Iterations

During Covid-19 isolation I've been working on a book about my artwork, kind of a memoir.  

 It's been an intriguing, totally engrossing and challenging project, wondering if my writing held up, scrolling through zillions of photos,  wondering if they were high enough resolution, figuring out how to use BookWright on Blurb.   

I started out taping photos and text into a large notebook.  I wanted to get a sense of how it flowed together.

Next I went through several cartridges of computer ink printing up a regular size version and then a small book-like version.

 

People recommended Blurb as a good site for self-publishing, so I logged on and, for me, went through the excruciating and lengthy process of learning  how to get pictures on a page, how to import text from my documents, how to move things around, how to amend and correct copy.

I ordered my first book as a test, realizing that this was less expensive than printing it  myself--and definitely nicer.  This is magazine size.

But I wanted to see what a smaller size would look like and I'd considerably changed and added content.  As Jess had suggested, I enlarged the photos, then ordered another test book.

And just yesterday, I ordered yet another--with matte instead of glossy pages, incorporating some of my stories from the storytelling group and Sam's great photos of my furniture.   I'm excited to see this one.  Each iteration is an improvement.  Will I ever finish? 

Here is my wonderful first editor!

  

Gatherings

 

Sam and Jess prepping the best dinner at their house the other night!

  Notice Maddie chasing the black tail of an elusive kitten.

Max's room has grown quite elaborate with cat contraptions,

even a trampoline suspended between his bed and his bureau in case they want to bounce!

Dinner here last night--Sam's sketched  these turbo jet engines as he explained to me how they worked:  the less efficient design to the left, the more powerful one to the right.

Simon is designing t-shirts!

Max is showing us the cool coffee cup design.

Gwen as Greta!

  

What a Week!

 

 

 

First, my August birthday presents

 finally arrived from Panama where mail is nearly non-existent.

 

 

So fun to get a portrait of me from Gwen and a letter from Simon!

 

                                 

Then Halloween...

someone at my dentist's office

 

 

 has a macabre sense of humor!

 

Finally, you guessed it, after four excruciating years of Trump,

DEMS WON!!!

Biden in, 

Kamala in as first black-woman in the White House

Whoopee!!!!

Arrowhead Weekend

 

Over the October 24th weekend the Page Kenders and I headed up into the mountains to a small, snug rental in Arrowhead. 

We went to catch some autumn color but only caught glimpses, like this.

 

Lots of photo ops here

but we lucked out on finding a path around the lake.

We found this hike, which was spectacular!

 

Walking uphill at 6000 feet, I wondered why I was panting for breath! 

 

Selfie.

 

Catching a kiss! 

Back to our cabin for dinner,

 a cozy fire,

 

and movie night.

Wrapping up in the morning

and then breakfast before packing up and heading home.

Short stay but very sweet!

 

 

 Catsle

 

Max has mastered the art of making cat domains out of used Amazon boxes..

He made this structure for Slinky and her kittens in my backyard. 

Notice the roof over the backdoor and the skylight into the living room.

 

About a week later we were happily surprised to see the kittens napping not only in their new home but snugly cuddled into one of the white styrofoam linings that Max thoughtfully left as a possible bed.

Maintenance and Surprises

 

Maintenance:  I finally got my hair cut--

by Mari outside in Ecco's parking lot.

 Feeling so much less straggly.

 

Got my absentee ballot from Tamworth, filled it in and sent it off the next day.

It has arrived!  Register one vote against Trump in New Hampshire!

 The pineapple guava are ripening on the tree outside my kitchen so I finally made something with them:  pineapple guava scones.  Good!!

 

And surprises:

To steal a photo from Rachel, 

this is what was walking down their street in Gamboa--

a caimen! 

And in my backyard, Slinky--the cat who for weeks has been coming to the kitchen door for a meal of Whiskas--appeared near my studio with these three little kittens!!!

 

 

In Late September

 

Rachel celebrated her 47th birthday with presents,

 

a wicked chocolate cake,

 

and very late arriving gifts from Burbank! 

Steffen and family leave Chocorua for a winter in NYC.

The Page Kenders enjoy a last volleyball game in Palm Springs.

And Jess gets kitten love back in Burbank!