Europe, I have one request: Napkins

It didn't matter where we went the whole time - we were always the messiest table in the whole restaurant.  And it didn't matter what we ate - steak, soup, or octopus legs - we always finished our meal with at least half of it on our faces, hands, and clothes.  It's like when you …

Just Five More Minutes

All I really need in life is, like, five more minutes. I'm that person.  You know who I'm talking about.  I'm the one who tumbles out of bed 10 minutes late every day - the one who hits the snooze button nine times in the space of 45 minutes.  I'm the one who races up …

Newport Newswire: The Meddler (Stories from around the block; just don’t quote me on it…)

THE LATEST Out with the old, in with the new: Medville Ave. residents react to next-door turnover They say that when God closes a door, he opens a window.  It might be an age-old adage, but two Newport residents found out this summer that it is still incredibly true. When their next-door-neighbor moved out in June, …

Arthur & Viv: The Start of Something New

This is the second installment in the "Arthur & Viv" series, a historical account of life in Baltimore from the 1940s - 1960s that is (like most things on the LR Blog) loosely based on a true story.  Read the first installment here, and stay tuned for more!   He walked in the door of …

Concerning Landlords

As landlords go, Old Tom is pretty great.  As keeper of keys and grounds here at the Cottage, he basically serves as our backstage manager.  And, trust me, Rosie and I really need one of those.  (After all, Mayor Jim - popularly elected leader of gossip and lawn care on the Avenue - can only …

Why to survive a summer without AC

I don't like sweating.  Actually, I hate it, and it's probably because I've done so much of it in my life.  Fact: I'm an excessive sweater.  Fact: It's embarrassing, but acceptance is the first step.  Most people sweat when they're exercising or when it's 95 degrees out.  I sweat when I'm doing anything - from …

Brave and Roach Brave

Just once, I'd like to be the brave one in a dire situation.  Just once, I'd like to be the one who takes control, calms everyone down, and resolves a problem, without crying uncontrollably in a corner screaming "IT'S A MONSTER," while Rosie captures a spider in the kitchen and puts it outside.  Just once, I …

Over the backyard fence

In the city, your yard doesn't belong completely to you.  It belongs about half to you and about half to whichever immediate neighbor pays the least amount of attention to his yard.  Anything leftover is split up evenly between the other immediate neighbor, rats, cats, ants, and ivy.  It's a delicate balance that will drive …

You’re not infested if they’re friends

"Why can't we be infested with something cool?" Rosie was standing in the kitchen, a spray bottle of watered-down soap in one hand and a sponge in the other.  She was staring at the counter.  Every so often, she would start suddenly, spray something, then bat at the counter furiously with the sponge like a …

End of Era Anxiety (Or, There’s Nothing More Sobering Than Your Neighbor Moving Out)

Don't tell Rosie, but I really think it's time for her to move out.  Not because I'm tired of her or I want my own space or we had a falling out or I just can't stand how she loads the dishwasher anymore.  It's just because I want to keep her. Rosie and I have …