Contest

I've been thinking about why our view of Dunkin Donuts is a good thing. It's a little hard to come up with any reason considering the 5 star view we just left on the Cape.
A couple of possibilities are:
It looks a little like a pretty sunset/sunrise, if you just catch a glimpse of it out of the corner of your eye
Keeps people from looking into our windows
It's there in case we run out of coffee
When people start coming and going, I know it's 5:30 AM
It will bring people to this blog and propel Dexter into fame and fortune
All pretty far fetched.
So here's the deal, if you come up with a great reason, you will win one free night with Dexter, either here or at your own place.
He's definitely becoming more interactive with us. He loves these new digs, in large part because of the heights he can climb: the beloved cat tower (center stage in the living room, against all decorating advice, so we can ooh and aah whenever we catch him bounding up or spot a foot or 3 poke in and out of the increasingly, too small circle at the top); the mink-stole lined nests atop the pair of bookcases; the window seats where he stalks the fluttering leaves; the railing that leads into the kitchen and, of course, the bed, which I'm getting used to. I haven't asked Andy if he is too. Dexter stares up at the top the steel support pillars, lusting after their pediments and the beams.
Dexter has always followed us into the bathroom, which most cats do. I have no idea why and can find no explanation on-line. He loves the shower and stalks the pounding water. He climbs into the toilet bowl, with his ass sticking in the air.
I am experimenting with makeup because my hair is getting so thin, hoping flawless skin and dramatic eyes will keep anyone from noticing. Dexter loves supervising. He perches on the toilet seat, then sniffs around the sink at the various products and the wads of kleenex I've used to wipe my face clean so I can begin again, and when he approves of the way I look, he throws himself on the rug to groom himself.
Makeup is a pain in the ass. I am a wash and go girl. Bike to work with wet hair, no matter the weather. Always have been. May change though. It feels quite luxurious to pamper myself and take a little time for me before I begin the non-stop day of plotting, planning, doing, resting, taking care of business. And I love watching Dexter. But then you have to take it all off before bed. Sort of the same reason I've never made the bed. What's the point?
That may change though, too. Just read about a military man's graduation speech. The crux of his advice for the soldiers graduating is, if you make your bed, everything else will fall into place. He may be right.
That's my goal in this home. Everything has a place and everything will be in its place. The kids believe that will be impossible. The kitchen is getting close. The counters are nearly bare, the dishes almost always clean, sometimes even put away. With so few dishes, glasses, cups to choose from, there are very few that can be dirty at any one time. Gina always marveled that I spent so much time and effort not just taking care of the pile of dirty dishes. I even froze them so no cockroaches would be attracted.
The first time I saw a cockroach in my newlywed NYC apartment, I felt terror. I had never seen one   anywhere before. It moved so fast. And I felt shame. How could I be so disgusting as to have those filthy creatures? On the 10th floor. How do they get that high?
I grew to respect those creatures though. I took comfort in knowing that when human beings became extinct, the earth would begin anew with cockroaches and Ailanthus trees (the one that grew in Brooklyn). I could see Manhattan crawling with those critters and trees sprouting from curbs, gutters and walls.
One reason I love cities so much, is that there is no nature left to destroy. What you see is what you get. My gut wrenches every time I witness clear cut swaths preparing to be developed, a la Watership Down. All those poor critters. Same reason I couldn't watch movies or read books about animals. I couldn't bear the pain.
On Cape Cod, the center lane of the main highway Route 6 was being clear cut last year. Someone finally noticed and stopped it. The Federal government has a regulation that no trees be within 25 feet of some highways. I want to sue the Federal government for environmental stupidity. Blake says I can't. Somebody should.