An addition to the family

On Christmas Eve, Delta and I impulsively adopted another kitty from the shelter. I guess we watched just one Sarah McLaughlin add to many, and caught up in the pathos of the song, we convinced ourselves it was our moral duty to save a little feline life. Introduce Charlie.

Unfortunately, the magnanimous benevolence of our actions was rather lost on Queen Jaffa, who has hitherto been the unquestioned empress of her kingdom. She was duly unimpressed with our divided attentions.

Charlie is a timid little kitty. At the advice of the kindly ASPCA volunteer, we've restricted her to the bathroom for the moment, so she has a safe haven from which to accustom herself to the sights, sounds and smells of her new abode. Instantly, she set up camp under the vanity from whence she squawked for food at regular intervals. Today, in a huge leap of (potentially premature) progress, we've kept the bathroom door propped open for the first time, separating Charlie from the world yonder with only a little child-gate.

Queen Jaffa, napping in the living room, is blissfully unaware that when she wakes up, there'll be another kitty around in her kingdom, separated only by something as flimsy and ephemeral as a few babyproof bars.

We have always known it would be a delicate introduction between the two kitties, and expect nothing less than a parade of hissing and back-arching (remarkable similarity to the yoga position) in their quiverfull of tricks.

Wish us luck, for although right now, the kitties sleep soundly, we rest assured that this home will regress into an animal farm of mayhem in the not so distant future.

Still - all in a day's work, right? Sarah McLaughlin would be proud. 

A Family Holiday

Delta and I have never been celebrators of Christmas.

Festivus? Yeah, maybe. That's a bit more our kind of thing.

But Christmas? With all the presents and forced family reunions that unearth historical resentments that were hitherto buried for a reason? Slightly more dubious.

But this year, we had a different take on the event. The Gins called us over to spend Christmas with them, their little Peanut, and the rents.

And, although the potato rosti we brought over could have stood for a little less time in the oven (don't think they're meant to brown and tough as pumpernickel?!), the day overall was a wonderful success. Seeing the Gins and their rents was lovely as ever, and little Peanut was in his element.

Every day we're reminded again and again how happy we are to have the Gins as our family around the corner.

 Little Peanut, literally keeling over with excitement at all the presents.

As always, we set up the 'ol tripod and insisted on a group picture. 

A fantasy, and an indulgence

Nikon 17-55mm, F2.8

This lens, right here, is my new guilty fantasy. But at $900 a pop (second hand! $1400 for new), I fear it remains just that - a fantasy.

Danny showed it to us at his home the other day, and we were just floored by it's speed. Finally, something as fast as a prime lens but with a zoom to boot. It's like a dream come true. 

One day, this will be ours.

Separately, but much more achievable, is my new guilty indulgence. Boardwalk Empire.

I don't know where I've been these past couple years, as the rest of the world has been raving about this show. Probably caught up in the likes of Breaking Bad and Homeland, which is hardly anything to complain about. But this is what a bit of extra time on your hands during the holidays can do to you. Hour after hour after hour, it transports me into the magical world of the twenties. Gowns, extravaganzas, gangs and all.

A quiet holiday period

The holidays have traditionally been a busy time of year. Delta and I have either always been travelling, or recuperating from recent travels, or just having a time replete with friends, family and parties.

This year, however, is different. It's quiet. I had a few vacation days to burn before the end of the calendar year, so I've taken time out (I never usually do that unless we actually are travelling somewhere). And yet this year, we had no plans for travels. The flights were all heavily booked, eliminating any possibility of non-rev (free) travel. And far be it from us to actually pay for a ticket.

So here we were, with plenty of days off, and no real plans for things to do with it. Time has started expanding itself with an astonishing elasticity. Delta's sister and her husband came down to visit us for a couple days, but left yesterday. And most of our friends have embarked on travels of their own, leaving us bereft of our normal festivities.

It's an odd feeling, disquieting in its very quietness. It doesn't seem to ruffle Delta in the slightest, but I'm always one for plans and have to concede to feeling a void of some sorts, that I'm not quite sure of how to handle.

Nothing to do, no one to see.
Hunkering down -
Delta, the kitty and me.

A holiday photo project

Last week, in the run-up to the holidays, I decided to take a wander around the city with the ol' camera to capture some of the holiday spirit that seems to be spilling around every corner. And, as always, the city didn't disappoint.

Thank you, NYC, for always being such a wonderful place in the holidays.

 The tree at Bryant Park

 An elusive Empire State Building, glowing through the fog

 All over the city, holiday markets!

 Rounded the corner and suddenly there it was before me, my favouritest building in the whole city!

Wandered round to the grand New York Public library 

 A street kebab guy, winding down after a long day's work

The practically undiscovered tree in the little plaza behind Bloomingdales. Why deal with the crowds of the Rockefeller Centre when you can have a tree all unto yourself.