Various small fires

Whenever I have been away and sit down to write a catchup blog post, this title comes to me:

VARIOUS SMALL FIRES

It comes from the title of a (1964) book by the artist Edward Ruscha featuring 15 photographs of small fires and a glass of milk merged in my mind with images from a book of whimsical staged images by Bernard Faucon.

I don't know why I think of it.  Certainly not in the same way as the artists (one of which google says was attempting to challenge the notions of classification in photography). 

by Bernard Faucon

Another Faucon image in a book Jonathon Said gave me 20 years ago.

For my version, I imagine a landscape in which various small fires have started and are burning away, all requiring to be put out (or cultivated).   Threat and potential, a harvest of flame, a grid of something wild.  Many small crises, self contained, and I'm never really sure if each one is something serious or something that will burn out, wisp away, with rain.

Thus its a great metaphor for my life (in catchup).  Various small fires I kindled and now must resolve and which I will share with you.  So here they are:

Lit matches

We have moved house.  Moving is 95% complete.  Remaining in the garage of the old house are bits of lumber, some unnecessary furniture, missing hardware, defunct software and some recreational devices I no longer find fun.   I am sure I have left important things over there but at this stage I just wish I could push a DISPOSE button and have it all disappear.

Speaking of "disappearing" things.  Many things are mislaid in the move.  Boxes abound.  The new garage is full and Frost has made no attempt to unpack his boxes of Lego and playmobil, his books or even his clothes.  This confirms my thesis that, as parents, we should simply sell off all our kids toys from time to time as a gift to the family.

Nobody would really miss them.

Cigarettes

Frost had his birthday party.  He is now 10 years old and had a few friends to run around the yard with him and eat sundaes.   He said it was a bit of a disorganized birthday party but he had fun.  He was very happy with his gifts but has left them on the dining room table for me to resolve (remember the lack of unpacking?  Also lack of putting away).

From our end, he had the most minimal birthday yet.  We made a cake and sang at dinner, we gave him 3 presents (Magic the Gathering Cards, a playmobil guy with a skull mace and a pair of Lazer Tag guns.)   He was very excited to receive money from his Granny Katy, Auntie Kindra and Auntie Corlie (and Uncle Tyler).   I didn't go out and buy gifts from the foreign relatives and Mum sent him candy (which he enjoyed).  It was simpler and I don't think he felt short-changed.

The Lazer Tag guns have been great....

Blowtorch

We are still selling our other house.  We have received some offers, below asking, and are going to consider them tomorrow.   This is a short entry because I am sick of even thinking about the work I did, should have done, may need to do if an offer is picky.   Nuff said.

Highway flare

Its summer vacation and yet its been gloomy and rainy many days in the NW.  This while the rest of the USA is suffering a record heatwave.  Joshua keeps telling me how we should have replaced the old roof with white tile, not dark grey.   I can see we are going to have a white roof when we replace this one.  I am still researching the issue of glare off the roof for neighbors.

Gas stove burner

Beezle is still lovely but still poops and pees in bad (but predictable) places.  He loves bathmats, a particular persian rug and a corner under a table in the basement.  All this is resolved if I take him outside a lot but I don't.  He can't get out on his own so its All My Fault (except its his fault too because there are piddle pads on the bathmat for him and he chooses not to use them all the time, and he eats my long hair somehow and then gets them stuck in his bum and runs around with poo attached to my long hair attached to his butt which is horrible and distressing for everyone.

He is a great doggie though and well suited to couch potatos and sleeping with you in bed.

I have a few more conflagrations on the go, but that should do it for now.

Bon voyage Tara, Fred and Alex.  Have a fabulous time in France.  We will miss you and your job is to have such fun you don't miss us, or Seattle, at all.