William's pinhole super-8

 Using a carved pen as a drive mechanism and a blacked out film canister and metal tape as a lens substitute, William has designed and constructed a means of exposing 4 or 5 super-8 frames at a time using a pinhole. I'm impressed by the elegance of the design. Next, need to test and develop to see if it works. I'm confident that something will expose. 

Lori's birthday

Went to mom's for some birthday celebration for Lori this evening. Back at home, our concrete and metal front step has rusted away and become a hazard.  

 

Backyard archeology

I move the raised planters yesterday and spent some time today leveling the ground when I struck an ancient artifact that was clearly made by human hands long ago. Unearthed, it drew an onlooker who gazed with wonder upon it. What peoples must have lived here and used such devices and what has happened to them? Where have they gone? 

 

New waffles and new movies

We broke in the baby yoda waffle maker that Allan gave William for his birthday last week. It works well enough -- within parameters -- but in my view the food that it makes is more or less a pancake with a few indentations rather than a proper waffle. Much of the result is thick like a pancake rather than having crispy edges throughout. 

While I was out visiting dad (who was in a rather cheerful mood and quite talkative) William had his friends Griffin and David over to make a movie. No idea what it is about. We fed the gang and they went at it until late. 

 

Nuit Blanche 2022

After a rain scare at 7:45, Nuit Blanche was very successful this year, returning to downtown. I do feel it was a bit safe. The works in the warehouse version last year had a bit more edge, or at least challenged one's sensibilities more. neon dancing by Chancz Perry, a laser light harp, and other sculptural projects in Victoria Park were beautiful but overall just "nice". Had fun talking with Jessie with her installation at Sakewewak. Ian Campell and Matt Ripplinger ran super-8 films and I was able to show a few of mine, as did William. 

 

QCC event, talk by Linda Simpson

Attended talk hosted by QCC at the MacKenzie by Linda Simpson talking about their photographic project "The Drag Explosion" curated by Gary Varro. Very interesting stories about the rise of this culture in New York in the 80s. 

 

Painting pink

Painting toy cameras is a lot of fun, although more than the normal amount of time is spent just matching colours. The design of these seems more colour than tactile based, which is odd since the key for camera toys is the playability in children's hands. Ultimately, real cameras, even low end models, seem to put more attention to the shape and how a person holds them than these toys do. 

 

Trench in yard

Following the fire, no not the grease from the chicken today but from last year's garage fire, we've gone a step closer to the rebuild with the electricity trenched from the house to the new site. 

 

Dad has some cake

I brought dad a piece of William's birthday cake. He devoured it. Even though it is a hot day, he was bundled up to keep warm. I brought him onto the balcony and after 10 minutes he needed to go back in to avoid the heat. 

 

William at 21

 William turns 21. Geremy surprised us this morning showing up with Moose Jaw donuts while William was out with his friend Emma. They were excellent. Good chew, great chocolate. I had to hold back and that was difficult. 

Lori, Al, Quinn, mom, Gertrud, and Fred came over for cake (Margaret baked). Later there was ice cream. Sugar fest day. 

New fire pit tested

Had Paul, Allan, Gerri Ann, and Steve over for backyard fire. This is the first time we are using the new pit, which has a bottom opening for air. However, it got really hot below the unit (which previous ones did not, as evidenced by the cats lying below them). Even the brick I put below it got very hot all the way through and probably killed the grass below the brick. 
 

Huge book sale

 Took mom to giant book sale. We arrived just as it was starting but the line up to enter was two blocks long. We returned an hour later and got in fairly quickly. I found her a stack of free quilting magazines and a few mystery novels for Margaret. 

Rae

 Had coffee with Rae. Caught up some basics. 

Dad smiles for the camera

 Visited dad. Mostly we sat in his room. I got out the phone and did a selfie with us and he really got into it, making faces at the screen. He doesn't usually like to interact with technology in this way. 

Fireworks in park

Not entirely clear on why there was fireworks tonight, but there was. There was not the usual huge crowd. When we walked down to the perfect watching area below the bridge, some people left a park bench for us and we got to sit down. Perfect. 

 

Supper with Patrick

 Out for supper with Patrick to Viet Thai. Nice evening, albeit short. Talked about old days. 

Mooky and chickens for NDH

Mooky, as Gloaria, performed with her chickens as part of the New Dance Horizons fundraising Secret Garden Tour. William and I went and saw her, then the contortionist after her (accompanied by Mooky on accordion) and then one other dance. The room was tight and hot so we slipped away without seeing the remainder of the dancers. 

Cherry pie

 Margaret made sour cherry pies (as well as some saskatoon/rhubarb. 

Patrick in town

 Patrick Lowe came to town today. Somehow I didn't take pictures. I hoped to take him to the Regina International Film Festival this evening (where they really took the red carpet seriously) but the tickets were sold out. Jon Tewksbury and his son came over and the group of us hung out on the deck for the evening. 

AGR opening

Gary Varro curated the new exhibit at the AGR - a collection of photographs by Linda Simpson from the New York drag scene in the 80s and 90s. Low key reception with a rainbow of candy as the treat. 

William connected up with Emma for the afternoon and recorded his radio show with her. 

 

Lunch with dad

 Dad, mom, Sharon, Lori and I went for lunch today. 

cherry picking

William and I picked as many of the sour cherries as we could off of Gertrud's tree. Probably 3 or 4 buckets full. There were more, but reaching them was too dangerous. Pitting them was fun with the device of Gertrud's which suctioned to the table. The process made us a bit late for dinner at Lori's. Sharon is in town for a few days. 

Sharon and Gerald Saul