May, 2003

For about half of 2003, Helen lived with the Altman's in Vancouver (WA) while I did the SE chair gig in WV.

Helen first meet Jeanette Altman when they worked together on the Mars DVD. She's sweet as pie, a wizard with any graphics package, and- at the time of the above pics- was enormously pregnant and waiting impatiently to be less so. Jeanette's bestfella Joe Altman is the closest to an Australian surfie dude that I've ever meet in the USA. He lacks contact with sand or surf but can woop my ass in the departments of gardenning, soccer, kayaking, BMXing, child-rearing, cooking, mountain climbing and chess. Joe does the at-home stuff while Jeanette earns the $$$.

Altman V2.1 is called "Ruby" who is adorable in the morning, cranky at night, and one hecka of lot of kid for two childless intellectuals who like sleeping in. Cute, yes! Made us want to have children? No! Currently displaced from the center of the universe by Altman v2.2? You betcha! Ruby has a granny: Joe's mum Janice. Used to run art galleries in Vancouver. Still puts on the odd show, now and again. Makes a mean plate of french toast (with fresh strawberries and honey and yum).

Altman V2.2 is called "Porter" who, at the time of this writing, was 3 days old (gasp). So tiny! Sometimes, Ruby and Porter play nice.

Max is their purrfect cat: will sit still to be stroked for hours and never any claws (unlike certain princess we know and fear). Oscar is Joe's favorite dog- big, bouncy, slobbering, young, active, keen of eye whose wit can set the table at a roar (well, not actually). Sebastian is the old fella, still runs around but has this thing about sitting on you that I can do without. Between them, these dogs might have one synapse. They are so STUPID. They frolic round the yard and run SMASH into each other like drunk clowns at a circus. Then they roll around a little before finding something else fascinating at the other end of the yard. More frolicing, more smashing. Repeat all day.