Getting Older

 C¹ as he has requested to be henceforward titled, had his birthday yesterday. If I'd been smart I'd have collected photos of the odds and ends I gave him. Here is what I can remember:

Little J was very disappointed the robot was not for him. He sobbed and sobbed leaving as he did not get to take it with him. The evening was as low key as you can get with the babes running around. 

Laughs and good times with M’s ukulele. Q saw it and started yelling Guitar! Guitar!  - not even 2 and she freaks out over guitars. Daddy J is gonna love that when she gets older, “but he plays the guitar dad!”

Oh, wait, I'm supposed to be flattering C¹ as it was his birthday.

My brother happens to be hilarious, it's genetic, and this text conversation we had yesterday highlights just one of the many reasons I think he is great.

Me: Ha, don't flatter yourself :)

C¹: Of course not, it's my birthday; you flatter me. Which you're doing a poor job of, I must say.

Book Conservation

Did you know it is possible to get a degree in book conservation and repair, or something close to it. Until Saturday this was not a thing I was aware of. It was like finding out that a piece of me could have been filled in years ago, if I'd only known. Maybe I will find a nice short certificate program as I am willing to acknowledge there is a point where maybe I should be concerned about how many degrees I have, or want.

Currently a friend and I (who I met in class) and her coworker at State Parks are taking private book/paper conservation classes with an amazing conservationist near Napa. She trained at Yale and in England, and has a shop that makes me slightly envious. She just finished work on a book that was printed in 1613, said tome was recently purchased for $300,000. More to come about what we did for our first class. Be forewarned I have discovered a new enthusiasm for wheat paste, fold and tear repair, and bone folders. Going to start flattening the old maps I've been storing.

Guac Girl

Q really dug into the guacamole. She climbed up on the table and positioned herself right in front of the bowl. Repeatedly she scooted herself closer and closer, until she almost pushed the bowl off the table's edge.

Notice the chunk of green at the corner of her mouth. Afterward she needed a bath.

Amazingly Jonah slept soundly on the couch all evening.

Salvage

HOW IN THE WORLD DID I EXIST ALMOST 30 YEARS WITHOUT EVER ONCE VISITING A SALVAGE YARD???

Perhaps the fact that the barn, Gma B’s house, and other places I do frequent precluded the necessity of stopping in. 


Last Saturday I had a inaugural visit. So much fun. I had visions of the stained glass windows, fireplace mantels, doors, trunks, claw foot tubs fitting into my apartment – which does already have a claw foot tub I know. 

I resisted purchasing anything. But I found the experience delightful. My friend A has been trying to get me to visit one here in Sac with her but I've always protested, protest no more.