Dogs and Things

Today, a number of topics, only one of them icky. Enjoy!

Smacksy Sunday Links

The heartbreaking effects of being only partway committed to things.

On input overload.

8 movies that are better than their books.

Give a bagel as a party favor.

An abandoned overgrown estate in Paris.

And polar bear cubs.

Happy Sunday.

Smacksy Saturday Photo: Stillness

The view from a friend's new house. Swoon.

Where'd He Go?

Couldn't find Ted this morning. Oh. Hello.

April 23, 1944

April 23, 1944
England

Hello Darling Puss,

Really feeling tops and I do mean tops - received some letters from you. Thanks for Dorothy's (Lee's sister) address. I guess you know she sent a box of candy and a cigarette lighter. The candy was good - salt water taffy but it won't out do the chocolate. If you can get a hold of some that will fit into a cigar box, send some to me, will you?

I am terrible at remembering dates and anniversaries as a rule, but there are a few that stick in my mind and of course one of those is meeting you. Seems like we never do get to celebrate it like we want to but still it is something I shall always remember. Look what it brought to me. A lifetime of of happiness and joy to make my life complete. I love you very much Puss, with all of me.

Received several pictures of mother and the house and even one of the table set for when they were expecting me for dinner one time. They were good to see and I look at them quite often. And then the picture of you and Sandra came and I'm telling you my Sugar Puss, it's a good thing there are many miles of water between here and the states for it burns deep to come back. Gee, if I could take a plane back all the way it wouldn't get me there quick enough - what am I going to do? Have to keep going most of the time so I won't think too much about it. When I go for a walk in the evenings it helps quite a bit but I'm just looking around for things to tell you.

Puss I love you deeply,
Me

The Bulb

Mr. Rosenberg was given an amaryllis bulb kit from a coworker at the holidays. I finally unboxed it last week. Following the directions on the lid, I soaked the small, compact soil ring and the bulb in lukewarm water for an hour. After an hour, the ring had swollen to fill the white pot. I buried the bulb from the shoulders up, set it on the kitchen table and I waited.

Three days later the rough brown tip of the bulb still looked the same. I thought I had missed a step in the directions. Maybe the bulb itself was a dud.

On the morning of the fourth day I woke up to find the smallest sliver of green pushed out of the top of the bulb. Each successive day since then, more green has shown itself. Sometimes I will walk by to the laundry room and on the way back it will look to have grown again. It probably has.

As I work on a current project that seems massive and unwieldy, I sit at the computer, the bulb in front of me. I look up at it and remember we do big work piece by piece, bit by bit. That under a rough surface, is the possibility of a glorious red flower. It could be a show-stopper.

The Thing I Made Today

It's a thing.