Hal O'Brien

Back in August, when Sarah was operated on, I ended up losing my office. Not literally, but it was down in the basement, and Sarah wasn't able to make it down the staircase.

At least Sarah was happy to be with me when she was able to make it down the stairs. Kaylee, on the other hand, is too afraid of the stairs to try negotiating them. So I've lost my office again, on a day-to-day basis. It was tough to leave Sarah alone upstairs because she'd chew on her bandages. Kaylee, unsupervised, will chew on... Any random thing that strikes her fancy.

So.

So this week we found an inexpensive computer table ($20) for me on Craigslist, and I've moved my Mac upstairs to a snug place in the kitchen between the corner dining table and the refrigerator. In addition to being on the main floor, it's also by a window. My basement office has no windows at all. (The quick comparison is here.)

At least for now, I have to wear my Filson hat to keep the sun out of my eyes at the brightest.

Just back from a quick set of shots of many of the blooms in our yard. More at my Flickr set, "In the Garden", including apple, pear, rosemary, muscari, and the ever-popular "star-shaped blue thing in the front." lithodora (thanks janetl).


UPDATED TO ADD: So, having ID'd the lithodora, does anyone know what this luminous bell-shaped thingie is?

The (3) refers to its position in the full set, including evidence I have done my Nordic duty (ie, shoveled off the outside stairs and walk).

For comparison, here's a picture in golden autumnal light, from November of '07.

Just took a tape measure out onto our deck, and it's 5 inches deep.

Our living room with our newly rehabilated fireplace, and our undecorated tree.

Basically, I spent much of today cleaning out the fireplace, which was amazingly full of ash from The Prior Owners. Now one can finally see (and use) the firewood grate.

Looking onto the deck, during the "golden hour."

This is a bit more wibbly-wobbly than I'd like, but I'm leaning a new tool (Autopano Pro). The main point here is to show the new furniture. The art deco sofa and chair set was worked on by Roy McMakin.

No art on the walls yet, and we're still holding out hope for some bookshelves (probably on the wall to the left). Let alone, the arbor vitae seen in the window really needs to go...

In a back corner of the yard at Hazel Ave is this space under an apple tree. The swing chair is probably going away with the current owners, so tonight Ulrika and I bought a glider bench.

Still, it's probably my favorite yard space in the new place.