August 29, 1999

In a fit of absolute stupidity, when I did my redesign earlier this month I neglected to write down some of the key settings I was using.

That combined with the fact that, as previously reported, Photoshop is not the most intuitive of programs, I have spent odd hours trying to recreate my colors and whatnot. (At least I had the good sense to bookmark the place where I'm getting my quilt pix from.)

So this morning, I decided I was going to figure this out. Come hell or high water.

I was loathe to ask Chuck for advice. I got this far myself. I figured I could figure it out.

Well, there's only so much banging my head against a brick wall I'm willing to do for the sake of independence.

"Honey," with the requisite saccharine tone, "could you help me for a second here." Well, I'm here to tell you, he's the man.

While you won't be seeing anything new until September 1, when I will change the quilt banner on the entry pages and have to put up a September link in my archive pages, it's in the can. Not only that, it's uploaded so I don't have to fight with the FTP connection late at night.

Oh, and this time, I wrote EVERYTHING down. Color numbers, point sizes, blurs, opacity, density, etc.

In other news, Sister #1 is here from London for a week's stay. She got here Thursday. I haven't seen her yet but have talked to her on the phone at least a dozen times. No rush to see each other since she'll be staying with me from Wednesday night until she goes back home. I will see her this afternoon at dad's though. First Sunday of the Month Dinner at Dad's was rescheduled to Last Sunday of the Month for this month.

At this month's (OK, the second one of the month) event, my dad wants us all to confront lunatic Sister #2 about her behavior recently and encourage her to go for therapy. Boy, I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to this.

Chuck contends that with the amount of energy we all spend dealing with #2 we could power a small nation.

#1 and I were talking about this. While neither one of us has spent more than 15 minutes on the phone with #2 since the first of the year, we have spent absolutely hours discussing her. If this isn't a waste of energy I don't know what is.

Anyway, #1 is coming to stay with us and I'm taking some time off work. On Thursday we've got a variety of treatments scheduled at Burke William's in Pasadena. There's nothing we love more than a day of beauty treatments.

Unfortunately, the one treatment we both wanted, Emilee's Intrigue, is not being offered right now. We'll be making due with facials, massages, and other goodies.

Zoe and I took one of our regular Sunday morning trips to the Farmer's Market today. While I could not hope to be this eloquent about all the fruits and veggies, a fun time was had by all.

Every time I go I kick myself for not bringing the stroller with us. It's not that Zoe needs to be chauffeured around, because frankly, she prefers to walk, it's just that the purchases start to get REALLY heavy. The weight of the bags, combined with this sudden onslaught of summer, is not a good combination. Well...maybe next time I'll remember the stroller.

At about 10:30 this morning I was longing for the days when there was always an umbrella stroller in my truck, just in case.

Zoe and I love going. We usually go to the Encino market. Sunday's from 9-11. My dad then told me that there's one in Studio City. Same Bat time. Same Bat day. We decided to try that one today. They're equally distant from the house so what the hell.

I'm here to tell you that from a kid perspective, the Studio City market is better. They have pony rides, a petting zoo, a moon bounce, and train ride in Studio City. All they have in Encino is an anemic-looking rooster in a cage. From a parking perspective, Encino is better. Aside from that, the markets are about equal.

We prefer the stands that offer samples of their wares. And today's sampling led us to a purchase of something I'd never heard of before: dinosaur egg plums. They're largish and pale purple and green almost marbled on the outside, and the inside is white, pink, and magenta. The flesh is firm and sweet, and I think they're my new favorite plum. We bought a big bag full.

On the way back to the car, both Zoe and I loaded down with bags and bags of fruits and veggies I spied an abandoned shopping cart. Since my arms were alternately breaking and getting stung from the little pointy bits on the sunflowers we bought (5 absolutely enormous ones for $5.00), we loaded our purchases into the cart and made our way the three blocks back to the car.

Altogether, it was quite a successful outing.

And in pool news, it's up and running, and really freakin' cold. It was a scorcher yesterday, as I had hoped, and when we finally got it together to go in the pool it was too damned cold for wussy me.

The place that would be best for the pool to go, the blacktop drive at the back of our garage, is currently the home of my dead Mercedes Benz 6.9. My dad gave me the car when I totaled my Jetta shortly after Zoe was born.

Don't go oohing and ahhing about it. The car was 15 years old when he gave it to me, and was a regular visitor at the mechanics, never letting me out for under $300, during the span of time I drove it.

We've been trying to sell that car for at least 2 years now. Now it just takes up space in our lives and causes enormous aggravation.

Anyway, if the pool was back there it would get full sun for most of the day and would be the absolutely perfect temperature. Also, it wouldn't be getting leaves in it all the time.

It's just as well anyway because we can't see that area from the house and it wouldn't be baby-safe.

So today, we're going to dad's (as previously mentioned) and I'll be dipping in his pool, which he keeps at a delightful 85.

Until next time. . .