update on the alley:

new neighbors moved in to a house whose fence lines the alley.  they had
a rip roaring shindig bash on saturday night.  i heard many beer cans hit
the cobble stones, having been lobbed over the fence by drunken revelers.
i told myself i would check on them the next morning and throw them back
into the yard from whence they came.  somehow sunday passed and i never 
made it out there but on monday morning i noticed the alley was devoid of 
beer cans.  perhaps the other neighbors took action.  more importantly, 
however, the alley was devoid of 1) the pigeon (who, by the way, had lost 
its head.  the remnants of its last meal were easily viewable through its
neck stump.) 2) the flat rat which i thought had previously disappeared but 
had only been kicked to the side out of plain sight.  someone had also
moved the old condoms, box, and tissues to the side.  perhaps they feared
they might stick to their saab's tires.  all that remains now is the
flattened cauliflower.  it has turned a sad shade of brown and i fear it
does not have long in this world though i'm not entirely certain it is
still in this world to begin with.

the black elephant visited yesterday.  monday brought back and front 
handsprings and handstand presses.  today gave me a planche on the trapeze
and aerial ring.  progress happens, it is just slow.