Skull & Flowers Monday, Mar 30 2009 

29 March 2009
Warm and pleasant Sunday. We had lots of help putting finishing touches on both East Wind Games and Pendragon Costumes. We worked our poor helpers long and hard and only fed them once. Hopefully they’ll be back. 🙂
A focus at East Wind Games this year as we head into our 4th season of business there, is decor. So, I put Dwayne to work and he did a great job especially considering the lack of options available to him.
Really. A rat skull & some silk flowers. How can you go wrong?
Skull & Flowers
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 30 March 2009)

Listening to:
Ask by The Smiths
from The 12" Singles

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.05 sec (1/20)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off

Handwritten Monday, Mar 30 2009 

28 March 2009
Cold and windy. But, on the positive side, I did get my inventory updated.
Handwritten Inventory
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 30 March 2009)

Listening to:
Massachusetts by The Bee Gees
from British Top 30 – 1967

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.2 sec (1/5)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off

Empty Pint Monday, Mar 30 2009 

27 March 2009
Marita Beth and I met up with a bunch of friends from our days in the Comic Book industry for dinner and drinks at Rio Mambo’s. I’m hopeful that this will become a regular thing.
Afterward, Marita Beth & I went over to the Royal Falcon to meet up with a completely different set of friends, but no less special, for music and beer.
Empty Pint
Cheers.
~KR (Written on 30 March 2009)

Listening to:
The Real Thing by Tony di Bart
from 12" of the 80s and 90s

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 1
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 1600
Exposure Bias: +4/3 EV
Flash: Off

Trash Talk Monday, Mar 30 2009 

26 March 2009
A Thursday. Marita Beth went to visit Stephen in the hospital, and decided while there to join the regular cast of characters for dinner at Mexican Inn. I decided, after her phone call, to join them rather than head home. At dinner, a dear friend remarked in an offhand, casual way that he liked looking at my photos but didn’t really like reading my writings as it was so negative (my words not necessarily his, but the implication was the same). At first, I was inclined to be a bit hurt. After all wasn’t all of Sylvia Plath’s writings negative? How about Kurt Vonnegut or Sinclair Lewis? Yep, negative. But, then I realized that I was comparing my drivel to highly-acclaimed poets & novelists. Right. So, I went back and re-read some of my more recent posts and he was right. Negative. Every one of them. So, please forgive my recent negativity and bear with me as I struggle to find the positive bits in my life.
In the meantime, here’s a photo of some trash.
Urban State
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 30 March 2009)

Listening to:
Der Kommisar (12" Remix") by After the Fire
from 12" of the 80s and 90s

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.017 sec (1/60)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 80
Exposure Bias: -2/3 EV
Flash: Off

Rio Mambo’s and Royal Falcon Saturday, Mar 28 2009 

Rio Mamba Dinner

27 March 2009

Happy Birthday, Mama!

After a long work week and a solid day of sewing, six o’clock finally came! Ronnie had carefully organized a gathering of our friends from back in our comic book retailng days! Thanks largely to Facebook, we had all found each other online, and learned that so many of us were once again (or still) living nearby. We met at Rio Mambo’s—a delicious, if not somewhat over-priced Tex Mex place on the west side of Fort Worth. We had been there once before and the most noteable thing about the meals there is that they really do have margaritas “the size of my head!” Kyle and I shared one tonight!  We also shared this delicious plate which involved cheese enchiladas, two eggs, fajita beef strips and fresh avocado!  Again, I have to end a paragraph by saying “yum!”

It was really wonderful to see so many beloved familiar faces. These are folks, many of whom were part of our daily or at least weekly lives. Customers, employees, artists, collectors . . . friends. I am so grateful for the opportunity to get together with all of them, and I look forward to such a gathering not being so rare!

After dinner, Kyle and I took advantage of being already on the west side of town, and popped on over to the Royal Falcon to grab a pint and hear another old friend perform. Again, thanks to Facebook, I’d gotten the word that Rodger Harrison was going to be “playing with by himself” tonight at the Falcon. (His promo poster was worded exactly that way and it amused me!)  So, despite the horribly smoky-smelling air, we ordered a round of Twisted Thistle (a great little brew from one of our favourites–Belhaven) and it wasn’t long before we were hugging and chatting with old friends.  Rodger even noticed us from the stage, and thanked us for coming in the middle of his set!  Talk about knowing we did the right thing by going there!  We grabbed a table, and during our tenure there, we  got in some quality time with Matthew, Steve, Elaine, Randy, Craig and Deanna!  By t he time we finally had to pull our plug on the night, we’d moved to a bigger table and been joined by Denise and Ken and Kelly and Bert!   It probably goes without saying that the conversation was lively and very amusing.  It was a great evening.  I only wish we didn’t have to go home from such things smelling like an ash tray!  <sigh>

But, clothes and hair wash, and life is short.  Too short, and too uncertain to pass up opportunities like tonight afforded us.  We went from one wonderful gathering of old friends to another, and I consider myself truly blessed to have such amazing people,  and such happy memories in my life.  Here’s to making more happy memories with nights such as this one.  Slainte!

~MB

Fabulous Trim for Cindy Saturday, Mar 28 2009 

Fabulous Trim for Cindy

26 March 2009

This order I’m working on for Cindy and Joe consists of a whole huge pile of incredibly wonderful fabrics working together beautifully. This is a detail shot of the fabric I cut into strips and am using as her overskirt trim.   Yummy.  But, it’s a really big hem to put all those beads on!

Kelly and I went to visit Stephen in CVICU today and were thrilled to see a man who does not look like he just had triple bypass surgery!  The surgeon who worked on him is one who does what he called “beating heart” surgery.  In other words, no heart/lung machine . . . no stopping the heart to work on it.  The whole time the  bypass was being performed, Steve’s heart kept beating!  This obviously makes a lot of things much easier when it comes to recovery and recovery time!  Wahoo! 

~MB

Finally, some rain Friday, Mar 27 2009 

25 March 2009
Yesterday marked the first day in 2009 where we got more than a teaspoon of measurable rain at our house – and this was, sadly, only a tablespoon full. But, we did get lightning, which while fun to watch and listen to scares the tar out of me (long story, but worth the telling sometime) and closes ramps at airports – which is of operational concern to me in my current position at an airline.
Rain
And that’s all for today.
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 26 March 2009)

Listening to:
Carolina Blue by Bucky Covington
from Bucky Covington

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.003 sec (1/400)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 800
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off

Cork & Chianti with a Dash of Stephen Friday, Mar 27 2009 

24 March 2009
Our friend Stephen went under the knife on the 25th for much-needed heart surgery. To "celebrate" this, several of us went to Carrabba’s for dinner with him since it will be Stephen’s last chance for a good dinner out for a while. How long a while, I don’t yet know. I’m not a fan of Italian food on the best of days since I suffer debilitating gastronomic reactions to onions, garlic & tomatoes, and I simply don’t like fungus. It’s hard for me to find a reasonably priced meal that is worth the suffering. We did settle on a Veal Piccatta that, while tasty, wasn’t worth the price in my opinion. The wine, however – a delightful Ruffino Chianti that pert played on my tongue – and the company more than made up for the lack of culinary choice. And, since this was about Stephen, not me, the opportunity to have this dinner with him was too special to pass.
Cork, Chianti & Kelly
Update: Stephen came through with flying colours. Those who have seen him (I have not yet gone to the hospital) say he’s looking good and despite the soreness, is in good spirits.
Cheers.

~KR (Written on 26 March 2009)

Listening to:
Machine Gun by Portishead
from Third

Camera: Canon PowerShot SD850 IS
Exposure: 0.25 sec (1/4)
Aperture: f/2.8
Focal Length: 5.8 mm
ISO Speed: 800
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Off

Sewing Poofs and Successful Surgery and a Spring Break Report from Galveston Thursday, Mar 26 2009 

Sewing Poofs

25 March 2009

It’s late and my thoughts are disjointed . . . the biggest thing on my mind is that Stephen is resting tonight in CICU after successful bypass surgery! Yay! Doctor says all is well and Steve should feel better than he has in a long time very soon. I am ecstatic . . . and relieved. I’ll go visit tomorrow.

I delivered Stephen and his mom to the hospital this morning, but before I left home, I found this article of good news from Galveston that I wanted to share. There’s not enough good news reported in our world, and Galveston in particular hasn’t had too much to crow about lately. So, rejoice with me and with Galvestonians that the island is still a great Spring Break destination!

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/I/IKE_GALVESTON_TOURISM?SITE=MTBIL&SECTION=NATIONAL&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-03-25-03-56-12

I spent the day working on Crystal’s sleeves and I’m almost done with them now. Perhaps if I hadn’t spent that three-hour segment of time sewing beads on Cindy’s skirt . . .? Oh well, they all have to be done by opening weekend . . . might as well keep myself entertained by mixing things up a bit!

I like the mood of this photo of one of Crystal’s sleeve poofs on my sewing machine.

~MB

Nice Hat, Stephen! Thursday, Mar 26 2009 

Nice Hat

24 March 2009

Work, work, work. Kelly brought me lunch, but we didn’t waste much time eating. We had a somewhat shorter day than normal planned, because we were going out to dinner.

My dear Stephen is having surgery on Wednesday. And since he’s not allowed to eat after midnight tonight, and it will likely be a few days before he has much of an appetite, he decided he wanted that last meal to be a really good one! So, he organized for a few friends to join him at Carrabba’s for Italian food.

It was a great meal—Kyle and I split a Veal Piccata dish. Kelly and I split some sort of decadent creamy layer cake. We had a delightful bottle of wine, and some excellent company. True to form, given a cloth napkin, Stephen makes ears and antennaes and . . . hats. So, I caught him at the end of the meal, with his napkin hat on his head.
It’s actually a really fine portrait of him, if I do say so myself.

~MB

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