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December 29, 2006

we pity the kitties

But Marcel will share his sleeping bag with them, cause that's the kind of good-natured guy that he is.
And plus, everything Snake needed to know, she has yet to learn in Kattygarten-

For example, the avoidance of dawgs.
There are cat people and there are dog people. Snake is a dog person.
She's no dummy.

Marcel is just as glad, though, to be back in his natural habitat, the apartment formerly known as the Big Dawg Bachelor Pad, lounging in cat-free comfort.

Here is something cool I got for Christmas~

My mom framed a card that John made for me, it is glass on both sides so you can see the poem about the strawberries on the back. The front is a self-portrait I took, with plants woven in, then laminated.

Here is how else I have been amusing myself-

Taking pictures out the car window at night in Indiana.
I thought this one came out especially nice.

Posted by pippypippy at 05:39 PM | Comments (2)

December 22, 2006

bad dog.

I can't seem to convince Marcel

that smoking in bed is a very bad thing to do.

Posted by pippypippy at 07:45 PM | Comments (1)

December 21, 2006

In Memoriam, Big Dawg- part 1

On Saturday we had the memorial gathering for John at The Columbia College Center for Book and Paper Arts. I managed to get some pictures before people arrived, but then I couldn't get any people pictures. Which is probably good, because the fact is I was talking to people the whole time, and lots of people came, which of course I was thankful for.

We had some truly spectacular flowers, arranged by Bill's (Bill who went totally above and beyond the call in helping arrange and orchestrate the entire affair, and to whom I am deeply indebted, and also to Katherine, without whom none of it would have been possible) friend whose name- as I recall- is Andy- at Italian Court Flowers. He knows from tasteful flowers, believe it. And plus, one thing about the Big Dawg that I knew for sure is he was not above throwing a flower or two on the scanner and using floral imagery in his art, so we needed dramatic, and Bill hooked us up. Big thanks again.

The framed photo of John was one that Katherine had taken last spring.

The flowers alone. When we were in the gallery, putting up artwork and photos of John in advance, I whispered to him. See? See how beautiful. This is for you. Because you are loved.

We set up a rather large and somewhat fragile book in a vitrine, it was an earlier piece that John made before I met him. Its hinged together shallow wooden boxes, like paintboxes, with translucent papers stretched over them, and all manner of gold leaf, and possibly oil paint, and definitely xerox transfers and shellac, and some nails. Its title is The Tomb of Louis XXX.
Here is a front view~

Its hard to do it any justice in photos.
In another area we had photos of the pets that John had had, including some pictures he took of himself with Marcel. Here it is blurry, and partially obscured by the other flower arrangement~

I thought it was fitting to include all the animals he loved. Of course Marcel kind of took over, in his inimitable way.
There was also a board of snapshots and family photos~

More later.

Posted by pippypippy at 07:54 PM | Comments (3)

December 11, 2006

Moving day

I'm moving.
Here's the place, empty.

Mr. Goddamn Sunshine did superhuman amounts of hauling, because! He has the strength of ten! Believe it! Here he is putting together the Pippy's Dad Memorial Drawing Board. It has a cast-iron base, which is the main reason why anyone who has ever helped me move in the past has refused to help me ever again. No, not really. But still. And since it had belonged to my Dad, and he spent so much of his time hunching over it, squeaking a marker, I am unnaturally attached to it. It still has Letraset stuck to the top, for anyone who remembers what that is.

Afterwards, he made a rather rude gesture, for which I forgave him, seeing as he had carried not only my bed, but also a large, comfy chair and ottoman, a biggish rug, several boxes of pots, dishes, books, art supplies, yarn, and whatnot, my computer desk, and some bookshelves, among other things, to the third floor pretty much single-handedly. Plus, the thing is I have the Photoshop skills to perform a little bird-fingerectomy, å voila!

He's shaking his fist in good-natured irritation!
(We are deeply indebted to Mr. Goddamn Sunshine, for manly moving services rendered, and the Mr. Goddamn Sunshine, Sr., for use of his van.)

Afterwards, we were on our way back to La Maison Vert for the night and we saw-

A rainbow! Can you see it? It was very pretty, and I like to believe it was some kind of sign.

The Skyway Bridge truly is my favorite place on earth. Here it is seen through the salty windshield, in the waning daylight.

And here is the view from the bridge~

I think I had the window open for that one. Breathtaking. No?

Mr. Goddamn Sunshine silhoutted against the industrial landscape.

I think this is a steel mill.

Visuals courtesy me and my fabulous new camera, courtesy of David. Big, big, big thanks again, David!

Posted by pippypippy at 07:16 PM | Comments (6)

December 09, 2006

I dig a Pony

Is it a Charlie Brown Christmas??

Or just Pony with his new love-

Rosemary! Oh, Rosemary. So beautiful! So fragrant!
No one will ever hang an ornament on you.

Yesterday it was very, very cold, and Marcel wore what we call his Sherlock Holmes jacket. Not sure why it reminds us of Sherlock Holmes, maybe its the natty, elegant styling? Maybe its the way the collar folds back that reminds us of the earflap thingies on the hat?
We don't know. But Mr.Goddamn Sunshine says its foppish and insufficiently macho!!
Marcel and I say~

You decide!!

Posted by pippypippy at 07:44 AM | Comments (3)

December 06, 2006

today

I miss John.

This is the urn that the Trappists made.
Those monks really know their stuff, as I and John's sisters, who have the other two urns, have discovered, the finish is quite waterproof. It really doesn't freak me out to have his ashes. I think I may have said it before, but it gives me something physical to hang onto and take care of in this world, and it makes him less gone to me. Plus
here is a blessing the Trappists do. Somehow it takes the spookiness away.
Yesterday I spent some time with the box, holding it and crying, as I was overwhelmed by a sudden and powerful wave of sadness. Loss is a strange animal. Sometimes its overpowering and terrifying, as yesterday when I felt pins and needles all over, followed by a dull ache in all of my limbs because I was acutely aware that there is no force in the world that can bring him back. Other times you carry loss with you as just a fact, and maybe its even precious to you because its what you have left, so its a gentle thing that you need to cradle. At those times I picture it as a cloud-shaped bundle, dwelling close to the heart. Its because we love that we grieve. This is what I keep telling myself.

This is a picture of Katherine sent me, its John with his friend Charles, who passed away in (I believe it was) 2004. I never met him, but he and John were close, and John went to visit Charles when he was sick and dying. Going through some of John's work today, choosing works to be displayed at the memorial service, I came across a magazine dedicated to Charles. The images were softly lit, it was black and white (mostly shades of grey) and across the bottoms of the pages it read "you became used to being burned alive". It made my heart stop.

These days I try to work on projects, pick up something, put it down when I realize I don't know why I'm doing it and not something else, and wander off. Then repeat the process.

Thanks to everyone who has emailed and expressed condolences, and requested copies of John's magazines. I will be sending them out as soon as possible, some I have already sent, so be on the lookout for them. Thanks again to everyone who has commented.

Posted by pippypippy at 01:56 PM | Comments (1)

December 03, 2006

more visuals! Lucy's 1st Christmas pt.1

C is for Camera! And Cookie! And Christmas!
Aunt Pippy went a little coo-coo! Behold, ye childe Lucy~

Yesterday I gave Lucy the very special ornament I got her for the tree. I think she liked it.
I got her the Cookie Monster.

Because! She had to have it!
Grandma got her this one~

And Pippy the Elf lettered a little tag for the back~

She liked a very special polar bear too.
Cookie was looking good hanging out on the tree.

Posted by pippypippy at 09:53 AM | Comments (2)

December 01, 2006

a little bit of knitting on the Knit-A-Log, imagine

For your viewing pleasure, the most recent Manos hat, from Last Minute Knitted Gifts hat pattern- its the first picture of many to come, taken with the camera that came in the mail from David (whose hand I kiss a thousand million times!!! If the Fat Man lets you down, ask the Kilt Man! Again, big, big thanks!!)-

Yep, its me, working those Myspace Angles. Don't know how my nose disappeared, but it appears even I haven't got the Photoshop skills to make it materialize. Freaky. I really am that pale. Dig the orange pom-pom action.

Posted by pippypippy at 06:31 PM | Comments (7)