Concessions, Compromises, Anniversaries

She's been working on the kitchen for a while. New counter tops, new sink; the yellowed, sunflower-patterned wallpaper removed...from both the walls and the cabinet doors. She has plans for the cabinets...and she has managed to pick out (and apply) the purple.

The two cats above the sink came from Margaret Krahenbuhl's estate. Michelle adopted Belle & Jesse James after Margaret died. The two mugs to the right of the cat sculptures were made in Italy. Michelle's mom, Susan (died, Nov 2015) bought them on a trip to San Francisco.



The plate next to the paper-towel dispensor

was a gift from one of the faculty in my department at the University of New Mexico. She did an exchange semester with a professor from Australia and brought it back as a gift.

The floor was redone just a couple of weeks ago. The 35-year-old linoleum was still in good shape, but it's texture was a dirt magnet. She likes a smooth surface that's easy to clean. And after 25 years of hands-and-knees scrubbing (We Germans KNOW how to clean floors!), I was more than happy to see it go.


I have to have meat in the evenings or I get hungry in the middle of the night. Michelle can't stand the smell of cooked meat so we open the doors and turn on the fan to air things out. She doesn't mind it cool and when not attired for work, practically lives in a soft, thick robe.

Breakfast with Trixie

I dislike clothes, except as adornment, and don them only under duress. But I get cold when it drops below 85.

At the dinner table; lamb leg steaks. Doors open, fan on high.

On the 16th we celebrated the 2nd anniversary of the contractualization of our relationship.

Homeward bound on the 16th, I chanced upon this canning jar of eight or ten tulips in Albertson's. Their delicate coloration perfectly evoked the most intimate of erotic delights. Their passion spent, their subtleties evince the myriad permutations of a long-term relationship.

On April 1st we'll celebrate our 29th anniversary of our mutual-admiration association. The card on the table shows a donut hole running to "mate" with a donut. The text says: "You complete me."


We're coming around the far turn with Phoebe. Just a couple remaining details; we hope to depart for warmer climes Thursday....or maybe Friday.