I offer this photo in honor of one of the Tiny Fun House’s remaining visitors.

Melissa and I joined a number of friends for the weekend in Central New York the weekend before last. The agenda included Syracuse basketball and the time-honored tradition of fruitless icefishing. (But yes, we have caught a fish or two. And yes, they were small.)

We had a great time, especially thanks to our hosts in Norwich, New York.

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This afternoon I’m handling live tweets for @hitmensoftball. There may be a Game 3 yet. (You can follow along at hitmensoftball.org too.)

We’ll give the dog a break, finally. There’s been some growth in the garden, and now I’m spending a little time each Saturday making peace between the impatiens, hydrangeas and tomato plants. It was so easy when they were all 8 inches tall.

Parents: In the updated garden / back yard album, you’ll see photos of my curious hydrangea suspension system. Perhaps you can comment or advise.

Against my parents’ better advice, we’ve been jamming some plants in the ground (and yes, we were doing that before April 15.) So far, most of the plants are still alive. Because they actually last a little while in those little plastic tubs.

I’ve planted four tomato plants in the bed to the left of the diagram, and another in a pot on the patio. Melissa’s impatiens and ranunculi (in two flower boxes, not pictured) are also doing well. I’ll have some pictures soon, if the dog doesn’t trample them all first.

Our BlackBerry-based photo gallery is here.

Yes, so this is a cheap post. But here’s a quick update: Both Melissa and I will be snowed out tomorrow. I grabbed one of the last ergonomic snow shovels at Home Depot, so it should be an exciting weekend in the D.C. area. Maybe there will be pictures! And maybe Melissa will contribute something, even though she’s been wooed away by another outlet.

It was going to be a great morning. For once, I was on schedule: a full cup of coffee down the hatch, three plastic bags in my jacket (just in case), kennel preloaded with toys and out the door in time to get around the block with the hound and still catch the 8:15 22A.

And then, I recognized the lightness of pocket that is keylessness.

It has been a while since I’ve felt that sensation. (Before the summer 2000 incident is mentioned, let me note that that was a key card situation, not a key situation. And I had no pockets.)

This time, after a fruitless trip to the management office, dog in tow, and 20 minutes loitering by the front door hoping a neighbor would emerge. But even when one did, my rusty lock-carding skills failed against the door to the apartment.

Much to Belby’s confusion, we returned, defeated, to the back yard. I pried loose the screen over the bathroom shower window, draped my jacket over the still-wet sill, and boosted myself over the patio steps, through the window and head-first into the bathtub.

Everyone survived, unscathed, even my nice-ish pants. (One large spider was dislodged from the screen track.) Belbs got another hour of freedom. The only one to suffer was Melissa, after I took the bus to her school and swiped our car from the parking lot to make up lost time.

Amanda, Linda, et al–it has been quite a while since we’ve updated here at the Tiny Fun House. And there’s a lot we could have said. But I imagine our adoption of Belby* will get us back in the groove.

*Disclaimer: Belby is a beagle/feist mix. Not all of Belby’s side effects and habits are yet known. Only anthropomorphic toys are effective with Belby. In some rare circumstances, Belby can make muffled barking noises. Belby prefers wet dog food to dry. Pete prefers dry dog food to wet. Belby prefers Melissa to Pete.

If you think a beagle/feist might be right for you–or if you’d just like more information about Belby–talk to Melissa or Pete, or visit their photo gallery.