Alaina V. Sitting for a portrait. Now on stage in NYC.

 

It's been an interesting Sunday. I went to swim practice and swam well. We knocked out good yardage and left tired and happy. I was standing in the parking lot afterwards, talking to my swimmer friend, Patty, when the wind picked up and the temperature dropped about ten degrees in ten seconds. A small splash of rain and ever since then the day has gotten progressively cooler. We may make it all the way down into the 30s by Halloween. 

I figured we'd be turning the heating on soon and, being ever cautious, I went to the hardware store and bought two carbon monoxide monitors. They both plug in the wall and also have battery back-ups. We were late thinking about winter so I haven't had the HVAC company we use come by and check out the central heating. But that's on the list for sometime after the 6th of next month. We get the heater and air conditioning inspected and serviced once a year. And I have some extra routine maintenance I do for the A/C. Mostly just making sure the condensate lines are unblocked. 

We had new windows installed all over the house last year and even though the temps have already dropped into the low 50s the house is hanging in there at about 76° for most of the day. Windows, good windows, cost a small fortune. But when it comes to energy conservation they sure do rock. We also had the house/doors entirely re-weather sealed this Spring. These are two things that got us through the hottest Texas Summer on record without, proverbially, breaking a sweat when paying electric bills. Wish we'd done it ten years sooner. 

Ben usually comes for dinner on Sunday evenings. We really look forward to it. But he landed in Tokyo earlier today and will be there, and all over Japan, for the next two weeks. He's taking a well deserved vacation. Did he take any of the many cameras I offered him? He did not. He pointed to his recent model iPhone and that was the end of the discussion.

I can't wait to hear all about his adventures. He's one of those lucky ones who gets paid vacations. 

I spent a couple hours cleaning the studio today. The place was a mess. The impetus was a booking for tomorrow. I've got the new president of some legal association coming in to be photographed against a white background. Once his ad people select a photo we'll separate him from the white background and drop him into a nice, industrial background. Which will be slightly out of focus. Not the guy....just the background. Adobe is making this so easy these days...

So, the studio is now nice and clean. The electric heater works. Just in case. I'd conjecture about which camera and lens I'm thinking of using but I'm pretty sure you know I'll just change my mind between now and then. 

Still booking jobs here and there. Hope I don't put myself in a higher tax bracket... 

Finally, this was the first year in decades that I didn't impulsively rush out and buy something decadent and unnecessary for my birthday. I was saved by someone else's need for a used Leica M 240. I had the mint condition body in and out of my shopping cart a couple of times before someone else stepped up with less wishy-washy-ness and clicked the "buy" button. B. suggested that perhaps I was becoming more mature. I didn't want to tell her I had just equivocated for too long and lost my chance. 

So, nothing new to report - gear wise. I'll work on that.

ready for one more portrait? Here's one from Paris: https://visualsciencelab.blogspot.com/2015/06/backstage-at-karl-lagerfeld-show.html