeps globbing up and looking yucky. I will sand it down and try one more time before I get in the car. I hate to leave it looking so bad.

See some of you soon! Thanks to Maddie and Vic for an unforgettable two months (!) and for putting up with a lot. (I'll leave it up to you to take the "after" photos....) Ciao and meow for now.

Nothing left for me to paint?

It looks like the painting is done. (There is still the laundry room. But that is not on the priority list.) Unpacking is. Maddie and Vic deserve to have their life back already.

Speaking of a life, I need to get one. Soon. As I stated earlier, I am interested in being a research subject in a sleep study. I'm waiting to hear from the researchers there. Or I need to go back home to my cats. Any opinions? Words of wisdom? Job offers?

Starting to settle in

On Sunday, Vic put the hardware on the kitchen cabinets and it's looking good. We all pitched in to wash and put away the dishes, glasses, utensils and pots and pans. We had lunch at an Indian restaurant in Harvard Square, then Vic went into work for several hours. Maddie and I stopped at the hardware store, then visited two open houses on their street (purely for market research purposes). If you have a spare 1.67 million, you could be their neighbor in a nice little historically preserved home on the next block.

I patched some spots on the baseboards and trim in the hallway and put a coat of paint on them. Maddie and Vic began to dismantle the mountain in the middle of the living room and set up the couch for vegetative purposes. I think I got the paint brushes washed before my curfew of 10:30pm.

Maddie has been diligently working on her job search. She has found income opportunities for me as well. I am considering being a research subject in a sleep study here in Boston. I will let you know!

Saturday at the job site...piece of CAKE!

So Maddie, Vic and I all tackled different jobs today. Vic sucessfully installed the gas stove! Then tackled some trim re-installation. AND attended a party mid-day. He is the man.

Maddie finished installing the Ikea kitchen cabinet doors. Indeed a project. Go Maddie I did some mudding (spackle)on the hallway wall. This is where we moved the door and vic cut 3 or 4 holes in the wall to rewire the bedroom light/fan, so it still needed a bit of work to smooth out the wall a little more. When that dried, I put two more coats of white paint on the walls and it looks great! I also installed outlet covers and painted the radiator in the bathroom.

At 5pm, Maddie and I headed to Government Center in downtown Boston to see the free Cake show. (Bummer, we forgot the camera.) Our presence increased the median age only slightly, as there was a large crowd of college students present. We were shocked at the number of smokers, and saddened that said smoking could affect our enjoyment even in an outdoor venue. The show rocked. It was a good break and a wonderful evening. I crashed upon my return to the job site.

Fly through the air with the greatest of ease...

Maddie and I had a good day at the job site. Maddie alternated between Ikea cabinet door/shelf installations and job hunting on the computer. I touched up a few boo boos (hard to believe but yes, a few touch-ups were necessary)and painted some more trim.

The crew has deserved a night out! Vic got out of work early and we drove to Peabody, the home of Jordan's Furniture, the IMAX Theatre, Beantown (jelly bean sculptures?), and a trapeze school!

We attended a showing of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" at the IMAX Theater. The film was in 2D, but the staff hands you 3D glasses on your way in to view a couple of previews in 3D. Wow, the previews were quite amazing. (Including one for a 3D NASCAR film, so Pops Racer, next time you are in town you'll have to check it out.)

"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" was black and warped and brilliantly done. It was a treat to view it at the IMAX theater. LOVED the musical numbers and dancing, Deep Roy rules.

After the film, we watched a trapeze class! I've got to try this soon. Then caught the "Water Fireworks"...ha! And wandered among the jelly bean sculptures. This is a kid's birthday party paradise. Except for the furniture store. All in all, our Friday evening was a fun, well-deserved break. Thanks homeowners!

Uh oh.

Maddie was let go from her job today. On the bright side, that means I'll have some help painting. When one door closes... um, we don't need to say that. Timothy appears to be the only employed sibling at this point. Go Tim.

We decided to go have dinner OUT. With real silverware. Yum.

Slacker

Wednesday was Pog's partial day of slack. I slept in, took a leisurely bath in the new tub, and relaxed. I did finally get to work in the early afternoon - painted another coat on the dining room walls and did some prep on the hallway. Vic and Maddie arrived after work and brought burritos. Maddie finished the kitchen countertops and they look fine! Vic wanted to hook up the stove, but determined he needs to raise the height of the stove with some plywood. And of course we can't do any noisy stuff like SAWING in the evenings due to a neighbor's constant complaining. So Vic helped me in the dining room, taping and painting trim. And took recyling and trash out to the curb. New rule, no brush cleaning after 10:30pm so we retired around then and I cleaned brushes. Boring entry, I know, but this is my life.

Oh, newsflash. The homeowners have hinted that we may go on a field trip to see "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" at the IMAX theater! At Jordan's Furniture? It is rumored there is also a trapeze available and something to do with jelly beans. I will make sure I do the trapeze BEFORE the jelly beans.

What else can I say

... more PAINTING. Will I ever get to say something else in the blog? Uh, probably not for a couple of days.

It looks like I will stay until at least this weekend. Cake (a cool band) is playing for free on Saturday for all the college kiddies here in Beantown and I want to go! So I keep painting. Vic says I can go if we finish painting. I'm kidding...contrary to popular belief, I am not held here against my will. Really.

Maddie and Vic finally finalized things with their former landlord so they now officially live in only one place. Yay.

I spoke with my roommate Linda (hi Linda!) and assured her I'll be returning. Someday. Rex said hello too.

Laboring on Labor Day Weekend...

Yes, it's been a while since I've posted. (Attribute that to long days and a need for sleep.) But we are still here working. (Gregg left on August 30. Thanks Gregg!) There is a lot to update and I'll do so retroactively. But for now, there are some new photos on the link to the right. Thanks to Maddie for being the photo goddess and getting those up. I have been painting painting painting. Maddie and Vic have been working on the bamboo countertops and they are looking great. They may even be able to start unpacking soon!

Did you all have a good Labor Day weekend? Glad that we got to talk to a few of you on the phone. We'll get you caught up this week here on the blog. We love your comments if you are reading. Take care!