The Ice & Snow Forecast was correct. Underneath the modest snow fall is a sheet of ice that’s going nowhere for a few days, same as me and my truck Apartment Maintenance liberally spread rock salt on the walk yesterday. Futile.
This AM, watched a young dare devil in his “Pocket Rocket” discover the ice layer and impossibility of motoring up the modest grade. He backed to his parking space, walked to where he got stuck, brushed the snow with his foot and found the ice sheet. And wisely went home.
Weekend Ice & Snow Forecast still iffy. Which is a big deal in North Carolina. So assuming a worst case scenario “a la January of 2000” of being stuck for days (this ain’t Cleveland with snow plows) made another supply run today. Pantry, frig & freezer full but still needed some essentials: Full Tank In Truck, Salad Greens, Steak Fries and backup Bourbon supply.
And found, after years of absence, Evans Williams 10 Year Old Single Barrel was back on the shelf at the ABC Store! Took no chances – bought both bottles that were left! Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!
A rare forecast of snow raised me from a nasty cold ennui to ensure I had sufficient supplies to weather the weather. Red wine was first on the list, for drinking and cooking. This is 5L for $17.99. Drinks and cooks well!
And because it’s in a plastic bladder, it doesn’t go to vinegar from oxidation – safe to keep for weeks! First learned of this shopping in a luxe market at La Defense, Paris at a 2004 IBM Global IT Conference. Booked into a very corporate Sofitel – far from the apartment in Marais where I later felt, home.
Finishing the current “Big Sipper” tonight before dinner (Pinot Noir), I was reminded of French viticulture practicality. The valve attached to the empty plastic bladder was made in France. They know a lot about wine.
Between Paris and a kitchen reno, I had little choice but to attend an exhibit at Biltmore House in Asheville, by the Glass Artist Dale Chihuly. The Boss Lady was a ginormous fan, which explains a previous trip to Seattle Tacoma. Plus she visited with old friends. Click for full size
I never planned to rip & replace kitchens in two houses – but I did. We sold the first to downsize in 2013. Wasn’t long before the next renovation began. The image below is what we started with.
2013 MLS Photo
Found a local cabinet maker who made to order. He and my Boss Lady designed it – I was just cheap labor. I did take longer than the first one – budget and trips to Paris were priorities. The image below was “Work In Progress”, 2018.
This was the end product – except for some minor trim. I did finish that bit before selling, a promise kept. She selected the large photograph I made of the “Chihuly Exhibit” at Biltmore House.
Mostly recovered from a nasty head cold, spent Saturday on the couch doing something I rarely do any more – watch TV. Saw an old favorite “This Old House”. My sweetheart made this photograph in 2007 (2.3 MP Sony P&S) when I finished gutting the kitchen of our home for renovation. The 8 ft bed of my pickup was full and ready for the Wake County Convenience Center Construction Debris Dumpster. Twice!
The image below is how it looked when we sold in 2013 – except for the appliances being replaced for newer Black ones and obvious water damage to the oak floor I laid from a leaking dishwasher. Image is from it’s recent listing and sale – more than 3x what I paid in 1998! I’d need to be back at IBM as a Band 9 to buy it today. Wait, I was a Band 9 – never mind.
Just looking at this makes me glad I’m done with all that. Except for the “WKRP” t-shirt which is still in my closet. And I still have my “like new” 2005 Chevy W/T.
On the recovery side of a multi-day, nasty head cold, prepping the dinner I’d planned two days ago and gratefully dog sitting for a young neighbor whose weekend will be embedded with the wedding of a lifelong friend, got back to this:
And discovered the work of photographer Toyo Miyatake. He was born in 1895, in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, a place I spent a brief time in, for work.
A naturalized US Citizen, he and his family and 80,000 native born American Citizens were taken from their homes, with what they could carry in suitcases and locked up in essentially, prison camps, like “Manzanar”.
Which I think, echoes the current persecution of Somali American native born citizens. And this book is inbound: Seen And Unseen.
Finished the 2026 I/T refresh today! Data backups, Telephony refresh, physical re-config of new office furniture, “New” refurbed laptop (replaced 2016 Fujitsu Lifebook hacked with Rufus for Win 11) and made USB Bootable Sysvol’s of Desktop and “New” Laptop! And a clear calendar for months- feels good!
Today, a young friend was kind to listen to an old man express loss, five years on. It released my fear of facing it. It’s been, as Dylan wrote “Too Personal A Tale”. And I found the courage to bring out her portrait. The best I ever made – of the worst client I ever had.
Spent a good part of today moving into a “new” (re-furbed) Laptop, my backup and “Plan B” to my Desktop. Based on the HP S/N, it’s less than a year old, probably a Best Buy or Costco demo. The hard part is replicating my years long Photoshop customization. And hours of Windows updates. Salvation was provided by the Postman who delivered these books today:
They balance a Christmas gift book of poems from my informally adopted Grand Daughter/Kindred Spirit/Elementary School Music Teacher/Dog Rescuer: “Dog Songs” by Mary Oliver – wonderful and hard on the heart.
First week of this New Year had been an in-house I/T refresh. Data backups (N+3), Telephony refresh, Desktop physical configuration for new office furniture and an incoming “new” refurbed laptop to replace my 10 year Fujitsu Lifebook I hacked with Rufus so it would run Win 11. But that’s not what this is about.
This is what my studio shoots looked like when I had access to open hours at Cary Ballet Conservatory. The building, since sold, is now a Bank that I drove by today, after shopping Habitat, before shopping Target.
Walking into Habitat, I was greeted with a smile and hug from an ex-neighbor and customer. The Senior Portrait session of her youngest was my very last portrait session. The print is on her wall, with the others I made of his younger sisters, both of who suffered my fussiness in this building. And she also hired me for “Truck Day” at Bright Horizon Day Care Centers.
So what I’m starting to get ready to begin is thinking about and curating a dozen years of Digital Negatives (about 6 TB) and writing a book and leaving a family history for the next generation. I have the luxury of time without demands and the ability. It is, as good as it gets.
USPS brought this book today, the companion volume of the documentary DVD: “Grab A Hunk Of Lightning”. By late afternoon, it was annotated with Post-It notes – profusely! A kindred spirit but way tougher than I ever was.
On the first day of this New Year, I kept self promises – included making an unvarnished and sustainable budget. And finally, back on my Rowing Machine. Felt good! There is great utility in making the equivalent of a U.S.N. Submarine “Plan Of The Day”.
Killer good meal ready soon and I want for nothing. And the memory of my Sweetheart sustains. I wish y’all a good New Year.
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