Tennessee and East Coast Times

So eventually I made my way to Sewanee. I stopped at this viewpoint/graffiti rock to get a sense of the foliage.

And I got to say hello to Zul for the first time in months and months. He was temporarily staying with my father until I could find more permanent lodgings with him, which I finally did.

I went through a lot of old photos while I was in Sewanee. I took this with my phone mainly so I could text it to my cousin and make fun of her late '80s/early '90s fashion.

The view from my bedroom window.

A note from my cousin.

My father at probably 16 or 17, skiing in Switzerland.

My father and the cat watching The Interview on Christmas Day.

The house.

We took a little hike with a bunch of folks. It wasn't strenuous, but it did have nice views and precarious cliffs.

And then I was in Pennsylvania, where this sign never failed to make me chuckle.

I also made the acquaintance of some sheep and alpaca. Compared to our flock, they were quite standoffish and rude.

But it was warm so I didn't much care.

Zul and I spent a few last evenings together. He is such a good, wonderful, cuddle buddy of a cat. I wish there could have been a way to keep him in my life forever, but it wasn't meant to be.

I continued to paint. This person's likes were golden retrievers and peonies, her dislike was bad editing. I wish I had worked a bit more on the golden retriever and the table. Oh well.

Then I drove to Brooklyn to introduce/drop off Zul. He spent the night with me in his new home's guest room. Cuddle monster. Ugh. So sad. But good that he's found new people who can treat him right and get a kick out of his idiosyncrasies.

A view in Brooklyn. From L. and Fatty's new abode.

L. and I went out and I dressed up in clothes I wouldn't have even thought about wearing during my farm months. I felt like a harlot...but a kind of cute one?

L. and Fatty have a Vespa. I rode the Vespa, looking like this.

We ate oysters. So many oysters. They were good.

Another night in Brooklyn I met up with S. and C. and T. and J. and a bunch of other initials. S. and C. are Zul's new carers, so it was good to hear how he was doing just a few days in to the whole thing.

It's also always a pleasure to see T. I also enjoyed spending time with all the other folks there. Good people. And with those whom I've known since high school, I'm always so glad that we still have a certain level of rapport and familiarity. It's comforting to know that while friendships change in nature and shape, they remain at some level constant. Or at least sometimes they can. In this case, they can.

Then I went to the moon.

L. and I went to a food truck explosion by the Brooklyn Bridge. We sat at a picnic table to eat our respective meals and you know who ended up sharing the table with us? Oliver Platt.

Then I went to Philly and met up with LW for a truly luxurious and expensive meal at Townsend. If you live in Philly or are visiting Philly, you should go eat there. It is all that is right.

My old bedroom window.

Barnes Foundation.

Dart night. I didn't get to play because it was league, but it was nice to say hello to a lot of familiar dart faces.

Then it was back to the country and snow.

Not too much snow though.

Then back to NYC for L.'s birthday.

And cocktails.

And walking across the Brooklyn Bridge.

And eating lamb dumplings in Chinatown.

And L.'s birthday dinner.

And shenanigans.

Lots of shenanigans.

And a little love.

A quick meetup with L. from my grad school days. So many people, so little time!

Then R. came over to L. and T.'s for dinner. I think I made pork of some kind. And kale. And then I insisted we have some photographs taken so there was proof that it took place at all.

Proof is in the pudding. Or in the two former neighbors all growned up.