The Fireman's Parade
We returned for the second year in a row. This time Daddy couldn't make the trip, but we soldiered on. Here's a fire engine of the host company for the parade:


Yee-Haa! Yaa-Hoo!


One of the twelve candidates for Clerk of Court in the county.


Their show was quite thrilling, those cars were taking turns FAST!


No parade is complete without a big tractor. At least in Emma's world.


Emma with her glow-in-the-dark keychain from the parade. Now she has proof she's #1 ;)

Rides!
Emma was not to be denied. Who are Mommy, Noni and Popi to deny her? Noni even stood in a long long line to buy ride tickets to please her. She rode the carousel twice, then the cars (her first ride by herself!) once, the slide three times, and then the carousel one more time. She made a long night of it. Popi took her on all the rides and seemed pleased to do it. Yay, Popi! (And, yay, Noni for the tickets!)



I almost forgot...
I had some more pictures from Sunday to share...

I'm not sure why the rock needed watering, but it seemed pretty important at the time.




The dogs did come back
They were back before bedtime. I think it's because they're getting old. The wild all-nighters aren't for them anymore. I think they prefer to bunk down in their soft beds now. Geezers.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
History of Hospitality - Norman
Copyright 1916, Curtice Brothers Co., Rochester, NY.

Shit-ee Day
I hadn't mentioned this on the blog, but I've been shopping for a new camera. I'm ready to make the move to a DSLR. I want to take my photography to the next level. I've spent the last two weekends online studying and trying to make up my mind. I finally decided on Sunday which camera to buy. Costco has the best price, a 90 day return policy and a concierge service so I really wanted to get it from them. Once the decision was made I wanted the camera ASAP. On Monday I had to decide whether it would be quicker to order it online for delivery, or go to the store. I figured I could go over (four mountains, hour and half) and pick it up this afternoon.

I called Costco when they opened Monday morning to see if the camera was in stock and what the likelihood would be that they'd have some today. The lady told me there were four in stock and that the big cameras don't sell so fast so they'd certainly have some today. Awesome!

I worked half the day today, gathered my shopping list of supplies for work and headed over the mountains.

You know how this ends right...?

I burned probably $20 in gas, blew my one afternoon a week to myself, and came home completely empty-handed. They were sold out. The guy in the camera department said, "These cameras go really fast." He offered to sell me the floor model, which has been manhandled by a hundred people. No thanks!

Then I went to the manager station to ask when more would come in. I explained that I had just driven and hour and a half based on what their phone person had told me. I was not happy. The manager was very cheerful and accommodating when he told me that she never should have speculated like that and there is no imminent date for arrival of more cameras. Asshats.

I bugged my Dad's employee at work to look up some phone numbers for me and called Circuit City, which was charging $70 more, and a local camera shop, which was charging $120 more. Defeated, I went to Noni's and ordered the camera at Costco online. So now I get to wait. Which I could have started doing TWO DAYS AGO if they hadn't LIED to me on the phone! Wankers.

Oh, and now our dogs have run off which means M will agonize over finding them until they reappear, usually within 24 hours. That's if they don't get shot or poisoned first. There are coyote traps baited with cyanide around the county so it's a serious matter. And if they show up near any sheep the farmer can shoot them. Asshattery is all around me today.

Updated:

(To Dad: I was trying to bug my aunt, not your employee, but said aunt was on the phone so I bugged the one foolish enough to answer my phone call. I had tried to call Mom, who wasn't available. Just like every other person I called for help today. Seriously. I called the local camera shop, was put on hold so long I gave up. Had to call back for my answer to my question. Called Circuit City and went through their phone maze, talked to three different people who passed me on and then finally gave up. Called Mom, got work message machine, cell phone, voice mail. Called someone half way across the country for the first time ever, got voicemail. She "claimed" she was working. Whatever ;) This is my day. Thank you God for giving me a new one tomorrow. I hope to do better with it. BTW, I have a dentist appointment tomorrow. So I really need a break.)
History of Hospitality - Saxon
Copyright 1916, Curtice Brothers Co., Rochester, NY.

Photo assignment - composition
On our mommy board we've started a photography sub-board for those of us interested in improving at it. Our first assignment was to take photos, keeping in mind the Rule of Thirds. Here are some of mine. Not all cover the rule of thirds, but I tried for good composition nonetheless.





Feeding the animals
M has reciprocal agreements with some of our friends to take care of their animals during vacation. That way none of us every have to pay to keep our dogs in a kennel. Usually it entails visiting the house two or three times a day to make sure the animals are fed and exercised. Emma loves to go along for this.

The folks who are away this weekend have a dog, cats, AND bunnies. Emma was loving it. These are all M's photos.