Dan attended the CalArts MFA Open Studios last weekend. He made lots of contacts during the event and now has a mailing list. A LA gallery expressed some interest in exhibiting his work and he and Danny Devito had a “long” conversation. One of Dan’s classmates is the daughter of Devito and Rhea Perlman. Other than talking about Dan’s art works on display, I could not get anymore out of Dan about what this “long” conversation was about. Probably, because he rightly feared that any details revealed would end up on this blog.

Dave will finish up at NIH at the end of July. Orientation at Purdue is in mid-August. That gives him a two-week window, to relocate to West Lafayette, IN. He will likely slip in a visit to the Cabin in that timeframe too. I might actually have to breakdown and get him a car, because I doubt that West Lafayette has as good a public transportation system as Washington does.

Anne has had the last two days off from school and has used that time to finish the taxes. I think that she has found this year’s taxes the most taxing yet to complete. She has a few forms to print, checks to write and then mail in. On Friday evening, I was reminded of what a former manager once told me, after I had worked Saturday, “Everyone else’s weekend is half over, but yours is just getting started.” I suggested the corollary with that situation then and with Anne’s and mine, this weekend, but she would have none of that and said that doing the taxes is work too, and I guess that she is right.

I got to use my first rewards card at Starbucks. Starting last Christmas, when Jay and Joanie each gave me a Starbucks gift card, I have been slowly, but surely racking up the points. On Friday morning, I marched into Starbucks and instead of ordering my usual, a Grande Latte, I ordered a Veneti Cocoa Cappuccino. It was different, not what I expected, but it was OK. On Monday, I’ll be back with my usual drink. Changing my order, did create a stir among the Latte Ladies. All in all, it was a bit of sunshine in what was otherwise a rainy day.

Pictures with this post are of Grape Hyacinth, photographed in a neighbor’s front yard. Also pictured is Andrew, son of Bob and Noreen. During Bob’s visit last weekend, we watched Andrew and the rest of the Fontbonne tennis team compete against Ozark College. Unfortunately, for Andrew and Fontbonne, Ozark played better tennis that evening.