Monthly Archives: October 2025

Happy Halloween

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Super Pumpkin

Greetings on this high holy day of fright, All Hallows Eve. I wrote last week after watching a scary show that I am not a big fan of horror. That is because there are so many real-life monsters in this world that I see no need to create more fictional ones. Case in point, Mister Andrew, formerly known as Prince. He has recently been uncrowned by his brother the king. Banished from Windsor castle for his unsavory acts, it has been suggested that he is considering moving aboard and seeking his fortune in the new world, a land viewed by some as more accommodating to pedophiles.

“I understood that both Mr. Trump and Mr. Epstein knew I was 13 years old. Defendant Trump had sexual contact with me at four different parties in the summer of 1994. On the fourth and final sexual encounter with Defendant Trump tied me to a bed, exposed himself to me and then proceeded to forcibly rape me. During the course of this savage sexual attack, I loudly pleaded with Defendant Trump to stop but he did not. Defendant Trump responded to my pleas by violently striking me in the face with his open hand and screaming that he would do whatever he wanted. Immediately following this rape, Defendant Trump threatened me that, were I ever to reveal any of the details of Defendant Trump’s sexual and physical abuse of me, my family and I would be physically harmed if not killed.”—Testimony of Katie Johnson who accused Trump of raping her when she was 13 years old 

This week amidst a festering government shutdown the steady drumbeat of calls to release the Epstein files have not abated. It is a matter of conjecture as to how many times the Donald’s name appears in the Epstein files, but it is a fact that it appears 88 times on Epstein’s Wiki page. A new wrinkle in the Trump-Epstein scandal pertains to the level of Trump’s involvement in Epstein’s perversions. Long believed to be a client, what it like convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell, Trump was also a facilitator. Trump’s involvement with numerous beauty pageants (Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA pageants) combined with accusations of him entering contestant’s dressing rooms while they were changing raises suspicions. Release the Epstein files, now!

Stabilimenta: Garden Spider

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Garden Spider with Stabilimenta – Zigzag Web Decorations

Stabilimenta are conspicuous, decorative silk structures that some orb-web spiders include in their webs. Often appearing as zigzags, spirals, or disks, their function has been a long-standing subject of scientific debate. Some scientists think that spiders weave stabilimenta to distract predatory birds. Others think that they promote web stability. In truth, they do not know.

Arboreal Activities

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Last May, while we were still in California, a tornado struck Saint Louis. Its path came to within a quarter mile of our home. While initially it appeared that little damage had occurred to our house, further investigation discovered that one of our few remaining trees had lost a branch. A hanger was left suspended up high in this elm. 

Earlier this week, Anne was sitting on the couch, when she heard the distinct who-cooks-for-you call of a Barred owl. Venturing outdoors, we determined that the calling owl was perched in our next-door neighbor’s Redbud. We haven’t heard it since, but hopefully it will return.

Captive Barred Owl

Yard Sale

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  • Cassina LC4 Black Leather Chaise Lounge Chair
  • John Dickinson Small African Side Table
  • Cassina Bellini 413 Cab Chairs in Leather
  • Knoll Cesca Chairs
  • Knoll Platner Lounge Chair

A few years ago, when Harry was selling his house, I was both amazed at his frenetic effort and also filled with trepidation at the prospect that one day I would have to do the same thing for my dad’s house. I took to referring to him as “Crazy Harry, everything must go”, as if he was appearing in some late-night TV ad. This year, that day has come. I have written all summer about the trials and tribulations of trying to sell my father’s house, as yet unsuccessfully. Now, I have turned my sights to moving out its contents. Working with Chris, I have place five items up for sale on a website called Aptdeco. Until today, all that I have generated were a few hits, with fewer likes. I do much better on this blog, but I have been running this site for years and I do not plan on being in the furniture business for that long.

I have listed five items so far and there is still way more furniture than that to sell, but for now those other items are being used to dress the house. Besides, I thought that I would start small, with the furniture that did not make it for dressing the house and now languish in the garage. The one exception to this rule, is the one item that has actually sold. Today, the John Dickinson Small African Side Table was purchased. This small, two-foot tall, three-legged table is made of concrete, making it ideal indoor-outdoor furniture. It also weighs about 80 lbs. It retails for about $6-8K. The markdown though is crushing. Suggested pricing is 75% off of retail and then Aptdeco takes another 30% cut, but like Crazy Harry years ago, I find myself in a position where everything must go.

Egyptian Mamluk Period Basin

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Egyptian Mamluk Period Basin

Egyptian, Mamluk period, Egypt Basin, mid-14th century brass with silver and gold inlay This magnificent basin was used for washing, in conjunction with a pitcher. The teeming fish swimming around the bottom of the interior reflects its function, as the water would splash over them. The stately Arabic inscriptions encircling the exterior of the basin and its interior rim indicate it was created for a high-ranking officer of the Mamluk ruler al-Malik al-Nasir. The Mamluks ruled Egypt and Syria from 1250 to 1517. In 1322 they signed a peace treaty with the Mongols, opening the way to trade with China. Contact with China introduced new motifs, such as the lotus flowers in the roundels on this basin.