HABERDASHERY

We still have no internet connection at home.

It's probably gonna be awhile.

Summer is starting...besides the heat, it's gonna be great!

Call my wife, she could use the company...

...back to work...

Rik.

MATINEE SHOWING

Please forgive the lack of updates...most of you probably know we've been moving.

We're completely in the new house now, but still no internet access and LOTS of stuff still in boxes.

I'll leave you with 3 pictures that, taken together, represent the past two weeks of our lives.

See ya soon...

OUR PSYCHIC ASTRONAUT

We worry constantly about Spike being the middle child.

Boris is so dominant.
Hella is so extroverted.





Spike is much too important to get lost in the shuffle.




His internal self is enormous, and wise, and creative.

But sometimes...being surrounded by the commanding presence of the warrior-king, and the burning light of the riot-princess...he doesn't get a chance to talk.

HAPPINESS

FABLES OF THE RECONSTRUCTION

DC/Vertigo Comics publishes a most excellent comic book series called FABLES.

Premise: Take every character from every fairy tale, mythological story, or folktale you've ever heard. Those characters live secret lives in our world, hidden in a magical neighborhood in New York. Now, tell stories. For instance, in the first story of the series, Snow White's sister (Rose Red) is murdered. Snow and Bigby Wolf (the human form of the Big Bad Wolf who functions as the sheriff of 'Fabletown') have to solve the mystery. The second story is a take-off on 'Animal Farm'. And it continues to get better and better.

Back when Fables #31 was released, we had just found out we were pregnant with Hella.

We were overwhelmed. Having the two boys seemed like so much already. We were dealing with the neverending money problems. We were always tired.

In the issue, Snow White and Bigby Wolf had just had several babies (a litter, actually).

The cover of the issue showed their feelings about their lives, and to us seemed to also sum up our lives.

The babies swirling around above their heads...

Desperately holding onto each other...

Autumn leaves...

It was all so perfect...

...

I was just remembering that time in our lives and how hard it seemed...

But, of course, it all worked out great...

Kinda like right now in our lives...

SNEEZING AT THE CARDBOARD

So, we're moving...it's for real.

The house is a maze of boxes and piles of stuff.

The stress is wearing everybody thin.

Don't expect a whole lot of patience for the next couple of weeks.

But, it'll be worth it.

Bigger house, nicer neighborhood, more space, closer to (almost) everywhere we go every day...

Yeah...

It'll be worth it...

ART IN THE ANCIENT WORLD

I get the amazing honor of taking Boris to school every morning.


These drives are usually filled with great, in-depth discussions...about what we're listening to on the radio (music or news), issues with the family (why does Spike take all my things), or what he learned in school the day before (nothing).

This morning, he asked me how the planets were made.

I explained that some people believed in creationism, and some believed in the Big Bang.

I showed him this...



After thinking about it, he came up with his own theory. He decided that the universe must have been a huge, blank canvas. "Someone" drew a picture of the planets and stars and threw it down on this big white space. Then everything started moving and came alive.

ORGANISM

This is because we're becoming aerodynamically efficient...consolidating places to post...

here's the old places...

BORIS
the amazing adventures of a real-life superhero

SPIKE
a life worth living, walking an inch off the floor

HELLA
burning her name into the world around her

ROYAL
he should've been named Gulliver

So, now we're streamlined...