Max and Watson, best friends forever. 

A few pictures from the day Kelli and Dan started their marriage. I was on hand as a bear-wrangler. 

Later that night, long after vows and champagne and cake, we sat around my living room. Kelli and Dan gave Max many hugs and promised him  presents from their honeymoon travels. It was the sort of day that felt like it might mean everything would be different, but not really. 

“Your baby sister is almost here” Kelli told him. “WOOF,” said Max. I felt exactly the same way. 

I know it can be annoying, but sometimes I vague-blog in vacillation between “no one cares stop being vain” and “what if everyone from work is reading?” Clearly, though, I am mostly alarming friends-I-love-but-am-terrible-about-calling. “What is the point of your very public, regularly updated blog,” I can hear them asking, “if you’re going to move and not explain anything?”

Fair point. 

Here is an general update expressed in Watsons: 

• Watson and I moved, but only to the other way hip, pedestrian-friendly, close-to-the-University neighborhood in Albuquerque. We are walking distance from milkshakes, frozen yogurt, and smoothies. The yard is grassy, spacious, and has a blooming apple tree. We are four blocks from James and a few blocks more from Nate. This is getting to be Chatter/Church of Beethoven HQ, especially because —
• We are living with Tony, Chatter’s Business Manager and Sharpless, the kitty. Tony works from home most of the day which means Watson is much less lonely. He and Sharpless chase each other around and then nap in mirror-image dumpling shapes (which is happening as I type). 
• Which is to say, everything is well and we are well. My lease ended at the other house and staying there meant holding on to unnecessary resentment. Sadly, moving and moving-adjacent events mean I no longer live with the chickens and may not have a garden this year. I will try to do some scaled-down growing, though, after the end of the semester.
• If you don’t hear from me for a few weeks, it is because I have 45 pages to write by the end of the month. One paper connecting George Eliot’s audience to the Victorian audience for Shakespeare’s tragedies, exploring the ways references to Shakespeare reinforce or challenge the tragic tradition. One paper considering power dynamics in Victorian medical care, Harriett Martineau’s experience with mesmerism, and silenced testimonies in a recently republished sensation novel, The Notting Hill Mystery. Wish me luck. 
• Here are some updates about the people Watson and I love most. Kelli is making a baby girl in her womb and Max is going to be a big brother! First, though, there is going to be a wedding. Watson’s grandmother made him a formal bow tie for the occasion. Conor is in the last revision for his thesis on Milton Babbitt and will soon be a Doctor of Musical Arts (so fancy!). He finishes his teaching appointment at Smith College this May, and the world? It will be his oyster. Elizabeth is moving to California! She decided to defer her offer from a big NYC firm to be a government attorney (US Citizenship and Immigration Services) in Echo Park. Cue another round of “Elizabeth is so smart” from my mom.

There. All caught up. 

With love, 

Silvia

“Can Max stay with you while I go to this thing?”

“Sure. Oh wait, I’m going to be at work for a while longer. Do you want to bring him by the library?”

“Won’t people notice?”

“It’s okay. I’ll sneak him in while I finish up.”

“HAHA. GOOD LUCK WITH THAT. ‘SNEAK’ MAX. You’re funny.”

Look at him. He’s practically invisible.

Kelli continues to make cake for breakfast possible.

Kelli made this beautiful cake for my birthday. In the background, animal cookies from Rachel and Evan (mostly Watson and chicken-shaped).

I am not at all ashamed to tell you that I’ve been eating both cake and cookies for breakfast for days and days.

Kelli and Dan are engaged! Let’s indulge in their lurrrrve.

Max confides that he was always certain it would come to this, and hopes that weddings come with cookies and possibly people who want to play tug. 

“Tina has not responded to texts or messages for four days. Do you think I should be worried?”

“Yes, maybe?” Kelli says, “she last ‘pinned’ four days ago.”

“What if I misinterpreted her unpacking mess? What if it was signs of a struggle and I moved all of it and that was the only evidence we had?”

Shortly after starting to panic, for real, I get a message from Tina’s brother. She was on an impromptu trip to Paris and Jordan. Of course! That makes sense (it does not that was ridiculous, Tina).

Upside, she brought me macaroons.

Watson tries out office life while we visit Kelli at the law school. He liked the tin can full of cookies but felt ambivalent about pencils.

A very Chatter weekend: 

1. Sunday Chatter was voted “Best Classical Music” by readers of Albuquerque the Magazine. Hurray!
2. Sometimes you have to take a nap with Watson before driving home. 
3. Brunch with Chatter volunteers in Corrales. 
4. In which Tony sees the table confetti as a math puzzle and I see “hey, shiny!! I will take a picture.” Thanks to Elena for hand modeling. 
5. Bass clarinet situation on Sunday morning. 
6. Kelli, your face is the best. 

Kelli brought this over the other night. Fair point.

Kelli and Max came over last night while I was packing; Watson and the Maxes decided it was lay-in-bed-snuggle-the-puppies-time. We called Tina over and much snuggling was had. Our dogs are squashy muppets.

Eventually, I started to pack again. I unzipped my duffel bag…and Watson jumped in. “Time to get on the plane,” I said. I stood up. Watson poked his head out, ready to travel.

This is a picture Kelli took of Watson being his usual Watsony self.

Which is to say, Dog, you are ridiculous.

Because Watsy will come and sit on you if you are stationary for more than a minute and my friends are okay with that.