Close Meditations of a Visual Kind

I got to sleep in. Waking up is a usual thing throughout the night, as is going back to sleep. Getting to sleep in is not. Last wake up point I remember before the one I got out of bed for was around 04:30-ish, and Herself got up then. I remember hearing the coffee grinder. Then back to sleep.

It's always nice when the coffee is ready when I get up.

So I got up a bit before seven then, took Houdini out for his constitutionals after I did mine and extremely frisky he proved to be. Really quite like, Hey, Boss, the little loud box didn't yell at you to wake up, and so it's a BossStaysHomeDay! It's supposed to be a BossGoesAwayDay but it isn't. Yea! Now, friskiness could be associated with local temperatures, just a shade above freezing and with the breeze out there, perceptually at freezing. However, I'm inclined to think he felt happy for an unexpected BossStaysHomeDay.

I am now am sipping coffee. The roosters are sounding off. Been sounding off for a few hours, pretty much continuously. They sounded off when I heard Herself about earlier. Sounded off in my sleep. Sounded off while Houdini made his rounds. Curiously enough to me, this morning many of them are putting four beats into their crows, even those who normally only put in three beats.

Mer Ree Christ Mas.

There is a basket of glowing balls in the Family Room that wasn't there last night. It is very pretty in the still rather dark room.

Merry Christmas.

I am not sure what the holiday is or means to me anymore. This morning, though, I am glad to discover it does still mean something after all.

Stopped on the way home from Hospital yesterday, a time with somewhat cynical thoughts that suit my attitudes from the previous few weeks. More 'Scrooge' this year than have been for a while. Cynical thoughts but not all of them. First thought leaving hospital regarded how empty Archer Road appeared, there by campus. Road remained fairly clear until I got near the light for the turn to Williston Road.

I'd heard sirens, and one emergency vehicle did pass me while walking out to the car; I found that one and more at this intersection. Despite how light traffic seemed, a couple vehicles managed to mangle each other fairly significantly there. Detoured around the intersection on my way to Butler Plaza.

Going to Butler Plaza for a few items. Found a lot more traffic here, and expected to do so as well. Stopped in at Office Max, picked up another Really Useful Box (this one, first usage actually bring things home, now to be converted over to holding music CD's on the printer shelf to facilitate next today chore), some document sleeves for a notebook binder so I can start keeping an image printing reference based on paper types (re-learning printing, will do so with paper on hand and more papers coming) and a printer for Herself.

Really for both of us. This one replaces the multipurpose one she bought years ago, which is now not working so well (either that or she brought it home from Deltona in the days after Mother Mary died, either way, lots of use out of it, not working so well any more). Folks know the type: printer, scanner, copy machine, fax machine. This one is both wired and wireless network capable, so we plan to use it that way. Also, this one will become the 'text' printer, so printing labels and letters and forms and such. This leaves the Epson Artisan 50 to be exclusively art related printing, which will help on figuring production costs.

Got out and fed everyone for the morning. Easy day on chores, came back into the house for a bit and moved around those printers as needed. Back out, watered birds and provided Hose time for Houdini. Who then also received his Christmas Bath. Once we did that, back inside and installed the new printer. The Epson Artisan 50 I call Mr. Printy, and his purpose is the art prints. I call the new printer Mr. Printshop because that one will take care of the majority of other printing jobs, at least until the HP Laserjet can be cleaned and put back into service.

Headed out late to try to make a last-minute purchase of an ingredient for tonight's dinner. Not disappointed to miss the few stores open here in Rural North Central Baja Jorja, even though literally by about five minutes. Dropped off a small present and card with our friends and partners in the Ranch business, D & B. B had what we needed and gave that to Herself. Then we headed home (about sunset time) and while Herself started working on dinner for us, Houdini and I provided dinner for the Evening Critters, Cows, Horses and Ms. Truffles Hog.

Back inside now; been a good day. Been a good year (granted, still a week to go as we measure these things). The Studio expanded on the number of shows this year, achieving the goal for Eight and adding two others. Ten shows. Next year, perhaps it is time to change the measured goal from number of shows to sales made. We shall see. The gift Art Cards are likely to do well enough, and with Mr. Printy up and running and my own skills at printing improving, the largest amount of 'inventory' is easily replaceable. So 8x10 and smaller are now being printed here at home. Time to replace stock sold, and expand a bit for the matted works, and kick up the inventory on the Gift Art Cards.

I've no problem with wishing a general Happy Holidays. This time of year, there are a number of them packed in regardless of anyone’s faith or outlook. Happy Holidays, as a greeting, actually dates back to my days as a youth; it isn't anything new. I don't totally understand then the seeming reluctance, the apparent concern about being correct to wish Happy Holidays.

Kwanza is celebrated about this time of year, as is Chanukah. New Years for the Gregorian calendar (a world-wide standard, though not exclusive) is coming in seven days. These are the holidays of this season, other than Christmas. Many also celebrate Yule. Or commemorate the Solstice. So. Happy Holidays works.

So does this sentiment, which is tied somewhat to the Christian celebration:
Peace on Earth, and Goodwill to all Mankind.

Yes, I've been incommunicado the past couple days. Gloriously, quietly incommunicado.

::sighs::

Left work early on Wednesday, stopped for a last item and looking for another item which I didn't find, and consoling myself with two other items, all very mysterious and such. Books. That's all. Looking for a book I'm interested in but haven't found yet. Stopped at teh last known location of a favourite bookstore, to discover an ice cream store. This is in the same strip mall where a favourite camera store used to be (Harmon's, and I've written about them). I hadn't heard anything about them going out of business, yet still some concern.

I was looking for a bit of tradition, to whit a cookbook for Herself. It's sort of like coals to Newcastle that but always a good thing to do, and every Christmas for some time I've given her another cookbook, amongst other things. So off to a different bookstore, one I patronise because a friend works there. Did find a cookbook, did not find the book I am looking for, did find two other books which I purchased.

Then answered a phone call from alienorade to help moves some book cases about the house. Do we see a trend here? Books. Book cases. Yes, well.

Used the Iternetz at Rittersalle to discover that indeed, Goering's Books did not go out of business, simply moved to within a block or two of their original site. Things changed enough around there since they moved away, parking primarily, and I expect a good portion of their business always has been students though not for textbooks specifically. They did sell books specified for courses, but not textbooks. So sometime in the near future I shall wander over to that part of town and see if I can find the book I'm looking for.

Very quiet day on Christmas. Herself roast a duck, with stuffing, and fresh asparagus I'd picked up from the grocery on the way home. Also baked two pumpkin pies, which she'd caught me in time to request a couple cans of evaporated milk to make. Well OK, she only asked for one can, I picked up two. Checked the mail last stop passing through Archer and found a card from tassie_gal much appreciated... and told the Bros that the card is for them too. Tassie'd mentioned that in the card.

But that's the day before still, Christmas Eve. Friend S stopped by to drop off another traditional, his version of a Whitman's Sampler which isn't chocolate but is that other major food group, beer. He and K were on their way to brother's house for the annual. Sent along (silently) some best wishes for that group of friends as well, as this is the first Holiday season for that family without their mother. So it goes.

Herself also received a (replacement but surprise) new oval crock pot. Brought it in during the early hours of the day, after I'd been wakened by Madam Mary Kitty informing me it was past time for Breakfast #1. Set it in front of the television, and Herself still didn't notice it for nearly half a day. I did seriously expect no notice until at least the first cup of coffee consumed, so this counts as major Points. This is another long-standing tradition of sorts. I present her with things out and truly in the open. Takes her a while to twig to them. Doesn't seem to matter the size, very much.

Duck. Mmm. And the Bros got duck sauce (plus a few scraps) on kibbles. Mmm. We kept an eye on goats (kids fine, Herd of 6 starting to wean) including one doe who appears to be labouring. No kid yet. Not looking optimistic here. Much more later.

Yesterday more of the same (except less duck), and the intention had been to do some straightening and cleaning in both House and Studio. As well as some other odds & ends on teh Ranch. Turned out to be much more time spent with that doe, still labouring, which is why I'm not too optimistic. We'll see. Did replace the last two leaky hose bib faucets, so we're down to a fine mist coming from one hose to water point connection. I'll replace that end of the hose today. It feels a bit odd to walk past those particular water points and not see dripping. Then again, those two particular water points are both 20 year old hardware. Possibly I could tweak one into serviceability, but the other is pretty much falling apart. Despite being brass, there is enough corrosion and lime build up that I think I'll donate the metal to my local brass and bronze smiths.

Evening we traipsed over to Rittersalle for pot-luck and board games. I did surprising poorly at a card game called Dirty Minds, and better kibitzing the Scrabble game that followed. Back home shortly before midnight, off to bed again until this morning when again, Madam Mary Kitty indicated her displeasure at the late onset of Breakfast #1.

Probably more of the same today.

Ooooo... Shiney

( You Better Watch Out, You Better Not Cry )

Happy Holidays, y'all!