unplanned, i promise

sooo, we recently returned from a short vacation—not quite a full repeat of last year’s trip—just up the coast to portland, and across on a train, to chicago; then back in a car on route sixty-six this time.

we knew it was going wonky from the get-go. i’ll have to write up our tales of woe, the trials and tribulations, crap weather, and the fun and food we had sometime. but for now, i’ll just say, we saw a lot of new things this time, and stayed in some of the places on route sixty-six.

seriously, wasn’t thinking when we’d booked the wigwam motel in san bernardino, on our last night before heading home. i was riding shotgun in the rental car, flipping through instagram, checking out car show flyers, as i do.

i’d written off a few shows while we were out of town. then my brain started working. huffarama. san bernardino. the day we are checking out of the wigwam. turned out to be a nine minute drive away.

better half accused me of planning it that way. swear i didn’t.

it was just before seven a.m., when we arrived at a gate at san manuel stadium, and the kid there said we needed to go around to the other side. that gate turned out to be where the cars were going to be going in, and the guys in the couple of cars that were first in line there, said the other photographers were already inside, and had gone to the gate we just left.

so back around we went, and told said kid that we were sent back to this gate. he let us in, and were directed to park in the furthest end of the parking lot for vendors. we paid our admission when we walked back over to where the club guys were, and got to shooting. the club guys didn’t remember us, even though my better half had given one of them a free print of his car when they had been out to the uptown whittier car show several years before. i think the one guy thought we were from texas because of the plate on the car.

of course rey was already inside shooting. that dude is everywhere and knows everyone. lol.

attending this show was unplanned, so we didn’t have all of our gear or bags or lenses, but we did have our tripods and wide angle lenses, and a limited amount of time to shoot. still had to get the rental car down to the airport, so gave ourselves three hours to see what we see, allowing for drive time, emptying the car, and filling the gas tank. we hadn’t even had breakfast yet.

i liked the sun hitting this beauty early in the morning. it just feels quiet. i’ve shot this car before, but usually it’s up against a building, or surrounded by other cars.

this is why getting out at sunrise is my favorite. and also my bane…i just want to sleep in on weekends anymore.

anyway, we left about ten-ish. and we did get the car back with about forty-five minutes to spare.

now if i can only find the time to get more than a couple of the shots worked up and posted. and look through all of the vacation pics too.

out of touch

1939 chevrolet master deluxe

hello. just to be dull and repetitive, super busy at work, so nothing too much interesting to write about just now. back behind the orange curtain, leaves nothing but either souped-up hot rods or packards fixed up to showroom perfection. basically, i’m jonesing for the classics.

lots of changes at work, with people leaving, fewer joining. big workload. probably most people dos-si-do-ing to better employment options for a while. working half at the office and half at home sort of does suck, but better than all at the office.

yet, i still see no time to get to any shows for a few weeks. i’ve yet to set up my computer at home still, so there’s that problem. i think i’m just burned out from work, and just can’t.

flipping through some oldies, and found this shot from a show three years ago in montebello, which i missed today. mmm. master deluxes.

benefit show for the christian school, it usually fills the front and back parking lots.

i’d have gotten there when they are still setting up, and the sun barely rising. shoot the cars in the street, then inside the fence as it filled up. outta there by ten, when it would get too hot.

oh, and the pancakes…let’s just say, not my favorite, the one year i ate them.

i also popped or strained my leg at this show once too, so it kinda gives me the heebeejeebees if i think about it. made it hard to walk for a while. probably just pulling the camera bag into or out of my trunk did it. i dunno. the thing is kinda heavy when it’s loaded up.

hoping to get to a ruby’s show, or even the wednesday show in norwalk in the next couple of weeks. promised someone i’d shoot their car, but they didn’t show up last time i was there back in may.

i might have to do jury duty in santa ana, so i’d be halfway there already. i do not miss that afternoon drive…

moved

last show we’ve made it to since we moved, was mooneyes open house.

we arrived about five in the morning, and didn’t get started until about five-thirty. we expected more cars that early, as in past years, but really there were very few cars. just a few singular cars, and a couple of clubs, there to get their choice of parking.

saw this one very early on the far side of the street, then he moved over here in front of the shop. interesting customizations. not really sure what that thing is for the shifter, but close enough to being an alien for me to dig it. i like that it’s eyes light up. betting that dashboard gets very hot in the sun.

i loved the morning light, and the overcast sky kept it cooler a bit longer. still, we were pretty much done relatively early. just wasn’t enough of what i like to keep me there.

better half wanted to hit up his favorite restaurant over by our old apartment, so we headed to whittier, before heading back behind the orange curtain.

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we’ve been so very busy unpacking too much stuff into a smaller space. it really isn’t working, and the majority of our stuff will just live in a storage unit for a very long time. the intention is to sift through boxes and toss or give away stuff. i’d like to sell some, but i really hate doing garage sales. last one i did was when my kids were little. some guy paid for some piece of junk with a twenty…i gave him change. only later did i realize he gave me a counterfeit bill. ahole. it’s just junk, and he still had to rip me off. sometimes i can’t stand people.

so, ebay or the like it will be. if i ever get around to doing it. easier to just buy a bigger house, but theres no money for that just now.

have a hard enough time finding time or the energy to get up and go to work every day. i’m just tired. lots going on around here, but i’m not going to bother you with details.

hoping to get to a few shows eventually. we’ve missed a few, because i just couldn’t get motivated to get out of bed and drive the extra hour and/or hotel prices are just a bit too insane right now.

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taking down my show listing page. too many people sending me messages about shows i have no part of—i don’t run them, i don’t book vendors, i won’t take your money. i always redirect them to a website or a contact or a flyer, but really, it was just meant to be a cheat sheet listing of shows i was interested in going to. oh well.

bird feeder

1936 chevy master deluxe

i’m sitting here waiting on a delivery my kid ordered to the wrong address. the people on the hotline were too lazy to do their jobs, and didn’t want to bother changing the delivery location, so there we are.

out the front window, i have a hummingbird feeder. initially, it was very popular with the birds.

then i bought a new mix of food. not so many birds. then another brand, same.

there’s a cat, that likes to sit on the edge of the porch and watch the feeder intently. the dog barks at the cat everyday,

they went away for a while. my work day was a little more dull.

then i started mixing my own bird food with recipes from the internet. and i’ve found one they like. basically sugar water. so what i’m figuring, hummingbirds are just tiny little diabetics. or sugar addicts.

was confirmed this week that we’ll be required to be back in the office next month. i’ll miss the little flying spastics, the barking dog, and the cat that likes to pee in the neighbor’s planter early each morning. that neighbor is an asshole, so my hero, the cat.

i need to go shopping. i hate my old work clothes. i need shoes. i hate shopping. this will not be fun. i’ll miss working in my jammies with messy hair.

i had cut my hair the last time they said we’d go back to the office, then everything shutdown before we did. maybe i should cut my hair again…

i work late, because the work can’t wait, and my better half is still living in whittier.

they gave us a second computer, so i could still do work from home if needed.

better half gets to work from home permanently. he’s moving here next month, so the timing is great. i go back, and he stays home. sort of jealous.

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watched this beauty drive up and drop down. waited for people to move along to get a decent shot. it’s all right, i guess.

new camera. color is a little off, so i guess the color balance is a bit out of whack.

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these delivery boys are almost out of their delivery window. i guess i’ll hurry up and keep waiting.

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update: they just called. almost didn’t answer because of another situation. their truck broke down and had to reschedule. [shocker] did it really, now, or did you just not want to deliver at five o’clock? day wasted, sort of.

right. i’m off to whittier then. ttfn.

pizza

1941 plymouth

uptown whittier, just ordered pizza. so i have a few minutes to spare.

went out to the fundraiser for brother richard this past weekend. i’m sure i’d seen him around, but probably never spoke to him. he had a lot of friends, judging by the number of cars and groups of people attending.

weather was perfect for mid-morning. should have gone earlier, but things had need of doing first. still wrestling with the new camera and lens settings.

shot this car as i was heading back around to my car. better half was waiting at home—had to make a storage unit run—did i mention we are moving? his mother is gone and i get my condo back soon, so nothing holding us here. going to be closer to my mom now, where i am living ninety-nine percent of the time now anyway.

on-screen, full-size, this car glows. seems pretty sharp where i wanted it focused, but the lens does start fuzzing out towards the edges. need to find it’s sweet spot.

pizza ready. walking back.

new beginning

1938 buick

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.

half gone

1938 chevy master deluxe

my company office was closed for the week. so, half-way through a pseudo vacation.

had to take better half’s car back to the repair shop. after everything they did to the car on monday, some type of liquid puddled out from under the car yesterday. and now it’s stuck there until friday, while they wait for the right parts.

hoping to see my grandkid tomorrow, supposedly stopping by my mom’s house. who knows where i’ll end up tomorrow for dinner, not that it’s any big deal. i doubt better half will go to my mom’s with me, as my daughter’s doberman doesn’t seem to like him. at least last time, the first time they met, the dog wanted to make a meal out of his crotch.

anyway, happy early thanksgiving, in case i’m away from my puter tomorrow.

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saw this car on the outskirts of the toy drive. i want to say it said tovars on it somewhere, but probably from the back, and i didn’t shoot that.

plenty of scratches on that paint; i wonder what story it would tell.

change of plan

1954 chevy

saw this chevy at the latin gents toy drive the other day. I think it belongs to the vintage ladies car club, if i remember correctly. the lady’s husband caught me on the way back to my car, to ask if i’d shot it, so yes, i guess i did.

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better half has been doing so many extra hours lately. he’d expected to work all weekend, and had gone out and done his shopping super early in the morning on saturday. found himself five cans of lysol or some type of cleaning thing, which somehow makes him feel like the king of the world. he got his car washed. he called about cars without permits on our block and watched the tickets get put on the windshields.

when he logged on to start work and checked his mail about six a.m., he saw that the sob had been cancelled; stop all work. almost immediately, his body was telling him to sleep. he called me first, at my mother’s, where i’d spent the night.

he was telling me the thing had been cancelled, he was getting paid for half a day anyway, his weekend was free, he planned to relax. i half jokingly asked where should we go? then he was all about it. he started looking for hotel deals while i wrapped up whatever it was i was doing at my mom’s.

he calls back and says there are great deals in san diego, but covid is rampant there. same goes for san fran, and really he only has one night to get out of town. we finally settled on solvang, since i’d gone there the weekend his mother passed, looking for a getaway that wouldn’t be crowded with people like a big city. he hadn’t been there in years.

our favorite hotel was sold out. other hotels were too run down or had bad ratings. he finally found one that was recently renovated.

i got home an hour later, threw a change of clothes in a bag, and we were on our way. for the two and a half hour drive from whittier, we never turned the radio on. we talked the whole way there. anything and everything. we haven’t had a lot of time just us, no work, no distractions. it was nice.

solvang was busier than i’d expected, but you can still avoid the people if you want to. after checking into our hotel, the sun starting to go down, we headed over to tower pizza. we hadn’t had it since the last time we’d been there together, as it was already closed when i passed through town months ago.

we took it back to the room, as we didn’t want to sit outside. i was wearing a long sleeve jacket, but also the shorts i’d been wearing that morning, and the temp was dropping quickly down to the lower forties pretty quickly. the pizza was so good. better than i remembered it.

we thought about going out for a walk around town, but decided it would be too cold.

he fell asleep, i sat in the big bath tub of hot water for an hour and watched tv until i got tired.

in the morning, we took that walk around the town. he wanted to shop for xmas gifts for the little kids in our life. my sister wanted some handmade chocolate stuff, and after waiting for the store to open, to be told it was already sold out, was kind of a bummer. guess i need to go back. that and he has a cuckoo clock that needs repairing from the store where he bought it. if you have to, you have to… ; )

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we stopped at in-n-out on whittier boulevard before we got home. spied a group of classic cars at a rite aid parking lot. better half wanted to turn around. no cameras, what’s the point. looked like a meeting anyway.

sitting in my car in the ino parking lot twenty minutes later, enjoying our food and watching the traffic on the boulevard, we see lots of classic cars driving by. those same group of cars too. at least one was from the bomb club. i guess that there is something going on at montebello park, which is not far away. better half says we might as well go look, but i say no, i don’t have my cameras.

i joked about going back after we got home, but as it was almost four in the afternoon, and i was tired from driving, i didn’t. but i saw you guys, so i was happy.

toy test

so i bought a couple of external hard drives the other day. better half said they were on sale at the lowest price he’d seen in a while. perhaps he was hinting that i should buy my own, instead of taking his.

i haven’t shot much in the last eight months or so, and had recently spent a lot on our trip across the country, and then getting an oil leak fixed on my car, so wasn’t too interested in spending more. but i did finally, which shocked my better half immensely.

as usual for cracking open a new drive, he said i should test them, meaning copying files on and off them, shutting them down and starting them up. i didn’t want yet another copy of files i already had, so finally got my butt up out of the lazy boy chair, and out to a car show.

i’d seen flyers online lately, but finally decided to go see what would turn up at the gents’ show. didn’t know if it would just be a drive thru thing, and therefore, nothing for me to shoot, or as the flyer noted, cars were welcome to stay and hang out.

i needed to get lunch and put gas in my car anyway, so figured i’d drive over and see what was up.

a lot of cars was what i found. hadn’t seen their show this busy for over a year, so was pleasantly surprised.

promised my better half i’d keep the mask on, but wow, it was difficult. the past week had been so cold, then today, in the eighties. so, i had to move quickly, because i can’t take the heat much, and i was wearing jeans.

was greeted warmly by a member of the latin gents. saw several guys i hadn’t seen in a while. everyone was in a good mood.

did i mention i’d chopped off my hair again? was half-way down my back, and just getting thrashed by seat belts, and hair-ties, so i had it cut to just below my shoulders. went back to red too. i started to imagine that i was sweating so much that the red was dripping down my face. it wasn’t, but it should have. haven’t decided if i should go shorter, but didn’t want to look too much like a karen, so i’ll just leave it for a while.

saw this green truck in the corner. i don’t remember if i’d shot it before, so waited for some guys to move out of the way so i could take some pics. it belonged to one of the guys, and he hurried to move a towel and some junk to the back of the truck, out of my shot. thank you. nice truck, nice guys.

after that, i really started to skip cars i would have otherwise have shot. hadn’t had lunch yet, and the heat was making my head swimmy. and the damn mask didn’t help.

woulda shoulda stayed longer, but headed out instead. blasting the air conditioner, and hoping tomorrow will be cold again.

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hard drives are working so far…