Apartment blues (and yellows)

Painting, day two. (My phone makes photos look jaundiced.)


Our charming, ransom note.


After three hours, the paint fumes got to us.

Making it our own

Night painting, things are slowly taking shape at the new apartment.

Feeling good about:
-new, working refrigerator
-quick commute
-sweet neighborhood
-close to dog-run

Home run

view from our bedroom


our bedroom, looking out


living room, office, bedroom


checking the kitchen

Practicing

I'm learning how to blog from my phone for my upcoming trip to Minnesota. Here's the overcast dog park this morning. Finally, a little relief from the rain.

In an hour, we get to pick up the keys to our new apartment!

Location:Transmitter Park

Fixing up, summer style.

Joe and I met up with Vicky and Heidi for a second round of Jones Beach-ing.


The weather and water were perfect; this time we all swam.


Heidi did her routine thirty-minute nap, then flip to tan the other half of her body.


And I passed the time by taking pictures on my new, fancy phone.

On our way home, Joe and I visited our new favorite Trader Joe's in Merrick, five minutes from the beach. The parking was easy; the store wasn't packed with customers; the selection was wonderful; the lines were short; and we were offered a batch of boxes for moving. I smell a Trader Joe's meal in the works.

This summer is fixing up to be quite dreamy.

physical dynamics

I arrived back in the city on June 18 and since I stepped out of the car, Joe and I have been on a no-sugar (sweets) and no-carb diet. I’m not a big promoter of diets, but I am someone who will follow a plan if I set a goal and give myself a deadline. The motivation for this change came from feeling like I put my health on hold upstate. I stopped attending Aikido classes, didn’t walk more than the short distance it took to keep Nukah happy, and consoled my lonely upstate existence with unhealthy food.

I fantasize about Petey’s burgers and chocolate milkshakes, Shake Shack, St. Dymphna’s blue cheese and bacon burger (medium rare, closer to rare), 16 Handles, banana splits, grilled cheese, tuna melts on cinnamon raisin toast, mashed potatoes, and just about every other delicious food. On the other hand, my skin is pretty clear for city living, and I’ve lost a bit of weight. I’m not sure I feel much better; it’s hard to tell amid a record-setting heat wave, but I can say that I’ve never eaten so many vegetables and fruits consistently.

The other perk is that Joe’s cooking is professional. I live with my own personal chef. Without his cuisine, I’d be eating mac ‘n cheese and cereal for my meals.

We plan to stick to our diet until our trip to Minneapolis, which is in couple of weeks. When we return to New York, we will go back to eating healthy for the unforeseeable future.

The other day it occurred to me that I’ve never had a body quite like this before. I'm amazed at the dynamic physical changes and adaptability of the body.

Nukah celebrates independence, the gay way

Nukah took his first boat trip on the Fire Island ferry.






We arrived in time for the Invasion.
















Nukah loved running on the beach.




He found and ate a dead crab.




Later in the day, a deer strolled along the beach.


Nukah made friends with a drag queen.






We had a perfect day on Cherry Grove.

Countdown to Fire Island!

(Sorry for the swearing, Mom.)

Driving Ms. Gili

Veronica is learning to drive. She drove once after she got her license in Romania about ten years ago, but she doesn't remember anything that she learned. She's taking lessons with a professional, and I've also offered my car to practice. This afternoon we met for our first lesson. Veronica was cautious; considerate of pedestrians, bikers, and other drivers; and she seemed comfortable behind the wheel. I'd like to take credit for Veronica's abilities, but I did little beyond offering encouragement.

I was so confident in Veronica's skills that I experimented with photography as she drove me around.

Next week, Veronica might drive faster than 25 mph. Look out, Brooklyn.

Approved!

Joseph and I (and the dog and cat) are moving on July 15th to a beautiful apartment close to McGolrick Park on the other side of Greenpoint from where we are now. We have spent all of our free-ish time searching for our dream home to put down roots and settle in for the unknown adventures, awaiting us. Our pursuit has led us to our new front door.

Additionally, we got along almost too well with our realtors and they've offered to let me shadow them for a few days to see if I'd like to begin a career in realty. I never imagined myself selling and renting property, but that won't stop me from giving it a try.

I don't remember the last time I felt this optimistic.

Binary Sunday

Joe and I started our day at Pride.


Even with all the corporate sponsorship, I'm still a sucker for Pride.


Like every other year, I get a little choked up at Pride, thinking about how far the queer community has come, even in my short lifetime.


And somehow I found the perfect partner to celebrate with me.


Everyone looked so fabulous.


We hardly had time to immerse ourselves in the fag-tastic-ness.


We had to leave one big queer wedding/fiesta to switch into our very straight roles, the life where I somehow attend straight weddings on Pride.


Joe's high school friend, Chris married his woman, Lisa in a very formal and traditional ceremony. They seem like very nice people.


I'm not sure I fit in, but then when do I blend with the mainstream?


There was a lot of minor attempts at being invested in an outmoded declaration of institutional romance when really I longed to go party down at Pride. I kept thinking how much my life has changed.


Dancing with Joe and having him by my side made the whole thing a lot less painful than I had anticipated. We've even decided to take zydeco lessons.


Happy straight solidification of your straighthood, exit from any gender or sexual confusion that may have arisen, clarity in the murky world of blurriness.


And to all my friends and family, Happy Pride!

Glimpses of brilliance in Brooklyn

At the park, an elderly man stood on a bench to get a closer look at the skaters, practicing nearby.