The bug goes home

[gwyn]

The garage is finally finished -- the inspection still has to happen, but technically it's done.

	This is the concrete area they had to tear out because of the leaking. It took them more than ten hours to tear just this part out, the reinforcement was so strong and the concrete was so thick.
	Gutters! And just in the nick of time -- if you look real close, you can see raindrops on it. We got torrential rain the very day they put these up, minutes before they finished.
	A quick jump to NY -- this was my "bathroom" with no bath, of course -- just a toilet strategically placed under a sink that was sized for a child, and a counter that forced me to bend down under it lest I whack my head. It was also a step up into it, so at night, I had to leave the light on so I wouldn't stub my toes.
	Not much of a view. Everyone apparently got nice rooms with real bathrooms and views except me. I got the view of the MOMA line herding rails in a parking lot. There was a hot dog cart out of the other window.
	But at least when we walked to the library, I got this -- sun was just setting and the Empire State was looming above the trees, and it made me very happy despite the sweat and fatigue.
	Next block over, it was the Chrysler building's turn. This is my favorite large building ever. I would never get tired of looking at this if I lived in NYC.
	We were looking for someone we were supposed to meet at Bryant Park, and I noticed this wraparound Deadwood billboard, reminding me that I wasn't going to get to see the first two eps because of my trip. Still, it makes you feel better when you're in a strange place, and Al and Trixie and Alma and Seth are staring out at you.
	This is the big shindig we had to go to at the NY Public Library, Astor Hall. The echoes of the walls and ceilings made it just horrendous to be in with music blaring and people making speeches you couldn't hear. A couple people in this photo are actually people I edit on a regular basis.
	This was my delight of the trip -- a little lounge called 'Disiac with this delightful outdoor courtyard done up like some Moroccan hole in the wall. Nice drinks, we sat under the canopy, it was just wonderful to sit and talk to my co-workers that I actually like about non work stuff.
	More of the courtyard. I would just love love love to have a backyard seating area to entertain in that looked exactly like this. But in Seattle? Dream on.
	These two pics are really hard to see. I wanted during construction to bury something of my sister's in the concrete, but nothing I had was small enough or less valuable, so I was never able to. This was only possible because of the money she left me. More below...
	But somehow, a kitty in the neighborhood must have known, because he or she ran across the wet concrete and left their pawprints in it. When it cured, it was a lot harder to see, and I think the guys tried to brush it out, but I love it. It's a perfect thing for her garage -- she was an animal rescuer and had two beloved cats.
	Finally finished. I put a little quarter moon thing I got from sis_r's backyard above the door. The lights were in by this time.
	The front, finished. Lights that I don't really use.
	Ze Beetle, she ees home. After four months of construction and 15 years of waiting, I finally got to drive my car into the garage. It's not easy -- I really wish Dad had designed it as a one-door, but I will get used to it eventually. It's just a lot of hard turning and going very slowly.

Comments

[ann1962]

Gosh the paw prints made me tear up. How animals arrive in this fashion, mine were bunnies, I haven't a clue. But I am glad they do. ::hugs::

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

It was weird -- I actually almost cried when I saw those prints (which were a lot clearer before the concrete cured, unfortunately -- I had no idea curing would make them almost invisible). But they were the first real almost-tears of happiness I'd had in a long time -- like maybe the patron saint of kittycats was looking out for us (would that be St. Francis? Wasn't he the animal guy?).

[mmapmaker.livejournal.com]

Wow -- such diversity! Impossible to choose a favourite. The paw prints in concrete, maybe, because of the sentiment; the Morrocan courtyard, because of the riot of colour; or the nearly inaccessible toilet, because they expected you to use it without complaining mentioning its inaccessiblity. -g-

Thanks for sharing these!

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I'm telling ya -- if I have to go back next year for this retreat, and to the same hotel, I'm going to have a fit if they put me in a room with that again! I know it's only for two nights, but it's a long two nights when you have to do yoga positions just to pee!

[nwhepcat.livejournal.com]

Next block over, it was the Chrysler building's turn. This is my favorite large building ever. I would never get tired of looking at this if I lived in NYC.

You are totally right about that. It is my favorite NYC building, too (probably imprinted on me by the opening credits of Ryan's Hope just before I moved to NY). And yes, there's always something different the light and the sky does with the surface of the building -- sometimes it shines like tinfoil, usually when there's a very cloudy sky but still some sun from somewhere -- so it's always worth looking at. I briefly had a window that overlooked it at my job, and it was almost a meditation object for me. And it was probably the handling of the revocation of the window office by the big boss that led to my saying "screw this job" and moving west.

That is a wonderful shot, showing exactly what it does when it catches the light just so. I'm so glad you appreciate that building as much as I do! (The lobby is pretty neat, too. And did you know the "gargoyles" high up on the building are actually car parts?)

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

Oh man, that would definitely make any job easier to swallow -- and I can totally understand giving up one where they took the view away from you!

I didn't know they were car parts! Or, I might have read about that, but forgotten it totally. I can't even imagine how wonderful it would be to work in that building.

[leela-cat.livejournal.com]

That bathroom looks too tiny even for me. I can't imagine how you could have managed without twisting yourself into pretzel knots.

The pawprints in the cement are a wonderful touch. I wonder what drove the cat across wet cement. They normally avoid it with ease.

[gwyn-r.livejournal.com]

I have a feeling the kitty who left the prints was this little white with orange guy who reminds me a lot of my old kitty Duncan. He made himself totally at home in my yard when the demolition made it wide open, and he seems to pee on everything and it gets Emma into a tizzy. He's a little cutie but a complete devil, so it wouldn't surprise me if he ran across the slab, only figuring out after a few steps that, ick, there's something on my paws!

[barkley.livejournal.com]

The pawprints are so wonderful!