Let go of that UFO!

Sometimes you just have to let go of those unfinished projects. You know, like if you cut the outfit out on July 4, 2007, and you've lost 30 pounds since then, this project cannot end well.

As much as I love the fabric, and the style, this can't work, so throwing it in the trash, pattern and all, is the only solution.

Goodbye, little dream outfit!

This. This is why I love digital photography.

This isn't a great snapshot, but we love our family. I'm finally getting around to scanning and color correcting all the photos from my Dad's house, and I saved the album from the 70s for last. Woah, I should have gotten those puppies out of that album sooner.

Most of them are faded and quite a few have visible foxing and acid damage from the album. I am not a skilled photo restorer, nor do I think a lot of these are worth it, being Instamatic type shots, but they are a good reminder of our past.  Look at this album. If this is what your old albums look like, GET YOUR PICTURES OUT! Yes I am yelling. The acid in the paper is eating away at your memories.

Oh, back up your digital pictures too, while you are at it!

I really need to go outside more.

Notice anything funny in this picture? (Ignore my helpful camera settings, please.) Well, I was taking photos at various settings for an online class I'm participating in, and whoa, did I get a surprise.

You I don't see these things until I really look at the picture.

There is a fern growing out of the framework of my patio. A fern! Yes, I need to really notice stuff like that sooner and get out the old pressure washer. Florida, gotta love it.

Camera shy people, you are warned.

One of the things I get to do at work is take pictures. I should take more pictures but some of my staff are camera shy. The same people are in lots of pictures because they don't duck away.

I have resorted to subterfuge. In the photo above, I tried to get this guy's photo and he put his hands in front of his face repeatedly. I lowered the camera (still pointed his way) and said that my camera has a bad case of shutter lag. While I was saying "lag" I snapped the picture. That's why his hands are where they are. And why one eye is drooping.

If you want a flattering picture, you need to cooperate. If you want no picture, I'll have to go all sneaky on you. There, everyone is warned.

Such a thoughtful neighbor!

My library is in such a charming neighborhood. The house directly to the south of us put out a bench so you can rest under a shady tree and read your book. How thoughtful!

Alas, on bulk pickup day it was trashed. But it made a great picture and Facebook status.

Bob's Barricades are ubiquitous in Florida!

Bob must have the state contract on barricades or something. Almost everything except some of the cones are labeled "Bob's Barricades".


My family had a lively discussion about Bob over the recent holiday. Seems they are all over the eastern US, but out west barricades belong to someone else. Who knew?

This stack of barricades has been in my quiet neighborhood for weeks, decorating a tree trunk near the entrance. I asked several people if they knew why they were there, and no one seemed to know. When I looked up old Bob on the Internet I discovered that these are leased. Somebody is paying for these longer than they need to.

Oh yeah, they are going to reconstruct some of the driveway aprons. I knew that. Yes, I did.

Nina's Home!

For a visit, that is. She arrived about an hour and a half before the new furniture for her room did. Whew!

Her room (the guest room) is so small I only put in a bed, nightstand, and chest. It still requires closing the closet door to get to the head of the bed.

While she's home she has to complete her classes from the last semester. She's been here 2 weeks and I don't think she's done any schoolwork yet.

Anyone want to bet that she'll wait until the last 3 days? Anyone?

My old Yashica FR

Ok, so I seriously miss my old Yashica SLR. Sure, it took film, and taking lots of pictures was frustrating and expensive, but the pictures sometimes came out great!

So I never got super good with it, but all in all it took better pictures than any of my previous point and shoot cameras.

It had just a few simple buttons. Shutter speed, ISO, and the shutter button itsself were on the top. Focus (manual), and f-stop were rings on the lens. Inside the viewfinder was a simple light meter with a red or green dot indicating over or under exposure, or just right. If it wasn't right I could play with the aperture or speed until it registered ok. The slowest the shutter would go was 1/30th of a second.

 I didn't have any other lenses, but I did have a flash attachment that went on the "hot shoe" on top. There was a dial on the back of it that recommended f-stops based on distance to subject, film speed, and shutter speed.

Now, I haven't used that camera since the early 2000s, I abandoned it without looking back, so why can I remember this so well? Who the heck knows, I sure don't.

I ordered a DSLR and it arrived last week and it has a sharp learning curve. More on my new baby (camera) later.

In the meantime, here's a picture I took with the old Yashica: