Pat Hardie - Altered Art Studio

Adventures with artquilts, fibres, neckties and 2 very fine flatcoat retrievers - Gypsy & Reo

Monday, February 12, 2007

Travelog - Day 12, Feb.12

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A dreary day today – slightly foggy, drizzling rain, the kind you prefer to stay in bed, or curl up with a good cup of coffee and read a good book, or … Al goes off to the LBJ Library; I stay here with the dogs, change the bed, do multi-laundries, a bit of cleaning, and then get to the serious work of transfering yesterday’s pictures to the laptop for editing. I know I said this laptop would be good enough, but little did I know what it would be ‘ungood enough’ for. I am beaucoup frustrated with its lack of speed, but then a new one would cost beaucoup dollars. ‘What do you want?’ I ask myself. Secretly I hope for a bargain on a really fast laptop. “Ain’t gonna happen, so get used to it.” so cease and desist from your ‘reportage.

Aside: I want to yell – “OK folks. Now’s your opportunity to let me know if what you’re reading is good enough for a new laptop.” Is all this worth it or not??? I can hear the echoes of the silent response. I guess the bottom line is that I’m doing it for me, so only ‘me’ can answer the question.

Al returns after lunch announcing that I should have gone with him. The library is housed in a magnificent building … I’m not sure how the conversation took a left turn to ‘you should have seen the grocery store’, a place that goes for miles and contains many mini restaurants, all of which are very costly. He never does find the ‘dairy’ section and retreats, having bought nothing. Jeepers, the Japanese section would have provided tonight’s dinner.

So while he is off to the ‘low-end’ HEB grocery story that we patronage, I edit a few photos that I took earlier in the day. This RV campground has a fenced area for dogs, so you can let them off leash. Round about 12:30 I take them there. Gyspy once again escapes. Once I get her back into the fenced area, I return to her favourite spot in the Oak Forest. I notice all sorts of lichens and a very vicious, thorny vine(?); I pick up a few to photograph.

Al returns with groceries from our local low-end HEB store. Marinated catfish
for me, steak for him It is now that I hear about the LBJ museum & library. Al admires this president greatly so I am glad that he was able to visit. I learn all sorts of new stuff: LBJ’s most proud moment has nothing to do with his presidency, but the electrification of rural Texas back in the 30’s. I wonder about the multi-million $$$ that are necessary to gain these lofty heights.

I’ve photographed my lichens on two surfaces. Each campsite is provided a picnic table; I am amazed that the surface is so amenable as a backdrop for photos – like using a gray card as a background. After taking some on the picnic table, I move to the other side of the trailer where our live oak stump provides the perfect height. I shall number them. Perhaps you will let me know what you think by leaving comments.



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