Catch-all

 My brother designed and constructed a most excellent drawing table for me.  Half of the surface can be raised at an angle, as shown in the picture, or lie flat.  The other half has a glass pane so it can be used as a light table; to do that I simple place my desk lamp underneath.  My parents drove out to visit me and bring the desk, since he had already left for his new job in Japan.  We stained the desk and set it up in my room.

As you can see, it was put to use immediately.

I've done several drawings at the table since, it is quite satisfactory.  It just amazes me that my bro could come up with such a unique design, and then make it so well.  Fantastic!

In other news, I finally solved the crustacean puzzle that a friend sent me for Christmas. Mmm, langoustines.

Also, I had a stray piece of PVC pipe lying around, so I commandeered it for  Fluffy.  I wasn't sure if he would like it or not.  He did.  He had just shed his skin the day before this picture was taken.  Perhaps he felt extra-safe inside the tube?

Finally, a few weeks ago there was a LARGE fire very near my house.  When I went outside in the morning there were ashes and cinders lying in the street and yard.  It turned out that a big apartment complex that was being constructed just about a block away from my house had burned!  Well, about half of it, as you can see from the picture.   Since it was night-time and the building was under construction, no one was on the site and there were no injuries.

The investigation is ongoing as far as I am aware.  No sign of arson, supposedly, but it burned very hot and thoroughly, so any evidence perhaps could have been destroyed.  The fire was so hot that the building across the street had damage to the glass.  The company is still cleaning up the damage, and working to rebuild the part that was destroyed.

I do wonder how I managed to sleep through all the firetruck and police sirens that night!