Tree spread

 Got tree. Small this year, but once it was in water for few hours, it spread out nicely. Spent most of the evening debating the layout of the room and changing the positioning of the furniture. 

Letter tiles with Fred

Pulled out letter tiles with Fred after I brought him home. He got really engaged with them. George got in and I went to Rona for a tree. Fred continued to use the tiles to spell words using the entire bag while we were out. 
 

Berting glass

The other day Wilf Gayleard and I noticed that the work site in the food court, open but for a plastic ribbon, had everything disassembled and the commissioned glass displays created by Jacqueline Berting were removed. Wilf followed up and we've now been assured that they are safe but now there is debate about appropriate treatment of artworks and how they are being re-mounted. 
 

Computer upgrade

Picked up new fundraiser calendar today from Robert. This year's was by Holly Fay. My computer upgrade starts today. Chris came in and took my old one away while I was at the faculty meeting, which I went to in person (more and more of the Film department, all of whom used to attend these face to face religiously are now zooming in). Met with Erika afterwards and read through her draft of her thesis proposal. 

Classes over for William

 When William got home from his last visual art crit today, I made him a celebratory bacon and eggs lunch. Now just wait for the grades and the degree is done. William has finished his BFA. 

Sheila retirement party

Dozens of people gathered in the ShuBox this afternoon to celebrate Sheila as she retires after 35 years. I took my last film course from Sheila, back in 1992 when I'd come back to school to finish my degree. Afterwards she wrote me a reference letter for grad school, then hired me as a sessional when finished that. When I had doubts about myself, she didn't. She convinced me to apply for the tenure track job that became my career. She invited me to participate in by research projects such as the NMSL, and when she became dean, she asked me to be the Film Department head. She was always challenging me but always on things she knew I would rise to, knowing me better then I knew myself.  
 

Coffee with mom

 Went out for coffee with mom. Lori was busy so it was just the two of us. Got a berry scone at the new place on Albert St. They have fairly good snacks but under these new owners the service is slow. Not just slow, but mind-bogglingly slow. I think they have hired people who cook and bake and make coffee but have never worked in a restaurant before. 

Russ drives in

Weather was nice today. Russ Klitch drove in from Humbolt to pick up some 16mm prints from me. I've not seen him since 2000 so we had lots to catch up on. He left me a Kodak Pony 135 camera to paint as well as a rare Viewmaster projector. I'm excited to try it out. Margaret made some mini-snowpeople. 
 

St. Nicholas Day shoes

Shoes mysteriously filled again last night. I ended up with the pjs I wanted, and Margaret got Italian leather gloves. William got some mini-figs that haven't been on the market for 10 years. All in all a magical morning.

Class notes

 I've taught Film 200 quite a few times. I redesigned it in my second year teaching and have modified the core assignments a couple of times since. This week I started combing through my 8 inch thick stack of notes to compile teaching notes for Dianne to cover my other section next term (I'll teach two sections and she'll teach the third). Most of my notes are timeless - they  talk about f-stops or focal length or creativity or team building. However, some notes such as this one (a suggestion for a breaking of the ice discussion topic on week 4) don't hold up as well. 

Car repair

 Picked up the car from some repairs today. Started perfectly but when I started to drive it, it made an awful noise as if I was dragging something beneath it. Out of the parking lot, I pulled over and looked around. Everything looked fine. I pulled back out into traffic when suddenly all the alert lights went off in the dash all at once. I came back to the garage to show them. They thought at first that a belt might have broken, but that wasn't it. Then they surmised that, having washed the car for me on this very cold day, one of wheels had frozen in place and I'd actually dragged it across the icy ground out of the parking lot before it started to rotate. This caused it to trigger every alarm on the dash. Reset, they sent me on my way. 

Go big before you go home

 William's time at UofR is nearly over. Today was the last photography class and he unveiled his single print, a collaged image of a dozen or so "Saw-Boys" outside of the Centre of the Arts. 

Sunny days

 While the cat napped in the sunlight, Meanwhile, William did a bit of pinhole photography. 

Cat in the box

 Sylvie was complaining about a bunch of stuff so I carried out to the garage to spend time with me out there. She mostly waited at the door, but did explore a bit and mainly clawed things.