Beamed Up - Part II

The 2 Liberty place sky hook
was at it again yesterday. This
time I've got pictures.
top left- gondola rising 
top right - gondola at top perpendicular
to boom
lower left - gondola parallel to boom
lower right - detail, boom w. gondola
moving into building
(click on image to enlarge details)

Beamed Up

arrow points to boom window
(click to enlarge)


I saw a metal gondola with several men slowly

rise up the south side of 2 Liberty Place, 

while I was on the phone yesterday.

When they passed the railing at the top of 
that portion of the building (40-some stories 
high) I suddenly realized that the platform 
could not be hanging from the roof nor 
attached to the side wall, because the next 
building section stepped back from the 
lower one.

"Sky hook?", crossed my mind as I looked 
up under my window shade.

Indeed, there was a long steel boom

sticking out of a large window opening

just under the triangular peak at the top.

The gondola rose slowly until it was just

under and perpendicular to the boom.

Gradually it turned until it was still

under but parallel to the boom
and away from the building.

Now for the BEST part.

Almost imperceptibly, the boom w/gondola

fastened beneath swung to the left.

When it reached a certain point the boom began

to move bit by bit lengthwise into the opening

in the building until it and the gondola

disappeared from sight.

And the glass window descended and closed.

(Sorry, no pictures. Too busy narrating the action 
into the phone.)

Hoping for a next time!

PS I've since been told there is a
"boom"on each of the 4 sides of the building.

Happy 75th Birthday, Tomie

Tomie dePaola in Ravenna 1984, ©ccroll

 With hugs and love, XXXXX and purrs, 

Carolyn, Tizzy and Fred

Class Act

Carolina e Tomasso a Roma 1984

Hard to believe its been 25 years since

Tomie De Paola led that gruppo to Italy 

and the Bologna Book Fair.

My idol from the moment I "discovered"

Strega Nona at a school book fair where 

Jane Flory and I were speaking years ago. 

Still skint from a trip to Russia, I signed on. 

Couldn't pass up the chance to see Italy,

visit the Bologna Book Fair and possibly

chat with Tomie a time or two. (I knew

he'd never do it again.)

We all met at JFK. Soon Tomie appeared, 

greeting each individually. 

My turn.

I held out my hand, reminding him that

we had met briefly before at the Free 

Library in Philadelphia.

Tomie responded that he had something for me.

(Perhaps, the signed copy of his St Francis?

An expected souvenir for signing on)

From his pouch,  a copy of my Too Many Babas.

"May I have your autograph?", he asked.

Still gives me a lump in my throat.

Tomorrow is Tomie De Paola's 75th birthday.

Buon Compleanno, carissimo Tomassino!!

Con amore, abbraci e baci.

Carolina di Filli

Peppermint Roses

click on photo to enlarge

Blooming today in St. Mark's Church garden, 

         on Locust St between 16th and 17th Sts.

Fall Faux-liage

Windows closed. The tale told. 
Opening doors to new ideas. 
And old hall furniture, it seems.
A temporary grove of artificial trees 
has sprung up this afternoon at the 
end of the elevator hall.
The fall faux-liage began early this year.

What's In A Name?

 

(click to enlarge)

Fred jumped on me at 7:46 this morning. 
My living alarm clock. Impatient that I slept
an hour more than usual.
I dressed. He lead me to his empty bowl.
Fred doesn't know his name. 
The one I gave him.
Tizzy comes when I call, not Fred.
Neither one of them knows my name.
How could they? It doesn't matter.
I must be pictures, sounds and 
smells in their minds. 
She who serves food, cleans the box, 
scratches ears, rubs bellies, clips claws, 
flashes the laser light. Who comforts 
when it thunders.
Anxiety when I leave. 
Relief when I return.
And never forgets their snack before bed.
(They don't let me).
             =^..^= =^..^=

I Spy A Fly, Oh My

(click on photo to enlarge)


Some how a fly made it up to the 
37th floor yesterday.

The cat boys took turns stalking 
and chasing it all afternoon
and into the evening.
Don't know which one got it, 
but its gone. Game over.

Comes September

                   from What Will The Weather Be?, by Lynda DeWitt

The first of September always feels 
like New Years to me.

Cool breezes and a cerulean sky with 
high cotton wool clouds. 

Can't wait for sweaters, socks and 
turning leaves.

Shades Of Happiness

One small cheap scene and my windows

have their shades. All before noon on

August 31, 2009. Hooray!!!!!!!

Soaking Up Rays Once Again

             (click on photo to enlarge)
Clear blue skies all day.
Still waiting for my window shades to be 
hung again. (promised for last Friday).
Have had enough of all the waiting.
Begun setting out belongings unseen 
and unusable since the end of July.
Cat boys helping.....
Shade-hangers had their chance.
Now they will have to work around 
and over.
September coming on Tuesday lifts 
my spirits.

Cat Days Of August

Illustration from QUESTIONS (August Afternoon), by

Lee Bennett Hopkins, Harper Collins

Their favorite window perches removed

for renovations. Strange workmen coming

and going, drilling, nailing and spackling.

Short term confinement to the windowless

bathroom where they are safe but not happy.

The Cat Boys world turned upside down.

And one more week to go. MEOW!!!

=^..^= =^..^=

We Have WINDOWS!!

C.Croll illustration (click to enlarge)

Long hard day for the Cat Boys.

Taxi rides to and fro.

TZ stayed under Mom's sofa all day,

Fred in the coat closet.

No food or water or litter box call.

Then home again to the great relief of

all concerned.

New Window Inspector Fred

(click to enlarge)

Avoiding Cat-astrophe

How sweet. (Until TZ's had enough and

goes for Fred's Aorta)

No windows today, but a little progress.

Replacing the surrounds to the heat/ AC unit

under the windows.

Had to fish the cat boys out from deep cover.

Safely, but not happily, ensconced together in the

bathroom until holes open to the sidewalk

37 floors below are filled once again.

Lunch break. Some treats might help.

Big mistake - big break out.

Second round of catch-the-cat.

If I were more fluent in cat lingo,

I could explain it all to them.

Hurry Up And Wait

Fred E. Cat sitting watch on Lookout Mountain

Thursday, August 13, 2009.

Six postponements.

One week and a day.

Blame faulty equipment.

Don't want anyone to get hurt.

Today, rain in Philadelphia.

Looks like this is going into

next week.

If I start finished art for the

book jacket, they will come

and replace my windows

as I dip my brush into color.

Maiden Voyage

art from Questions by Lee Bennett Hopkins

Trying to fathom how the illustrations

that left my desk in Philadelphia this

morning arrived moments later

safe and sound on the Art Director's

desk in the UK.

Cyber magic.

What's needed next is a way to zap me

over the pond in similar fashion.

Picnic Al Fresco

click on photos to enlarge

Last Saturday a little bird carried this huge

bit of pretzel from the park across the street.

Passersby kept interrupting his enjoyment.

Each time he flew away until all was clear.

Finally returning with a friend.

Perhaps to stand guard.

Mountain Weekend

Cat boys stand guard over mountain

range of moved, stacked and tarped

apartment contents.

Every day a new hill to climb and explore.

The only ones having fun waiting for the

Godot/ Murphy Window replacement folks.

Tuesday? It Must Be Windows

The 4th and latest update-

Windows on Tuesday Aug. 11.

Annoyed? Who's annoyed? :-(

Murphy Calls

Illustration from QUESTIONS, by Lee Bennet Hopkins

Here I sit amongst my belongings piled high

around me. Waiting for the fates to finish

with their latest form of amusement.

Postponing my date with the window

replacement guys.

Yes, that which was originally scheduled for

Wed. Aug 4, then moved to Thurs. Aug 5 has

now gone on to Fri Aug. 6. I'm thinking next

Monday or Tuesday is probably more like it.

The problem, my dear Watson, seems to be

something lacking in the equipment on the

roof that handles and/or supports the sling

apparatus required by the men working on

the outside of the building. While I naturally

want these guys to be safe and secure as they

dangle 37 stories above the pavement, I would

also like this to be over within my lifetime,

preferably before my next birthday in May.

From past experiences, I know the only way

is to convince the Fates, who report directly

to Murphy, patron saint of all things out of

our control, that I don't care a fig about all

the mess and inconvenience. At which time,

they will move on to annoy whomever is next.

PS: Meanwhile, the cat boys are enjoying all

the new places to hide behind and under

tarp covered moved furniture and books.