the site formerly known as Gail On The Web

tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36669032011-11-27T20:30:33.227-05:00the site formerly known as Gail On The Web<b>This blog has since moved to: <a href=http://gailatlarge.com/blog>http://gailatlarge.com/blog</a></b><br /> [December 15, 2005]Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comBlogger10971100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1134616356857211992005-12-14T22:05:00.002-05:002008-03-20T21:37:41.256-04:00Moving Notice

I'm closing this Blogspot and transitioning to my own domain. I'm going to close Haloscan, too.The new site is a work in progress: http://gailatlarge.com/blog

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1134537802266452702005-12-13T23:47:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:44.983-05:00Month Four

I realised after reviewing my post on Month Three, I started counting from the 16th, when we met with the oncologist and David started treatment. The diagnosis was actually Friday, August 12, otherwise known to me as Black Friday.Month Four was another turning point in David's health; chronically low blood counts weren't a problem before. David had his first blood transfusion in the hospital

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1134445866429857262005-12-12T22:51:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:44.428-05:00handiwork

(Pentax K-1000) [photo by gail on the web] I've discovered it simply isn't possible to take care of David properly, get him to his appointments and therapies, look after the house and cat, communicate with everyone I'd like, take photos or write, make up cards and packages, and hold on to my sense of humour or sanity at the same time. Something had to slide down the priority ladder, and that

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1134155812511548412005-12-09T14:15:00.002-05:002008-03-20T21:40:54.613-04:00Hugh's (Almost) Big Snow Adventure

Definitely an indoor cat, Hugh makes two attempts at venturing out into the first big snowfall of December '05, then decides snow is overrated.Music: "It's a Marshmallow World" - Dean Martin

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1134105982994745282005-12-08T23:42:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:43.888-05:00Airline Socks and Ridiculous Health Insurance Policies

Who keeps airline socks? Anyone? I found some in a drawer this morning and they were PERFECT for putting over David's swollen ankles to go to clinic this morning. Who knew?It's been a long, tiring day. Both of us had a hard time getting through the prolonged time at the clinic, where the radiation machine needed maintenance and consequently delayed all the appointments. We were late getting over

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1134044340384523982005-12-08T07:19:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:43.613-05:00Christmas Tomfoolery

.flickr-photo { border: solid 1px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } a German, a Canadian, a Dutchie, and an Englishwoman walk into a bar... [Photo by gail on the web] December 1997 - Volendam, the Netherlands.It sounds like the beginning of a joke:"A German, a Canadian, a Dutchie, and an

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1134037181631259872005-12-08T02:38:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:43.306-05:00Un/Medicated Ratio Now Back to 1:1

As you've probably guessed, the other major reason why I haven't updated this space for a while is medically-related. I write about myself, but I hesitate to write about David because I prefer if he writes about his own condition. The patient/caregiver perspectives differ, and I strive to keep a balance between us regarding the reporting of his health in the public domain. Then again, I'm always

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1134021611433302932005-12-08T01:00:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:43.032-05:00I did a double-take.

I did a double-take. [photo by gail on the web] It looked more like a system crash than a mileage reading!

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1134020331725688782005-12-08T00:14:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:42.744-05:00'I Wouldn't Belong to a Club That Would Have Me As a Member'

Famous words by Groucho Marx.I did, in fact, join a photography club earlier this evening:Northeast Photography ClubThere was a mixup on the website, so I actually showed up an hour early along with two others, so we three had a good natter while waiting for the rest to arrive. The club formed in 1989, so it's a well-established organisation with a board, critiques, competitions, themes,

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1134013775241737542005-12-07T22:49:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:41.908-05:00We've Been Pulling Overtime Here at Santa's Workshop

Reindeer twins [photo by Allan & Cheryl] I've been absent around these parts for a number of reasons... ... but let's start with the good stuff, shall we? Yesterday the five Ms (Maribeth, Megan, Madeleine, Michael, and Melissa) received Christmas package 1 of 2. Which was a complete surprise since I only mailed it last FRIDAY. For a box, four days between Pennsylvania and BC is remarkable,

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133672726637330282005-12-03T23:26:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:40.942-05:00The Fieldings Are Medicated

I don't recall ever taking Nyquil before, but its sedative properties are legendary, I've been told. Thusly, I spent much of the day in an unconscious state. Deservedly so -- I can't cough or sneeze in my sleep, right? It was a pleasant reprieve. When I sleep, it's just like sleep mode on a computer: things happen in the background, functions requiring motor skills cease and desist. Sheer genetic

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133549621844289052005-12-02T13:37:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:40.646-05:00Friday Update: another blood transfusion

Mixed news from the bloodwork:1) Platelets up2) White blood counts up3) Hemoglobin barely movedAfter the shot of the growth factor, Neupogen, an order was written up for another two units of blood at Mercy Hospital right away. We just had enough time to grab lunch (yes, Mercy Hospital's food is that bad), then run home and grab a book and David's hospital bracelet from Wednesday so they don't

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133504018256284402005-12-02T00:22:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:40.363-05:00The Week Thus Far

I've been meaning to write up the rest of the story of my first trip to the vet with Hugh, but I've been feeling under the weather the last couple of days with cold symptoms. I've been trying to head them off at the pass because the last thing I want to do is to infect David. A bad cold would likely send him to the hospital.So far it started with a sore throat, now cold symptoms like sneezing and

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133500428902115232005-12-01T23:55:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:40.111-05:00How We Are NOT Going to Dress Hugh

[photo by rustyrabbit] I mentioned a yarmulke, possibly, but not this.This is Rustyrabbit's cat, Buddy, putting on his "cheese" face. The kitty's giving Hugh a run for his money in the photogenic department. See here and here to see what I mean. He's a real... er, poser.

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133382996001716572005-11-30T15:36:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:39.856-05:00You brought me to the vet. I hate you.

Since David is busy having a blood transfusion, I committed the ultimate act of bravery: taking Hugh to the vet for his shots. Believe you me, I wasn't looking forward to it, especially after all the stories I heard about previous trips to the vet. But I suspected he was having some other problems, so it had to be done.To make a long story short, we survived. More on this later.

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133296202354346352005-11-29T15:30:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:39.589-05:00Chemo Today

Chemo Today [photo by gail on the web] ADDITION: Tuesday, 11pmDave's Logbook: Name, Rank and Medical Report

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133280751468119032005-11-29T11:12:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:39.329-05:00An Ode to the Lowly Hydrant

in front of Rockefeller Center [photo by gail on the web] Hey! My photo of this hydrant in front of the Rockefeller Center was featured in Utata!Utata: in front of Rockefeller CenterFunny, that. I shot this hydrant specifically for the Flickr group called The Birdsill Holly Society, and it ends up here.'The Birdsill Holly Society' is one of my favourite Flickr photo pools; I actively seek out

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133278689226056342005-11-29T08:23:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:39.067-05:00Three Cheers For Recycling

Hip!Hip!Hooray!The other night I successfully completed my first attempt at creating a photo book, and I used recycled materials: cardboard from Amazon.com shipments ribbon from gifts received an old tablecloth dug out of David's junk storage containers It's amazing how much stuff can be recycled rather than buying things new. At the same time, I can't believe the things that people throw

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133238820533328052005-11-28T23:33:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:38.773-05:00Because Nothing Says 'Thanksgiving' Like Inflatable Advertising

[photo by gail on the web] We stayed in the perfect location to see the parade, less than two blocks away. We didn't even have to check out first -- we had enough time to see the parade, have brunch, return to the hotel, then check out. It's a good thing, too, the subways along Broadway looked pretty crowded.We got showered, dressed, headed down the street and lo and behold -- there was

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133066064821481202005-11-27T09:20:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:37.626-05:00NYC Recap: Hudson Hotel

glow of the city wash from the bathroom My cousin who lives in upstate New York is moving to California in a few weeks, so we decided to spend Thanksgiving together in New York City before she left the East Coast and David would have dinner with his mother.David's health during the week made me reassess the feasibility of this trip, but after monitoring the situation on Tuesday night

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133099073064110472005-11-27T08:36:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:38.455-05:00For the Record, I'm a Bit of a Grammar Nazi

OK, I confess: this is one of my grammar pet peeves, perhaps the biggest one of all -- the usage of 'and I' versus 'and me'.It drives me bananas when people take the 'and I' combination too far. For example:My boss gave him and I tickets to the show.No! Take out 'him' and see what you get? My boss gave I tickets to the show.If you don't believe me, how about AskOxford.com? Here's what they say

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133036871999423322005-11-26T15:27:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:35.537-05:00Canal Street Chooks and Their Fellow Fowl

Canal Street chooks [photo by gail on the web] chicken dance [photo by gail on the web] Continuing along what appears to be a bird theme, it seems I have a thing for taking photos of chickens trussed up and hung in windows.I took the photo at left along the south side of Canal Street near Broadway the other day with the Pentax. On a lark, I clicked on the 'chicken' tag and brought up the

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1133011790630734672005-11-26T08:29:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:35.278-05:00More Packbawkies

indecisive gull [photo by gail on the web] Pentax K-1000I took this from South Street Seaport, New York City, on Thursday -- Brooklyn Bridge is in the background.In the previous post I asked for a caption for the open-mouthed gull, and Socar's poem "The Packbawky Anthem" was the first on the list (click on the photo to see the rest of the suggestions/comments -- they're all pretty good!).

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132892803744081552005-11-24T23:26:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:35.001-05:00{caption me}

{need a caption} [photo by gail on the web] Any suggestions for this squawker in front of the Brooklyn Bridge? (If you're in Flickr, click on the pic and add it there.)

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132862080711076252005-11-24T14:54:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:34.726-05:00Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade [photo by gail on the web]

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132793836145201132005-11-23T19:57:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:34.481-05:00Lincoln Tunnel Mayhem

[photo by gail on the web] Holiday traffic into New York City.

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132733463163143142005-11-22T23:58:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:34.233-05:00Another Blood Transfusion

Things haven't been going so well lately, but it's never easy to write about it. How do you describe your life when you barely recognise it yourself?David's been having major gastro-intestinal problems, and today we found out why: low blood counts. Last Wednesday the radiologist ordered some blood tests, and his platelets were reported to be too low to irradiate him that day, also Thursday and

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132723089598607722005-11-22T23:49:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:32.942-05:00Introducing Rachael Ashe

Winged[photo by goddess_spiral] Rekindled[photo by goddess_spiral] My friend Rachael (aka goddess_spiral) is a Vancouver-area photographer and digital artist who has recently decided to make a career move back into the field of arts from the relative financial security of working with a property management company. Anyone trying to make a living in the arts will know how daunting a prospect

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132613918270111512005-11-21T17:58:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:32.675-05:00Houseblingers

[photo by gail on the web] Thank you Boing Boing! Until now, I had no clue what to call these people. You know, the ones who decorate their houses to the point where you can't see the house anymore? HOUSEBLINGERS.This house is too new to be in our neighbourhood, yes. I took this shot in Allentown (further south near Philadelphia) last December. At night it could be seen from space.I don't

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132585727009917452005-11-21T10:07:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:32.427-05:00Sting on YouTube.com

I finally found a home for my video of Sting performing "Roxanne". The video is a bit jumpy at first (what can I say? security evasion), but levels out in the second half.May 4, 2005Wachovia Arena, Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132566245201256472005-11-21T04:44:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:32.147-05:00Some Chicago

So I was mucking around in my photo archives searching for Chicago pics, and had a tough time trying to find some decent prints to scan.Lots of problems: poor composition, crappy exposure, grainier than a Saskatchewan silo. That's what happens when you use a point-and-shoot -- no control over anything. Seems like a big waste of money developing the film, come to think of it. I didn't own a

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132541811819316982005-11-20T21:56:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:31.613-05:00Wisconsin Canopy

Wisconsin Canopy [photo by Todd Klassy] It's shots like this that make me hanker for a fisheye lens. (And a Canon 20D.) Click on the pic for a better view of its wonderful detail.Todd Klassy has superb angled photographs, and his Architecture and Design set beckons me back to a city like Chicago. I love the architecture in Chicago; it's my favourite non-coastal U.S. city. I wonder if I have

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132473996418533602005-11-19T23:21:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:31.329-05:00Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines

Dave's Logbook: Up There AgainDeparting Cherry Ridge (N30), touch-and-go at Avoca (AVP), landing at Wyoming Valley (WBW) -- footage in separate video -- then back to Cherry Ridge.Music: "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" - Ron Goodwin (20th Century Fox single #587)

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132457214392535012005-11-19T22:26:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:30.735-05:00Flanked by Catholics

our neighbourhood [photo by gail on the web] Our house [photo by AviatorDave] We flew over our neighbourhood today, and I took some photos of our house with David's camera, which has a 10x zoom and image stabiliser. If you click on the left photo, you'll see notes of which house is ours -- it's on the right side, just to the left of the church parking lot. The photo on the right is zoomed

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132373636785831802005-11-18T22:43:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:30.478-05:00Friday Date Night Movie Blitz

10:30pmThe Friday Date Night Movie Blitz isn't quite going as planned. David jokes that Friday night is our "date night", but I thought since two more Netflix movies arrived this afternoon that it's high time for a Luc Besson blitz.We've seen one film so far, "The Big Blue"/"Le Grand Bleu" (1988) (Director's Cut), and Rosanna Arquette mostly ruined it for me. She's awful, with the charisma of a

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132370568575170892005-11-18T22:22:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:30.231-05:00Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand

[photo by gail on the web] From the archives: January 1993I'd hitchhiked from Auckland all the way down to Dunedin (near the bottom of the South Island), so to make things easier for myself I arranged lifts with drivers from Queenstown (on the west coast) most of the way back up to Auckland. I left Queenstown with a couple I'd met at the backpackers hostel and got as far as the glaciers.

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132290482447458222005-11-17T23:43:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:29.956-05:00Waiting Room Tidbits

Since David has radiation on a daily basis, the waiting room is part of my routine. Sometimes I read, sometimes I watch the "news" (I use that term loosely), sometimes I people-watch out of the corner of my eye.I've started to rank the various facility waiting rooms by three criteria: magazine selection television programs refreshments It wouldn't really be fair to include people, would it?

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132200707797425392005-11-16T22:14:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:29.681-05:00Month Three

It's November 16, exactly three months from the day we first met with an oncologist and David started treatment. He was diagnosed with lung cancer on August 12.Months One and Two were hellish, but the second half of Month Three (November thus far) has been mostly bearable. The current weekly chemotherapy hasn't been as harsh as the drug combination given at the end of September, which wracked

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132114432453037472005-11-15T23:13:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:29.409-05:00Nay Aug Park - Saturday

Some shots of the magnificent red tree in Nay Aug Park. There's still plenty of colour around here, and I took advantage of favourable conditions last Saturday to drive out to the park and wander around with my camera. I came upon some walking trails which I'll explore further when I've got my winter boots on, and I also found a community greenhouse that appears to have been abandoned for the

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132031096235023492005-11-14T23:45:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:29.149-05:00Week in Review: Medical Stuff and a Nasty Bout of Food Poisoning

We had a pretty low-key weekend compared to the previous weekend when we flew in the Tri-Pacer.Thanks to food poisoning, we stayed indoors most of the time, except for my solo excursion to Nay Aug Park on Saturday afternoon, and David managed an outing for a few hours yesterday.Medically-speaking, last week was actually a continuation of the improvement trend. David is currently in a 14-day

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1132028029683275952005-11-14T23:13:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:28.861-05:00My New Red Scarf

Last Thursday in Wilkes-Barre, I found one of those versatile stretchy scarves that can be worn a dozen different ways -- as a wrap, scarf, hybrid wrap/scarf, etc. So I took some self-portraits with it because it had been many moons since I took the last one. Not bad for bathroom lighting and handheld (no tripod).I also needed a new icon in Flickr. David didn't like the somewhat stylised version

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131938554041328862005-11-13T22:22:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:28.565-05:00The Rat

The Rat (Chinese zodiac) [photo by gail on the web] A sleek rat charm given to us by our dear friend Socar.The Rat is the first Sign of the Chinese Zodiac, and it is a Yang Sign commonly associated with the Water Element. Recent Rat years have been 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984 and 1996. The typical Rat personality traits include charm, intelligence, passion, elegance, opportunism, sentimentality,

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131854277254281822005-11-12T22:57:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:27.932-05:00NASCAR grape tomatoes?

[photo by gail on the web] Cross-marketing gone weird.I was about to make a salad, and did a double-take on the cellophane. NASCAR? Why would NASCAR put their branding on produce? Is there a product tie-in between vegetables and car racing? Did I buy into a subliminal message that the glamorous lifestyle of race car driving is just a tomato away?Here's what I found:Courier Post Online -

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131847684739894102005-11-12T21:08:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:27.681-05:00Enter

enter [Photo by gail on the web] Taken March 25, 2005.In Manhattan, you miss out on a great deal if you don't look up. Of course, this is at the risk of colliding with something or someone, but so much beauty is far above eye level... especially when you're my height (5'3" or 160cm).When I was taking a photo of this door, an older gentleman offered me its historical background. (This was

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131772268522458302005-11-12T00:11:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:27.412-05:00Down to Earth

'Down to Earth' mosaic [photo by gail on the web] Mosaic created with fd's Flickr Toys. Individual photos can be found here.Last month when I was in town, I stopped for a chat with a landscaper who was planting some flowers in front of a bank. We talked about life and landscaping, and she was pleased I took photos of her handiwork (I mailed them to her later).In the course of our conversation

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131770666607587062005-11-11T23:42:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:27.165-05:00How to Really Confuse Your Party Guests

I was following a link on Muckdog's blog, and came across this rather wicked-looking set-up:http://www.livejournal.com/users/zestyping/97476.htmlQuite a lot of work for a party trick, but would make some nifty photos! (And utter chaos if you've had one too many.)

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131757280798815422005-11-11T20:01:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:26.895-05:00Two for Tea

two for tea [photo by gail on the web] Taken yesterday in Wilkes-Barre, while David was at work.I like the whimsy of the photo, that in all the crumbling brick and boarded-up windows, someone had the sense of humour to paint these two figures having a cuppa. (Upon closer investigation, it looks like they're drinking martinis, not tea, but I like the original concept.)This is the kind of scene

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131686546123405992005-11-10T23:54:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:26.621-05:00Flying Over the Hudson River in a '29 Biplane

Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome's 1929 New Standard Biplane takes us up over the Hudson River in upstate New York, September 4.Dave's Logbook: The Best MedicineMy first time in a biplane!Open cockpit!Noisy? Oh YES.It was also my first time to land on grass.Bumpy? Oh YES.Music: To-Wa-Bac-A-Wa - Louis Dumaine's Jazzola EightDavid says Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in upstate New York is his Happy Place, a living

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131592317949770522005-11-09T22:11:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:26.377-05:00Shooting At Your Own Risk in NYC

[photo by gail on the web] A cameraphone photo I took last Friday at the 42nd Street (Times Square) subway station.A family of buskers, part of the MTA's arts project Music Under New York.I've been reading an interesting discussion in the New York Flickr group today about the harrassment photographers get while shooting around New York.This shot is a threat to the security of the United

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131498788721307092005-11-08T20:13:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:26.134-05:00Election Day

.flickr-photo { border: solid 1px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Election Day [Photo by gail on the web] This is my second U.S. Election Day attendance. Of course, as a Canadian I can't vote, but it was interesting to see the electoral process -- around here it's a curtain-style of booth

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131425461074845032005-11-07T23:51:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:25.853-05:00Dublin

Dublin [photo by gail on the web] We interrupt my late-night housecleaning to bring to you a shot of the River Liffey in a poetic moment...... or, a moment Darren Barefoot describes as "bucolic". (Click on the pic to see comments.)This was taken 10 years after yesterday's Belfast photos, at Easter in 2003. It's an unretouched photo, i.e., it came straight off the digicam's memory card and not

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131360818463792132005-11-07T05:53:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:25.580-05:00Streets of Belfast

.flickr-photo { border: solid 1px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } Belfast torn apart [Photo by gail on the web] From the archives: March 1993.I was 20 and in Ireland for the first time, starting off in Belfast and heading south to Dublin for St. Patrick's Day.Areas of the city had been

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131339540298200802005-11-06T23:58:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:25.334-05:00The Flying Fieldings on YouTube.com

Some video I shot yesterday of our inaugural flight as Fielding and Fielding Airlines.Flying together for the first time in over six months, we took advantage of David's symptoms in abeyance and the unseasonally warm weather in northeastern Pennsylvania.One touch-and-go.Soundtrack: "The Boy in the Boat" - Charlie Johnson and His Paradise Band

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131253270263810102005-11-05T23:55:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:25.068-05:00The Fieldings Fly Again!

The Flying Fieldings Hallelujah! David felt well enough to fly the Tri-Pacer today and the weather was perfect for it -- around 68F or 20C, with barely a breeze.The last time David flew was the weekend before the wedding, the 25th of September, and he went up with Mr. Tibor.I had to search with my Flickr tags for the last time I went up with David. I knew it had been months, since before I

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131161044704784802005-11-04T22:24:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:24.807-05:00Three Times Square

[photo by gail on the web] 1:30am SaturdayI sent this pic from my cameraphone on the way home from New York. I tried to send it while walking down to the metro, but the photo hadn't finished uploading when I lost the signal, which resulted in an aborted upload to Flickr... which might've answered my question whether Cingular sends the data in one packet or in parts (or is that at Flickr's end

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131087563140428002005-11-04T01:59:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:24.553-05:00Desaparecido.

Desaparecido. [photo by Simon Pais] Simon Pais from Santiago, Chile has some of the most imaginative photography I've seen on Flickr. His Photoshop wizardry blows me away -- check out his Little Man set or his Air series.The kid's brilliant, and just 18 years old!

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131074534582015012005-11-03T22:22:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:24.308-05:00Alvin the Chipmunk

From the archives: Winnipeg, Manitoba -- circa 1978 or so.It's one of my favourite photos of my younger brother, when he was innocent and impressionable and had cheeks full of winter supplies.We called him Alvin the Chipmunk because... well, it was irresistible. How could we not? "Alvin and the Chipmunks" were in their heyday (did I just say that?), and our favourite cartoon was "Chip and Dale".

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1131064807310712192005-11-03T19:40:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:24.022-05:00Steamtown National Historic Site

To come from a tourism-mad modern city to settle in a former industrial boomtown locked in the early part of the last century means a changing of photographic gears. I have to go looking for the touristy bits to show visitors, and the most touristy place for miles around is the Steamtown National Historic Site.It's unusual because it was funded by the Feds as a national historic site, which is a

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130984081982983292005-11-02T21:14:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:21.914-05:00One Good Turn Deserves Another

Llewellyn & McKane [photo by gail on the web] The wall at Llewellyn & McKane in Wilkes-Barre.We had another big day today, mostly out of the house! This finally breaks the fairly consistent yo-yo pattern of a good day followed by a crummy day.Three major items on the agenda, none of which left David out of breath or out of sorts:1) We signed off on my spouse visa adjustment status application

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130906728574657922005-11-01T23:45:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:21.643-05:00Reflecting on the Day

enjoying a fine end to the dayA shot from Lake Scranton, Sunday evening. It's a water reservoir not far from our house, so no fishing or recreational activities -- a pristine nature reserve.The last time we walked around Lake Scranton was in March, a beautiful day that inspired some of my favourite photos. Lots has happened since then. David isn't strong enough to walk around the lake with me

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130819731423416022005-10-31T23:35:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:21.401-05:00When Pigs Fly

Happy Halloween [photo by danncer] A snortingly funny moment, courtesy of danncer.

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130818081570740492005-10-31T23:08:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:20.092-05:00Halloween at the House of Fielding

Threesome [photo by AviatorDave] Eerie glow [photo by AviatorDave] We carved the pumpkins at the appropriate time -- the witching hour -- and David finished his in a fraction of the time it took me to do mine. You can see why. I don't know what I was thinking when I started carving; I had a loose plan for the eyes, but I was stuck on the nose and mouth. I took a marker and started

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130793796248983772005-10-31T16:23:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:19.851-05:00Haunted Halloween House

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130734611108649802005-10-30T23:55:00.000-05:002006-11-04T21:21:19.608-05:00Meet Our Ghoulish Neighbours

I wasn't kidding when I said the neighbours took decorating to a whole new level.There are people dressed up as horror movie characters (Freddie, Jason, et al) and lurking in the shadows of the alley, ready to pounce on the drive-by gawkers. I kept my distance on the far side of the wall, but somebody thought it would be hilarious to sic their Doberman on me through the car window, a la The Omen*

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130644716361625562005-10-29T23:58:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:19.360-05:00We Pay a Visit to Zero-Two-Papa

David's still working on his plane-buying saga, so I'll post about today. The weather was iffy, but I'd hoped for enough clear sky to make a trip out to Cherry Ridge Airport. David hadn't seen his plane for about five weeks and there was some maintenance to be done on the Tri-Pacer. Also, the temperature has dropped tremendously in the last few weeks and the hangar doors weren't fully shut. As

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130533015117124412005-10-28T16:56:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:19.098-05:00It's Pumpkin Carving Time

pumpkin patch[photo by gail on the web] Well, HEY -- it's the 28th already, and David and I finally got around to choosing our pumpkins, three days before Halloween.I liked the one with the dent in the middle -- was considering getting that one and making it old and toothless.We bought the pumpkins due north at Roba's Family Farm, after David's appointment at the radiation clinic this morning

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130470614391070312005-10-27T23:36:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:18.582-05:00Weathered

.flickr-photo { border: solid 1px #000000; }.flickr-yourcomment { }.flickr-frame { text-align: left; padding: 3px; }.flickr-caption { font-size: 0.8em; margin-top: 0px; } weathered [Photo by gail on the web] Shot with the Pentax K-1000 (film).David first carved our initials into the giant magnolia tree beside the house back in April.It was for a Flickr photo project called "Love Letters", and

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130397965725941232005-10-27T03:26:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:17.797-05:00On Why Hugh Is a Housecat

There's a reason why we keep Hugh indoors, and it's not just because he's declawed in the front. Can you see this cat surviving out in the "wild"???

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130365037657975762005-10-26T18:17:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:17.559-05:00AwfulSara's Print Drive

awful assistance [photo by awfulsara] One of my favourite photographers on Flickr has recently been diagnosed with skin cancer and is facing a huge healthcare debt because she's just started freelancing.This being the U.S., I am learning firsthand what it's like to be without socialised medicine and having to pay for doctors' expenses out-of-pocket. Heaven forbid you should ever lose your job

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130289980788149112005-10-25T21:26:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:17.288-05:00Smarties, eh?

Smarties, eh? [photo by gail on the web] Thanks to a very intuitive lady above the 49th, I got a package yesterday that included Special Edition boxes, and David was introduced to Smarties for the very first time (and no, they're not the same as M&Ms).Thankyou, thankyou, thankyou! They're all gone now!The Ms and their parents sent massive boxes of Rogers chocolates, which we're still working

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130285880764769172005-10-25T19:51:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:17.039-05:00On the Dangers of 1-Click Purchasing

Here's a deadly combo here at the House of Fielding:- abysmal weather- 1-click purchasing at Amazon.com- 1-click purchasing at iTunesI've removed my ability to purchase in one click, but this doesn't seem to curb the impulse. There's a world of music out there as expansive as the world itself. And, in fact, in many ways more accessible because music knows no bounds in terms of enjoyment while

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130280823431197382005-10-25T18:53:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:16.386-05:00Typical Evening at the House of Fielding

Hugh curled up with David in the easychair. Hugh always has to be as close to David's face as catly possible.(David's head isn't really that shape, it's overblown by the lighting and cameraphone-quality capture.)David resumed chemotherapy today, and it will continue weekly for the time being. Hopefully this means any sort of reaction will be kept to a minimum. MRI Thursday, radiation Friday,

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130274273245005552005-10-25T17:02:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:15.896-05:00Kermit's Public Service Announcement (Redux)

Kermit comes along in the Piper Tri-Pacer and gives a safety demonstration. Wear your seatbelt!Original post: April 27, 2005 - Kermit's PSA

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130269104194477592005-10-25T15:38:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:15.636-05:00Halloween House

Halloween house [photo by AviatorDave] I think this year we'll decorate the porch. I need to get some pumpkins and get carving, though, the neighbours have put us to shame.(These aren't our neighbours, they're across town. But look at those lights!)There are some people at the bottom of the hill that take holiday decorating to such extremes that the local authorities put up arrows directing

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130257865709083112005-10-25T12:31:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:15.389-05:00Sink Dexter

Sink Dexter [photo by brooklyn dauphin] Ah Dexter, a few too many, huh?Came upon using Flickr's "Interestingness" algorithms; this one's by brooklyn dauphin.I wish Hugh slept in the sink, because then if he fell asleep and peed (as he is wont to do EVERY DAY), it wouldn't require the major clean-up it does now. Well, I suppose we'd have to clean him up.

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130184193020465072005-10-24T16:03:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:14.332-05:00You've Come A Long Way, Baby

Pondside twins [photo by Allan & Cheryl] tickled [photo by gail on the web] Left: almost 21 monthsRight: 15 months papparazzi! [photo by gail on the web] Gumpa with the EdTwins [photo by gail on the web] Left: 8 monthsRight: 7 monthsThe EdTwins' Early Index:Feb 7, 2004 - I Meet the EdTwinsFeb 24, 2004 - The EdTwins, Week 3Feb 28 - 2004 - The EdTwins; Almost 4 WeeksJun 21, 2004 -

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130126355668244332005-10-23T23:59:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:14.054-05:00Cautiously Optimistic

my Big Kid [photo by gail on the web] After waves of bad news throughout September and October -- interrupted only by our wedding -- I'm happy to report a plateau-ing of sorts. I wanted to wait a little while lest it was a fluke, but steady progress over recent days show a trend. It started out rocky, but last week David's health improved by leaps and bounds:- an appetite, although still

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130099701540511162005-10-23T16:35:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:13.779-05:00Nature's Mirror

nature's mirrorMore from Friday's little foray around Nay Aug Park. (Can't help but want to say Egg Nog Park instead.)I now take three cameras with me everywhere:Asahi Pentax K-1000 (film)Canon A80 (digital)LG C2000 (VGA camera on phone)Each give dramatically different results, so now it takes me three times as long in every place we go... to move on to the next place. David's still getting

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130061204519540312005-10-23T05:51:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:13.243-05:00Roll Out the Barrel - Redux

Came across YouTube.com on a friend's site, and think I'll give it a whirl. Totally free, uses Flash, files are searchable with categories and tagging system. I put a scrolling list of uploaded videos on the left panel (scroll WAYYYYYY down).I shot this last November -- barrel rolling in the Piper Tri-Pacer!Original post - November 15, 2004

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130036012344106002005-10-22T22:53:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:13.002-05:00Maddy's big birthday cake

Maddy's big birthday cake[photo by Allan & Cheryl] Whoa, now THAT's a cake!Miss Madeleine turned 4 years old and, like the little socialite that she is, did celebrate in Maddy-fashion... living large, even while small.Allan & Cheryl & the Ms: Happy 4th Birthday MadeleineI phoned the Ms earlier and spoke to the birthday girl. Even from a few feet away, David could tell which one was on the

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1130007811787935952005-10-22T15:03:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:12.737-05:00Sleepy Hugh

Another cameraphone picture. No one is safe from photo capture, not even the cat.

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129930693963054622005-10-21T17:38:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:12.483-05:00Nay Aug Park

Nay Aug Park[photo by gail on the web] ADDITION: 8:20pmFooling around with our new cameraphones in the park. I sent this to Flickr and Blogger at the same time using Flickr's send-by-e-mail feature, so it's very 'in the moment'. We took photos around the park, I dropped off a roll of film to get developed, and then I turned to David:"Hey, let's go drive around the neighbourhoods and look for

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129917547100886772005-10-21T13:34:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:12.232-05:00Do-Ho Suh

Was reading Caterina Fake's blog via my aggregator and came across the work of Korean artist Do-Ho Suh for the first time. Perhaps it wasn't the first of his work I'd seen, but a gallery full of these transparent architectural installations certainly caught my eye.Click on the pic for the full deal.

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129891535125700112005-10-21T06:45:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:11.947-05:00Alek Atom Ackerman

Alek Atom Ackerman [photo by gail on the web] From the archives: end of January 1993Fourth class rail travel in Thailand was pretty rough, but I was lucky enough to travel with this delightful baby and his parents from Ontario. The Ackermans were around 30, hippyish in their style and naming convention... how could I ever forget the name Alek Atom?"He even has his own passport!" -- they said

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129868155341611202005-10-20T23:56:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:11.664-05:00Feeling More Like a Married Couple By the Day

Overall, it's been a full and productive day, one which involved a car trip that WASN'T from our house to a medical facility.Hooray!Oh wait, it WAS to a medical facility, but not for anything cancer-related.Hooray!It was for me, a follow-up to the USCIS-required medical examination I had on Monday. David hasn't been well enough to go anywhere further than 10 minutes' drive from our house, but

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129779108893466882005-10-19T23:31:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:11.411-05:00Sawan Mela Festival

For a while now I've been thinking of moving my blog over to a "real" (i.e. paid) domain, but several things have stopped me. Not so much the cost, but the hassle factor (the more entries I write, the more there is to move and format) and maintenance.Here, I don't deal with a hosting company, the servers haven't been getting a lot of downtime, I don't worry about getting hacked, there's no sign

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129698513304347042005-10-18T23:57:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:11.165-05:00The 40 Year Old Virgin

Tonight David and I went on an actual DATE! This is the closest thing to married life we've experienced other than having dinner in a restaurant last night for the first time in at least four weeks. David was well enough to go to the cinema for the first time since we saw "Me and You and Everyone We Know" two months ago, and we were finally able to see...The 40 Year Old Virgin (Click here for the

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129516633558631072005-10-16T22:37:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:10.883-05:00Kids of Tioman Island, Malaysia

[photo by gail on the web] In January 1993, I travelled overland through Malaysia from Singapore with no onward plane ticket. I only had a one-way ticket from Australia to New Zealand to Malaysia.After the urban craziness of Singapore, I retreated to the tranquility of Tioman Island upon recommendation from a friend I'd bumped into in New Zealand. I needed to think about what my next step would

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129434326855729322005-10-15T23:45:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:10.637-05:00There's an 11-year old sitting in the pilot's seat

Vinny at the yoke[photo by gail on the web] Ship's Log, October 5, 2005Vinny is Pilot-in-Command with his mother and me in the backseat, holding on for dear life.There's an accompanying video clip:How To Freak Out Your Mother (4.3 MBs)I swear, I broke into a sweat just editing the video clips! All those nosedives, steep climbs, and hard banking gave me the heebie-jeebies!If you want to see a

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129416812687648112005-10-15T18:53:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:10.357-05:00The Wedding Cake Saga

The cake was ivory and the calla lilies were orange (see Hendrik? I don't hate orange!), but I shot this with film and with the room lighting couldn't get the colours to come out properly... hence the sepia.David never did see the cake (the ceremony was in the Lackawanna Room, the dinner in the Johnson Room), and I didn't know what to do with it afterwards. The Radisson ended up holding onto it

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129416597196095882005-10-15T18:49:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:10.109-05:00Altered Ego

altered egoDidn't keep track of what I fiddled with for this photo in July. Just fumbling about in Photoshop, as per usual, and found the pic by accident. Decided to upload.Finished the image archiving on my hard drive -- FINALLY -- so I'm shooting again. The sun's been peeking in and out of the clouds today, so I took advantage of it and shot nearly two rolls of film this afternoon. Normally

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129321164603988652005-10-14T16:19:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:09.846-05:00Nata

what_if ?? [photo by backyard_flower] If you're a cat lover, check out backyard_flower's set of her cat Nata. Some of the expressions are priceless!

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129313672581161102005-10-14T14:14:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:09.597-05:00Bashful Flower Girl

bashful flower girl[photo by gail on the web] Melissa, 6, at our wedding dinner at the Radisson - Lackawanna Station. (The ribbon in her hair is actually from the guest gift -- she started out wearing a headband with tiny butterflies on it.)Melissa behaved very well under the (rather stressful) circumstances. She was a flower girl in her Auntie Ally's wedding in June of last year, so she'd

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129279295300309732005-10-14T04:41:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:09.318-05:00On the Philadelphia Waterfront Last February

[photo by gail on the web] Soaking in the ambience emanating from Camden, New Jersey, across the Delaware River.If you're wondering "Does she jest?" -- I'll leave that to your imagination.Egads, I'm coming across a lot of photos I skipped over rather hastily.The archiving is taking over my life, as you can see. I should be asleep. But I see a light at the end of the tunnel... it just keeps

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129224076300427032005-10-13T13:21:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:09.060-05:00First Night Vancouver

First Night Vancouver[photo by gail on the web] Just before the clock struck midnight and the crowd went wild on Georgia Street.Shortly after this photo was taken, someone stepped out from the crowd of thousands and yelled:"Hey Orkut people!"This guy recognised us from our photo on the Orkut forums, how bizarre!The 'Re-Jig the Hard Drive Project' continues unabated. But the tedium is

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129173670586068352005-10-12T23:21:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:08.808-05:00A Geeky Observation: Laity Farm Revisited

Michael at Laity Farm[photo by gail on the web] OK, I go on and on about Flickr on this site, but for the sake of comparison let me demonstrate how superior the Flickr compression engine is versus Blogger's.Have a look at this photo of my nephew Michael, taken in October 2002, when he was 2 years old.Now, take a look at the same image (opens in new window), uploaded to this site in 2002 via

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1129021946212857522005-10-11T05:12:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:08.535-05:00Debauchery

debauchery[photo by gail on the web] Obviously a set-up*.However, it was the night before my wedding, and it was a hotel room.Not my corset, though. More on this later.*The closest thing to a still life shot I've done in months.

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1128970003457131682005-10-10T14:43:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:08.240-05:00Released for Good Behaviour

I postponed my appointment with the immigration lawyer this afternoon so I can pick David up from the hospital. He's getting released today! He told me he'd get one of his friends to take him home so I could see the attorney, but that just doesn't seem right -- David hasn't been home since our wedding, and I should be the one to bring him here.David: "Are you going to carry me across the

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1128969091871567822005-10-10T14:31:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:07.978-05:00My Papa, ageing gracefully

ageing gracefully[photo by gail on the web] I took some photos of my father when he was here, because I just don't have enough pictures of him. The man doesn't sit still, so capturing him is a challenge.I was driving with him earlier this year, and mentioned in our conversation that a friend of mine knows someone who owns a dealership."Can you ask your friend if I can work there, part-time?

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3666903.post-1128914944828290982005-10-09T23:29:00.000-04:002006-11-04T21:21:07.723-05:00'That's What Friends Are For', as Dionne Warwick Warbles

Thankfully Mercy Hospital is near our house, because I felt the rumble of a flat tire on the way home.Gr-r-r-r....!I have things to do today, like get cat food! Get my immigration photos re-done! My plans were thwarted by a wayward nail in the tire, and I'm guessing it happened overnight, deflating slowly when I was camped out in the hospital reclining chair. Thankfully it wasn't raining today.I

Gail at Largehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05152443926372602487noreply@blogger.com