Halloween

 

We had 93 kids come to the door this evening, which is really good considering that the temperature dropped a few degrees today. I used some 1950s home movie of a bride with a toy skull superimposed on her face for my video. This reflects the corpse bride that is in our front yard. Geremy came by without family. 

Mom and quilt show

Took mom out to Regina Beach to see the quilt show. Eric gave a detailed personal tour for us. He humourously deflected mom's request for quilting patterns. We went for lunch at the golf course afterwards, then to the new Winners store in Regina - the largest store in the country. 

Carving day

We carved a few pumpkins this evening. I mostly scooped out the insides and deferred the faces to William and Margaret. You might recognize the middle carving is William and Emma's robot. 
 

Painting continues

Wayne Selby dropped off some cameras for me to paint. He tells me he found this box in his basement and I actually think this was a box full of cameras I'd returned to him back in 2020. I'm really happy to have a chance to paint these again. These include his collection of Minox spy cameras. 

Food sample day

 Margaret had to work this evening but she told me and William to go to the Co-op to pick up a few things because they were doing a special event this evening. It was the best grocery shopping day I've ever had. There were samples all over the place with food reps warming up stuff and chatting. A voice from the past called my name and suddenly I was talking with Jimmy about Tumbler's Pizza and getting multiple slices and extra sauce. I've not seen him in 20 years. 

Quilting for a car

 

Yesterday Margaret and William went out to Regina Beach for the opening of the new quilting show at the Last Mountain Lake Cultural Centre. A highlight is the quilted cover for an early 2000s Volkswagen Bug. 

Hanging with the cat

 

As I might have said a few posts ago, I've fallen behind on my blogging so am currently combing through my photos and pulling things from each day. This is the only photo I took on this day, so it must have been a comforting moment with Sylvie. Other than that, I don't remember what I did on this day. 

Comic convention at RPL library

Comic event at the RPL library today was really successful for William. He wasn't officially involved but he did talk at length with a number of people including Dakota McFadzean who agreed to come onto his radio show, as well as a few university colleagues who are looking for ways to focus their own lives and the seed of future collaborations is planted. 
 

William working on puppets

 William spent a few hours working with his mentor, Chrystene Ells (photo credit for image here) on rethinking the way he builds and uses puppets. 

Double events: Jessie Short and Lowell Dean

Lowell and Will Dixon

 Jessie Short

This evening Jessie did a dramatic reading of her script that she has been working on as a City of Regina artist in residence. It was my first time in this newish facility near the police station that is primarily for sports - and thus the event being in a gym. A nice group of people and full spread of food. I had to dash as soon as it was done so as to attend the Film Department's presentation of our distinguished alumni award to Lowell Dean over at the Artesian. Big crowd there and, similarly, good food. A bunch of my students attended, as well as a number of old faces including Will Dixon (pictured above with Lowell). 

William's radio show at donut shop

 Having been William's guest ten times this year, I traded in my punch card for a one episode takeover and brought the show to Country Corner. Geremy came by and the three of us (hosted by me) talked comics. 

Soundstage

 Soundstage tour today. Erin Dean of Creative Sask also gave the students a generous amount of her time. Everyone was really excited and positive about all of everything. A good day. 

Box building

Built the first text box for William's project for Neutral Ground. It was perfectly square but then we disassembled it to add glue and got it off-square. 
 

Kristin

 Kristin came to town this weekend. Obviously too busy to do much together, we did manage to have brunch at the Motherwell house. Katherine also arrived, taking a last minute flight. 

Saskatoon

 I drove William up to Saskatoon for his Carfac mentorship meeting this morning then hung out with Mike all afternoon. Bought some paint and brushes from Art Placement, some sliding drawers from Lee Valley Tools, and some used books from their "Giant" symphony book sale (which was disappointingly small). 

Halloween prep: the ghost bride

Margaret and William put up a terrific bride consisting of a wedding dress purchased at the Little Theatre sale a couple weeks ago, combined with a skeletal mask and good lighting. 
 

Margaret's birthday

 

Plants and painting

 While it is still warm, I brought home three new plants for the fish tank after painting class. 

Sculpture repair

 This is a ceramic sculpture that dad purchased years ago. Mom values it because of the fact that dad never purchased things like art and it was an unusual event that he did so. I think they had met the artist. Anyway, the end of the violin breaks off (it has been repaired before, but apparently since then the glue will just dry up and the end will fall off). I repaired it today. The glue shows a bit. 

Cat and leaves

 Sylvie is enjoying the leaves on the ground. She's been having some extreme manic moments, racing at top speed around the house and wanting out. Probably some for of poop emergency. 

Stew

 Made turkey stew today. Red wine just added for photo above. 

Early thanksgiving

I roasted a turkey this morning and we had mom over for Thanksgiving lunch. 18 pounds this time. Froze about half the breast meat. I took mom home in mid-afternoon and then we took advantage of the last day of summer-like weather to put everything away in the back yard and prepare for winter. 

 

Leftover banock in secret kitchen

Yesterday we had the first faculty meeting of fall which included a casual hour with food leading into it, greeting new members and so on. They had some great bannock in surplus. This morning an email went out inviting us to come eat the left overs to a specific room near the dean's office. It ends up that this is a kitchen for the MAP faculty that has been here for 25+ years and I've never known about it. I met with Jessie there. 
 

Birds

Catching sight of birds on campus. 
 

Painting

 Continued my series of paintings with only paynes grey and titanium white. I'm enjoying them. 

Lighting in class

 Ian did a workshop with my students today. Learned a couple cameras they'd not used before and did a couple lighting set ups. The term has been going well with welcome turns each week. I hope I can keep this up until April. 

Building Lego

 While traveling to Winnipeg, William bought a Lego set. First one in a couple years I think. Spent the day building. 

Calgary honey

 

My nephew Chris has new new crop of honey in Calgary. William is taste testing. 

Crave restaurant party

Mom, Maureen, and Rick came to the house this morning and I showed off the gazebo. This afternoon I put final touches on my drain pipe before winter, and ran soume errands including finding "The Watch" (Pratchett tv series) at the library. Later, we all went out to Crave this evening. Food very good, as usual. Back to mom's for a cake (from La Macaron). Much easier to talk at the condo as we didn't manage to get a private room at Crave so it was louder than I'd like. 

Mom turns 90

Mom's 90th birthday today. Sharon and Maureen both came to town last night and we've begun the festivities with an evening at Lori's.  

Heritage building at Regina Beach

Headed out to Regina Beach, primarily for Margaret to see Sarah's exhibition at the LMLCC before it closes, but also for William to follow up with Erik about the three heritage sites which are located right beside the gallery. Possibly future art projects???
 

Art Now

 Nice evening at Art Now. I'm not sure if I saw everything since I took a far more relaxed approach to everything this year, sauntering around and chatting instead of looking. Met a couple of strangers and caught up with some old friends. Introduced William to Wally Start, or more accurately, one of Wally's colleagues with whom William is connected to through Victor's project introduced them. Many good conversations throughout the evening. 

Feeling retired

With no class yesterday and no meetings scheduled today, I was feeling a bit like I hope to feel when I'm retired. I installed an overhead drain pipe for the front eaves so that we won't get an ice hazard this winter. I painted. I stopped by the new halal butcher down the block who just opened and greeting them, but didn't buy anything as I was on my way to meet Kevin for coffee. Good productive yet relaxing day.