Today was a wild one. My ad to encourage voting early by mail (featuring a human ballot in a spandex suit) was greenlit, and our shoot yesterday had been long, hot, and hilarious. We were pursued by the law across Far Rockaway, but finally got all the locations.  This morning I biked the drive full… Continue reading A no-news update

This is the most exciting thing to happen in a while! As I may have previously moaned about, our lovely supermarket, Best Market (formerly Best YET market) closed down for six months to be transformed into another market, not a Best or Best YET market. Curses! I never knew I had it so good–a pretty… Continue reading Tomorrow we meet our new supermarket!

I am not happy about this at all. Everything was quiet for at least two weeks. We went away and she only called the police once on us, about a child in a wheelchair. The workers did not speak such great English but that is what our contractor told us. Yes, we had words about… Continue reading Shadows and the alley

I’m terrible at them. Just terrible. Calvin always criticizes me for getting so mad and cursing at Maggie. And then I’m so mad I can barely breathe, mad at both Maggie and Calvin. This time we came home from Vermont, where we swam in my cousins’ pool, played tennis on their court, and just for… Continue reading How do I get better at showdowns?

[repetitive material, sorry] The day began dismally. Calvin woke me up as he does every morning, to exercise. And thus I power walked again through the maskless hordes, only to return home to find the internet DOWN. I get back last because the kids and Calvin run and I powerwalk but the moment I walked… Continue reading Adult Protective Services need more resources

This blog recently contacted Sir Paul McCartney about his relationship with our neighbor, and he kindly answered all our questions. Below is the transcript of our conversation. Thank you, Sir Paul, for doing this call! I am so honored to speak with you. It’s also my honor. I know Maggie has had strife with neighbors,… Continue reading Sir Paul McCartney answers our questions

The family needs a reading list for this situation and I have proactively started it with an Amazon order. So far: That makes sense, right? We are trapped in a hell of other people, including ourselves and featuring Maggie. We’re trapped in a pandemic, and every day we are accused of doing terrible things. I… Continue reading Reading list in progress

Every night is drinks on the deck, compulsory yet enjoyable. We carry our drinks on to the deck and wave to the neighbors. It breaks my heart and bruises my pride to admit that my neighbors just don’t enjoy seeing me. I enjoy seeing them but when they see us, they see the people living… Continue reading Drinks on the deck!

It has been darn buggy around our place–those small, useless gnats that usually hover a little around the fruit bowl are persisting, flourishing. We’re in week 2 of heat waves, and the bugs get bolder. Last night Calvin fiipped his wig over a large American cockroach in the basement. I always try to be too… Continue reading Into the fray, again

But it’s hard not to get into a groove. Every week letters come to Calvin and me from Children’s Protective Service. Every week a social worker calls or comes by to make sure the kids don’t have marks or bruises on their arms, legs or torsos. Every day the water in the hot tub gets… Continue reading I don’t think it’s good to feel normal in this situation (underpants)