what's up?

in the kitchen with dyna

1938 buick roadmaster

1938 buick roadmaster speedometer

1938 buick roadmaster steering wheel

1938 buick roadmaster interior

1938 buick roadmaster dynaflash 8

another from the bomb club show. the owner told us he’d won a prize. said it was mostly original, except for the record player he’d installed, though he said it was of the same period, and played forty-fives.

he popped the hood to show my better half the engine. i don’t usually bother shooting under the hood, but it was pretty clean, and he was taking to time to chat, so why not?

he was very proud of the car. congrats to you.

on the home front, still no car for me. sort of a stalemate until it passes smog and light tests. pretty sure it has a bad bulb or socket. the shop has found a couple of things so far. hoping there is nothing further to at least get it back on the road. i know there are a few other issues to deal with, expected with an older car.

been borrowing mom’s van or my better half has been driving me to lunch and/or getting me to and from my mom’s if she isn’t doing the same.

took the opportunity to donate a couple of van loads full of junk from storage, and rearrange things, to get rid of one of my storage units. yay. one less thing to pay for.

better late than never

after being at work for a week, following a two week vacation, i decided to sleep in. my better half was up and running early, as he usually is, and had already been out for a walk, before i got out of bed. he was then off to do some shopping as i sat and read flipboard, emails, and tried to wake up.

better half got back a little after noon. i decided i wanted to go to a car show. i’d known that huffarama and the bomb club show were both going on.

having moved away from whittier has makes it more difficult to get out to as many shows as we’d used to go. ultimately decided to go to the bomb club show at santa anita, as it was closer, and it was already early afternoon.

he said he’d like to join me, so we both got about preparing our gear. fortunately, there was still juice in the camera batteries from vacation, though one of the cameras needed the date and time reset, from disuse.

after taking the quickest route, per the gps, we arrived close to two in the afternoon. had run into traffic, and it seemed to have taken forever.

i guess he hadn’t gone with me last time, during one of the summer blasts, so he was happily surprised at the location and turnout. i really loved that it was overcast and cold. it gets so hot in the summer, that i usually am out the door by noon, before i melt in the heat. was only sad that we hadn’t gone earlier.

we ended up not leaving until close to seven in the evening, when cars were driving out through the tunnel. we made one more turn around the grounds. better half was playing with a couple of lenses he hadn’t used in a while, so was enjoying shooting the cars, lights, and people.

saw this chevy sitting with his lights on, waiting for his friends to join the line to get out.

we recently took a two week vacation back east; a few days in chicago; a few days in dc. weather was perfect, and rain only came to both cities, the days we were leaving. overall, it was a much needed break, and was great. we only got short changed with our feet giving out much too soon each day, from so much walking.

i’d returned to find that some asshole had stolen the catalytic converter from my car, which i’d parked in front of my mother’s house. the neighbor has cameras, and found they’d done it during the first week we’d been gone, about five-thirty in the morning. needless to say, many expletives later, i’d had triple-a confirm my opinion, then began with the insurance company.

so, i’ve been busily getting estimates for the repair all week, only to have the insurance company declare it a total loss, and mark the title a salvage. a week of arguing with them about an otherwise perfectly functional car with new tires, has made me very tired. i’ve decided to get it fixed, for a settlement lower than i would have to just scrap it. i should have just fixed it in the first place and saved all the headache insurance has cost me.

the car show was a lovely diversion.

new beginning

i’m in a mood. things on my mind. gloomy outside. change is in the air.

starting with a new camera and lens. the brownie points program at work has informed us that we were going to have to use it or lose it, as it’s being revamped. they use this instead of just handing out cash when you get commended for working hard.

well, i’d saved up quite a large number of points, and wasn’t about to get screwed over that way, so finally was forced to get something. most of the stuff up for offer is crap, but they do have some slightly out of date camera gear. so i picked up a sony a7r iii body. really not my fave, but sony seems to be moving to this smaller size thing.

then, my birthday was a week ago, so my better half got me a new wide angle lens.

took this set up out for a test drive this past friday, out to ruby’s, since the season has started.

the main feature i hate is the screen doesn’t flip and twist like my old cameras. so when i set it up high on my tripod, i really need to stand on tip toes or a curb to see the screen somewhat. or just shoot blind.

still not too sure about the lens. going to have to shoot some more, and get a bit more pissed at it. at least, my better half says that’s what happens every time i get new equipment.

i think i need to tweak the settings as well. some images came out fairly in focus, and others just missed it. makes me want to bust out the other camera i have in the bag, but i need to break this thing in, while i can still return it.

and the files are so big, i’m going to need a bigger boat, err, hard drive/more back up drives.

i dunno. it didn’t seem to like being pointed into the sunset, as you can see. the lens distorts a bit, so will have to go find a lens profile for it.

next up, in the summer of fun, will be finishing packing, and moving soon. not too far.

one thing at a time. one thing at a time.

get on with it

hoping the bomb club show at santa anita won’t have to be postponed again. [edit — as of 7/29 this show has been cancelled] october usually means travel, celebrating our anniversary. lucky number thirteen coming up.

at least the weather then can be so unpredictable, and hopefully not so summer hellish hot.

this topless babe is from a couple of years ago, early morning overcast. i do love that.

—————

my mother-in-law died a month ago. she was a month shy of ninety-three.

a long time coming, it happened too fast, after all.

the house is quiet.

better half was directed to not “dawdle,” and take care of her personal effects quickly. going through papers, boxes, and items stored in the garage. a lifetime of living doesn’t disappear fast enough.

the xmas tree finally had to come down; won’t be able to get her furniture out the front door otherwise. ten thousand lights took five evenings to unwind off the branches. how will we be able to navigate the streets, without that fruity beacon in the dark?

now we are free to travel, yet we cannot go anywhere. every day is exhausting. there is a piece missing.

we each hear her call to us in the middle of the night, as she used to; better half gets down the hall to her doorway, only to realize the room is empty of the life that was his constant companion these past few years, these past half dozen decades.

so you might say we’ve been a bit preoccupied. you’d think there would not be enough water inside yourself, to produce all of the tears. they are less sad, and more the happy memory variety now, but those have been hard won. just have to let them have their way with you, and get on with it.

goodbye, enedina. you were well loved, and sorely missed…

another extra

shame to leave this behind, sitting in the queue.

round trip

made a trip up to whittier today. had to pick up a few things. took my mom for a joy ride as well, since she hasn’t been out of the house much.

mom stayed in the car. better half greeted me at the door masked and gloved, and handed me a set to put on, while in the house. he takes this stuff seriously. only thing missing is gowns and hair covers and some sort of thing that would rain down disinfectant to kill the cooties on my hair and clothes at the door. i envision something more marilyn monroe over the grate for some reason.

i guess the neighbor across the street tested positive, and the other neighbor had gone in a car with that guy, so he is pretty sure he has it too. tried to bum some masks and gloves off the better half, but was told that since he already has it, he wasn’t going to waste a mask on him. that neighbor, well, both those guys, are usually assholes to my better half, so payback is a bitch, i guess.

i got on with collecting things quickly. kid texted that she was going out with her dad to watch movies or something, and the dog was home alone, doing who knows what. better half has some hard to get stuff, that we don’t really need right now, but took it just in case. i can always take it back.

before we left, my mom got out and went to mother-in-law’s window to wave hello. they were both happy to see each other, as it has been several years, though they couldn’t hear each other through the glass.

stopped at the in-n-out drive through near the freeway off valley view for a quick lunch via the drive through. watched the clouds moving in, as predicted. apparently rain moved north to south, as it started up there soon after we left, and is only just now sprinkling down in the oc.

also made a quick stop at the office for something i forgot—they had me go back in late last monday to collect my computer so i could start working from home. the building was closing the next day, then the following day, reopened, and by friday was closing down again.

always strange to be in the empty office. have never seen the elevators so clean before. they’ve hired people to scrub all the surfaces down, hey, they even cleaned my desktop. :)

the blast doors to the lobby were shut, so had to get in the area through a different door. curious to see if security says anything, since there are cameras watching your every move. hell, nobody said anything when i hauled a desktop computer and two big ass monitors out the door, so i see no reason to fret over some papers and a sweater.

was sad to learn that the doorman there had died earlier in the week. had seen him on monday at lunchtime. they did not disclose the cause, but guessing he was just old or a heart attack.

back home now. unloaded the car, mom has gone off to nap. i managed to walk the dog before the rain started. now i am bouncing around between three computers in the house.

tore down my dad’s computer, and set up my home computer there. only to find out the internet is not working up there. i have my work computer set up in the front room on two card tables—one for each monitor, and plugged into the router. am currently using my mom’s computer, as i’m not going let work watch what i type here. keeping their stuff separate; they can keep their spyware on their stuff to watch their stuff.

been a bit of finagling to get my pics from one computer to another, but i managed. hadn’t booted up my personal computer in a couple of weeks for more than just paying bills or seeing if it worked. have just been really busy. the on'/off button is on it’s last legs, so i may not even be able to get it started soon. better half may have to order one online and walk me through a replacement operation.

having to do my own laundry too…imagine that! better half usually does it, since he’s always home. i’d hauled a bunch of work clothes down here, and now i don’t need to get out of my pajamas. hell, i’m not going to wear a bra until this effing virus is gone. lol. that stuff is all washed and hung up, ready to go when it’s all over, or when it’s all over…

so, i think we’re set for a while. maybe i can work on pictures more often, if the dog will leave me be. he’s been very good while i’m on my work computer. i think, though, that he has an inner clock that knows i should be off work and available to scratch his ears and feed him and take him outside.

taking the opportunity to dig into old backup drives hidden around this house.

this is only a couple of years ago, but i liked it on a quick run through. summer blast 2018. my dad was still alive, this car taken a month before his birthday. <sigh> sorry, sitting in his chair, in his computer room had me thinking…

it was a good show. has been since the bomb club started doing shows at the track. the overcast kept the heat down until lunchtime, and i was there early to make the most of the day.

power on, garth

well that didn’t last long. power back on just under two hours. so much for my game. just posting to end the game. back to work on today’s pics if my files aren’t corrupted.

——-

bike from the bomb club show at santa anita in june. fortunately, i shot low enough, that you can’t see the little car that was parked a bit behind it.

trickery

at my mom’s tonight. she accused me of playing a trick on her. said there were several phone calls today that she didn’t answer. she screens her calls…so many robocalls come in.

these calls popped up with my dad’s name. calling from the house phone. sort of creepy to say the least. told her it was probably a spoof call.

for chuckles, i had the phone call it back, which got the “number has been disconnected” message…a “dead” line. lol.

told her it was dad, just playing a joke on her. wouldn’t put it past him if there was a way to do it from whatever/wherever you go after this life. welcome to the twight zone. dun dun dun.

you always wish to hear their voice again…but what would you do if you really did? don’t answer the phone mom…

——-

one of the bomb club’s own, front and center, er, off center, on the grass. pretty blue thirty-nine.

so many spindly palm trees though; if you don’t shoot up from down low, you get a lot of pictures with what appear to be random-looking lines in the background.

for the gentleman

another car from yesterday. owner was sitting on the far side of the field, under a pop-up tent. asked if i’d shot his car. had to point it out…”that one over there.”

hadn’t. shot the truck, but didn’t turn around for this one at the time. went back over before i forgot. liked this shot the best, i guess.

santa anita

out at santa anita yesterday. sooooo many cars. third year, i’d say it’s a success. perfectly overcast cool weather until about noon, then it just turned into typical california sunny perfect weather. i still managed to get a sunburn either way.

nice to see the other photographers out there early too. they work those lenses and their instagrams show it. we all shoot the same cars, and each has their own sense of style. really good pictures out there. they are uploading lots since yesterday.

i am doing my usual, sorting through the pics, backing them up, and tagging the first few i promised to post first. but then i got sleepy, and took a nap. my nap lasted over four hours. better half figured i’d just sleep all night.

nope, woke up about eight pm, had some dinner. then couldn’t sleep. washed a sink full of dishes, then sorted more pictures. i like to tag them before i do anything with them. sixty-six gigabytes worth of pics…wasn’t moving as fast as i used to, or it would have been more, since the weather stayed cool longer.

next time i looked at the clock, it was one-thirty in the morning. went to bed, and mostly rolled around unable to sleep until about three am. anyway, my internal clock is off, i’m tired, and i don’t want to go to work tomorrow.

…..old chevy just drove by the house. beige with a brown roof, pinstripes on the trunk…heard it before i saw it….

owner of this harley came over to me some time after i’d shot it, to ask where he could see the shot. don’t remember meeting him before, so figured i’d start my posts with his bike. i like that he has bottle on the side. probably just uses it for water. i like that it is a coke-a cola bottle. i like coke; it’s bad for me, but i wouldn’t mind having one now. time for lunch…