Official Theme Song of the Move

Every big change of life needs a theme song. As a true symbol of the twenty-first century, this 90s tune by Harvey Danger has been given a second life via the internet, thanks to YouTube and its clones. Warning: this video gives you great feelings of inadequacy about the coolness factor of your job and its lame dress code. Fortunately, Stephen will be able to wear this shirt on the farm, so I bought it for his birthday.

Countdown: One more week to tie up lose ends and do everything we always wanted to do in Boston but never got around to.

For example, after seven years in New England, we just discovered Portsmouth, N.H., this weekend with my folks, who flew in on Skybus from Columbus. Portsmouth's airport is one of the only non-stop flights to anywhere in this region from Columbus anymore, and--cooler than that--they are ridiculously cheap. The city is small, but a quaint port with quite a vibrant urban scene--sort of like a mini-Portland (Maine, that is).

Every weekend with my parents is like going to Kobayashi boot camp. I mean really...my mom feeds me non-stop when together, and then spends the rest of her life fretting about my weight. I just barely have enough time to lose the pounds from her previous visit when she comes again. Two restaurants in Portsmouth are worth an enthusiastic shout-out: Jumpin' Jay's Fish Cafe and Black Trumpet Bistro.

(Salt Freighter on the Piscataqua by Don Gorvett. Reduction Woodcut.)

I discovered a new favorite artist, Don Gorvett, who makes very striking blockprints. If our shipment had not already left, I would have been greatly tempted to make a purchase.

I tend to know immediately whether I want a piece of art, and this print of the salt freighter from Turkey (in Portsmouth's harbor) was an quick winner. Last time this happened, I whined and pouted until Stephen relented and we bought the Tom Everhart lithograph of Watchdog Noon (below).

Snoopy has been framed, crated, and shipped, and is on his way to Manila. If I ever win the lottery, I will be buying the three canvas trip-tic of The Last Supper (bottom image). And I'll go back to Portsmouth and buy the Salt Freighter, too. Strange taste, maybe, but it works for me.

Well, that house is not going to clean itself tomorrow, so I had better get some sleep. Then we have a quick trip down to New Milford, Connecticut, to see Stephen's uncle and grandmother tomorrow night. This family circus is not quite the Ringling Bros., but we are coming to a neighborhood near you!