Michael's Birthday

I think that I'll be ok, once I've been through all of the holidays once. Today would have been Michael's 65th birthday -- the Medicare birthday! I am still getting lots of invitations for him to get Medicare supplements. I guess this is proof that they really will insure anyone, right?

Dave did a memorial posting in his blog, and I hope that you'll read it! It includes pictures of Dave with Michael. I had thought that I was going to make it through the day without tears, but... this managed to squeeze a few out for me.

It rained on Thursday night, but then we awoke Friday to beautiful weather, high 60's and bright sunshine against beautiful blue skies. We have the same today.

My "presentation" wasn't really much of a presentation, because they couldn't figure out how to get the computer/projector connection to work -- till after the meeting was over.

Later on Friday, Jack came over and we measured and discussed plans for my deck addition. It's gonna be sweet! :)

George, JoAnn, John, and I went out to Corleone's for dinner last night, and it was delicious. If you're in Tucson and want some delicious Italian, you can find this place only if you look very carefully. It's on the southwest corner of Tanque Verde and Kolb, only accessible from the southbound lane of Tanque Verde. It's tucked in behind some other stuff, but is well worth the search!

After our real food, we continued the Italian experience by going to Frost -- also on Tanque Verde -- a bustling gelato place.

This morning, I did laundry and then came home and opened my windows! I went to help Ernie and Jan with their computer, setting up email. I went and did my walk, and then I came home and sat out on my little patio with Maddy. It was fun sitting out there and waving at passers-by.

Ione came by and we discussed the Photo Club agenda for Monday. She has many great ideas and I know that this will be a fun club. We're going to do photo shoots in interesting locations, have guest speakers, and learn about how to take better photos. We're also going to have photo-sharing sessions, and even some contest-format exhibitions of photos, where they're judged. (A bit like a real-life Art Challenge!)

I've decided, just in the past couple of days, that I'm not going to be teaching Photoshop classes anymore -- at least not for the foreseeable future. I would have so much work to do to update the classes for the new version of Photoshop, and I just don't have the fire in me to do all of that work. JohnD told me that I needed to be sure that I was doing what *I* wanted to do, and not just what was expected of me. I was pushing to do what was expected of me, and ... I'm just not there.

I DO want to do more art. And I DO want to do more Art Challenges. I will get my Community up and running one of these days, and I'll be able to do that. I have to get my big computer, my desktop, running again. It's just dead. That's the one that I can use my Wacom tablet with most easily and ergonomically. And that's the computer that I use in my front window here, where I can look out to the purple mountains majesties!

I'm not dropping out of life, as someone suggested to me in a recent email. I am just shifting gears. I'll find a new and appropriate niche for myself. And you know... even if I DID decide to drop out of life for awhile, it would be ok. :P~

Awning underway!

Today the man from Star Aluminum came and got a good start on my aluminum awning. It amazed me that he worked alone, carrying 20' lengths of corrugated aluminum up the ladder and hooking them up. I was also really surprised by the noise! I was surprised how late the man worked -- till after it was dark!

And I am surprised at how much I like the awning so far. :) It makes a real room out of my deck -- a livable space where I will be able to put chairs and stuff.

I did a little shopping, buying a clock kit to make a wall clock with no numbers, no glass, no frame -- just a simple mechanism, a black disk to cover it, and silver hands. And it works!

I'm doing a presentation tomorrow for the Computer Club about Games! Here is my outline, including the links that I'll share with them:

Games!

Default Windows Games XP

Solitaire (Klondike)
Spider
Minesweeper
Freecell

Vista Games

Solitaire (Klondike)
Spider
Minesweeper
Freecell
Purble Place (Concentration)
Mahjong Titans
Inkball
Hearts
Chess Titans


More Free Games

http://wwwcandystand.com
http://puzzles.usatoday.com/sudoku/
http://games.yahoo.com/games/front
http://games.aol.com/
http://www.netives.com/

TV Games

http://www.nbc.com/Deal_or_No_Deal/game/flash.shtml

Shareware Games

http://www.solsuite.com/
http://www.realarcade.com

Multiplayer Games Online

http://games.yahoo.com/multiplayer-games
http://zone.msn.com/en/root/default.htm
http://www.funster.com

A New Year

2007 went out with flair. I went to Ione and Rob's for a wonderful fondue dinner along with 9 other people. And yes, they were all seated in Rob & Ione's casa, around a long table. Everything was delicious and the company was lots of fun.

This prepared us for the Village's New Year's Dance. The dance was good, though I think that the band was sort of a last-minute choice (my opinion; others liked the band). I actually danced a few dances, laughed much, and enjoyed the people. I also drank way too much wine and champagne.

I got home safely and awoke on New Year's Day... with a bit of a headache. ;) The day was a bit warmer, though, and the air held a bit of a springlike lilt! At 1, I went to Harold & Kathy's for their "Hangover Recovery Party!" Perfect! There was lots of great food, all the most fun people, and a beautiful day to enjoy them.

After we had eaten our fill, the more physically ambitious of us did a Park Circle, where we strolled the circumference of the park, knocking on some doors, calling out "Happy New Year!" When we got back around to my place (I'm just 2 doors west of Harold), the gang all crowded into my little patio, to see what it's capacity is. And here we all are! I was taking the photo. Capacity = 21! :D


This is a photo taken out my front window at the Catalina Mountains one morning last week. The sun was barely up, lighting just the mountain tops.


Today's hike was really fun. We went on the Molino Trail in the Catalina Mountains, going past the Prison Camp and stopping just short of the trail to the Dam. We went exactly 8 miles.

We passed the other hiking group from the Village -- the No-Hurry Hikers at one point, and I shot this photo of them across the ravine:


The weather was beautiful, as you can see. We started out cool, but I finished up with my jacket tucked into my pouch. I find that there are really two groups of Hardy Hikers -- a group that likes to go very fast, and another group, including Jack and me, who likes to stop and take photos now and then. I did fine today. The "rabbits" stopped now and then to wait for us, and that was fine. And I got some good photos!

House Cleaning

Today I slept in a bit more. I was pleased to see Rob and Ione, and to hear about their 2-weeks back in Michigan for the holidays. Jack and Kathy returned today, too, and I'm sure that Spencer and Alex, their cats, were pleased!

Today was housecleaning day. I really hate my vacuum -- a bagless hoover with a fold-down handle. The handle is good, but that's the absolute only thing that I like about the thing. I know that Michael would want me to ditch this one and get a new one. We had even talked about that last year.

My concrete is curing and looks great. I put a couple of chairs out on the little patio, in the hopes that people will stop asking me if they can come over to go swimming.

Today I saw a covey of Gambel's quail and a roadrunner while I was out for my walk. I just love the birds here. :) Today was warmer, with a high of about 65°.

I got a MS laser wireless mouse ydy to use for my computer, and I figured out where the set button was. So now it works!

I just discovered that I had not posted this. I wrote it on the 30th of December. I missed writing to you on the 31st and 1st, but I'm going to write for the 2nd!