Giving Thanks

 

 

This year - this week actually - I have so much to be happy about and thankful for.

• Mom is back in her own apartment, sleeping in her own bed, running her own day. And we've returned her checkbooks and credit cards.
• The CamCo fundraising auction proceeded successfully. Everyone seemed to have a good time. I brought home some nice photos, too.
• A new reference librarian starts on Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday. That spells relief for Agnes and Mei as well.
• My budget was completed and submitted pretty much on time and on target and I didn't resort to soda pop and cookies to get through it.
• A delicate contract negotiation at work seems to be winding down.
• I was supposed to be camping this weekend but instead I am planning and prepping for a Thanksgiving Feast.  If I am not camping, at least I'll be cooking (and eating).
• It rained yesterday and what a relief that is.

What have I to look forward to besides turkey leftovers?  I'll be leading a small backpack at the end of the year and getting away from work for at least five days and finishing some prints in my newly renovated workroom (another blessing to be thankful for). I'm considering a new years card for my family and friends.

Most of all, I'm looking forward to quiet evenings at home in my kitchen or my workroom.

Simple  pleasures.

Camera Committee Auction - November 10

Remember this shot from my Grand Canyon outing at New Years?  
I donated a cleaned-up version to the Camera Committee Auction. It will be one of scores of lovely photos up for bidding on November 10. Check out the auction gallery (see the links in the right column) to see most of the offerings.



Bill Bett's Lotus Flower

The Camera Committee Auction is an occasional event. It happens whenever our till gets low. We'll keep about two year's operating expenses and the rest of the proceeds will be donated to the Angeles Chapter's groups and sections to sustain conservation and educational activities.

The Camera Committee Auction is a fun event with food, beverages, socializing, and, of course, art!  If you have always been curious about but intimidated by art auctions, this is a "starter" event.  Beautiful works by friends and some Photographers of Renown, low pressure bidding and usually some bargains.  I guarantee that you will not need a second mortgage to acquire art here. Bring your checkbook.

I hope to see you at the auction.

Me, Too - Shuttle-Spotting

"Didja see the Shuttle fly by?" 

 

Years from now, Angelenos and other Californians will be comparing their shuttle fly-by stories and snapshots.  Not me - I missed it. Sitting on the 38th floor at my desk with my camera on my belt, keeping one eye on the window and I still missed it - twice. Grrr!

 

I consoled myself with the idea of walking the Endeavour into its new home (a la Heizer's rock), but all the transportater logistics, sidewalk closures and yellow tape nixed that idea.

 

Ultimately, this morning, I did get to walk with the Endeavour, if only for a couple of blocks. Then we just hung out at the Forum for a couple of hours. Me, Endeavour and thousands of our dearest friends. It was actually quite a lovely time.

 

I fell in love with the hands and cameras that popped up over the crowd. You can see a gallery of Shuttle Snaps on my Picasa page.

 

 

Full Moon

This moon peeked through a ruined window in the Antelope Valley long ago - it's the Milk Moon in May.

Mom and I have been observing the progress of September's Harvest Moon from the south and east windows of St. Vincent's where she is waiting for a pressure wound to heal. I hope it's the last cycle we'll watch there, but it seems like there is no telling when she will be ready to return home.

She is really too "well" to be in the TCU at St. Vincent's but she can not return to her room at St. John's until the wound has reached stage 1 (almost healed).  There is a meeting on Thursday with family, doctors and other medical advisors. We'll be trying to sort out a solution.

Resilient Mom

In February 2010, my Mom had a fall at her home in Lindsay. She spent several days in the hospital for diagnostics and then almost four weeks in convalescent care. The family spent a lot of time on State Highways 99 and 65. I snapped this picture on 65, south of Porterville.

When she was released, she agreed to move south, closer to her kids. It was not too long before she was walking laps of the garden at St. John of God Retirement Center twice a day. She participated with Team Marlene in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Exeter in 2010 (four laps of the track) and 2011 (six laps). This year, she was committed to other engagements and had to forgo the relay.

Last month, on July 22, she had a fall at home and has been at St Vincent Medical Center in the weeks since. Now in their Transitional Care Unit, she has daily physical and occupational therapy sessions. It's pretty easy for us kids to drop in and take her for walks and exercises, too. She has been beating me at Gin Rummy and has me on the ropes in an interrupted game of Canasta.

She is a tough, old bird and is making great progress on her return to normal. We are hoping to see her release this week. (With fingers crossed for luck, we are open to prayers and mountain sage. We'll take all the good vibrations we can get.)

Mom may not walk the Exeter Relay next year because the four-hour journey is pretty taxing, but I expect to see her scooting around behind her red walker real soon.  I'd love to see her walking a local relay in solidarity with Team Marlene in May. We'll see.

Wrong Rock Story

Opending Day at LACMA. Michael Heizer's Levitated Mass. The masses are out there looking and milling around. Lots of pixels firing as people pose with their hands in the air while their friends direct "higher...little bit higher.. now flatter" [snap]

See this guy in the green shorts and billed cap? Watch him.

He's making his way up the west end of the trench. Carrying the lady's bag, right? Snaps a picture here and there.

So, as he approaches he says to this little clutch of people
"You know it's the wrong rock, don't you?"
The dark haired lady with the sunglasses catching her breath exclaims "What?!?"
"Yeah" he says, "there was a mix up at the quarry. They put the wrong rock on the transporter."
"No..." we all say.
Yep, he says, "the ART rock is still sitting in the quarry. This is just a rock." And he saunters on.

We all look at each other and break out in laughter. We shake our heads muttering "that's a good story!"

A good story levitates the moment.

Levitated Mass Culmination

On Sunday, the big rock officially took its place in a work called Levitated Mass by Michael Heizer. It was the opening of the installation on the LACMA grounds with speeches and a red ribbon cutting. Politicians, philanthropists, curators, art lovers, rock watchers and rock followers were all in attendance and walked the trench that married the rock to become art.  

I want to say this is the culmination of decades of work and waiting, but I hope it is just the beginning of a long history.

Don't worry, I have more pictures.