The Information Super-Frog

Quiet New Years here at Villa Ranocchio, intending to stay in. I plan to make risotto this evening, and Ms H plans pancakes for tomorrow. We have bubbly & oj for mimosas, and some tasty cheeses.

Less pleasantly, a distinctive bad smell manifested the other day. I recognized it from a similar about 5 years ago - dead mouse. I looked and raked under our raised house, but soon became quite sure it's in the narrow space between the roof & ceiling towards the back of the house, too narrow for attic space but room enough for a rodent. Yesterday I went to the hardware store to get some heavy duty stink fighter - activated charcoal, gonzo, etc - but the hardware store had none. They directed me to the large pet supply shop down the street. Fellow at the pet supply shop said they used to have some stuff that worked great, but they haven't been able to get it for months. I phoned a large hardware store in suburbs - nope they don't have anything. So I got a few regular anti-odor supplies at the drugstore - which help some but aren't up to the task. So it will be a couple days before the heavy duty stuff ordered is delivered.
About 90% of the stink is in the back bathroom, and most of the last 10% the alcove on the other side of a wall from the bathroom that connects to the master bedroom. Ms H adjourned to the daybed/guest bed in her office on the other side of the house. I stayed in the main bedroom, which wasn't bad with the windows open, since fortunately the weather is mild.

Musical photos from the first week of January: New Year's Day party joy; somber at Tad Jones' funeral

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At a New Years Day party I was again struck at the wealth of interesting stories around town last year's events gave rise to. Major projects of recording New Orleanians' stories could produce some amazing oral history.

More frivilously, at the same party I was playing around with one of my friend's collection of old junk instruments, a slide trumpet. Uh, now I sorta want one. After a couple minutes (after I usually stopped trying to extend the tiny slide out so far that it slipped off) I could noodle some simple blues on it. I'm also enjoying messing around with the baritone horn I picked up in Austin, though I have no idea yet what I'm doing with it (my only brass instrument experience being with the slide trombone).

Students are starting to come back to town. A neighbor grad student who I was never able to contact after evacuating knocked on my door the other day. The great crepe place a short walk from here reopened.

Neighbor up the street still doesn't have the key for the FEMA trailer that's been in his front yard for 5 weeks.

Also, King cake season has arrived. Yay!