shopping as a family

Dad made Nathan huckleberry pancakes. Dad made me egg and toast. Good Dad.

I called Barnes & Nobel and it turns out that they DID have issues of Bitch Magazine in stock. The ones that have my illustration in them. I am legit published. So awesome. And my peer, classmate, friend Jenn Hayes is in the issue as well. Go girls! We go. And you should go buy the issue. Because I'm in it.

So the whole family hopped in the new Prius and went into town. Ma bought three issues. Good ma. We went to World Market and got sweets. Yummy sweets. And some hard cider, because ma likes it. And this time she didn't try to foist the asking of the cider onto me.

Then we headed to Costco. I got my precious fruit leathers. Nothing beats those. Also got clams and crab and drinks and more fizzy drinks and other Costco things. We got hot dogs after, and mom gnoshed on ours instead of buying her own. After Costco we went to Trader Joe's and got treats and a bottle of wine and more treats!

At home, diner was rice, salad, bread, and panko crumbed chicken. We watched Portlandia and popped open the Bordeaux. After dinner, we played Tetris and all of Nathan's moves were made to block me. Mom won.

Then we watched Indiana Jones. Well, as I write this we are watching Indiana Jones. Mom went to bed. Dad will probably go to bed soon. Then Nate and I will probably watch more Garth Marenghi's Darkplace.

Memorial for Grandpa Joe

Today was the memorial for grandpa Joe. Nathan was flying up from California, so it was my assignment to pick him up at the airport. This required a 5:45am alarm clock, followed by leaving the house at 7:20ish instead of 7:30. I got caught up in some traffic, as today was also the memorial for an officer who was killed in the line of duty. There was a procession on the freeway of sorts. I arrived at the airport at around 9ish. So about thirty minutes late to pick Nathan up, but that gave him a chance to eat in the airport. We swung by Jack in the Box and I got a sandiwich and a much needed caffeinated beverage. We sat and chatted. When Nathan looked up the directions to the church for the memorial, it ended up that it was only seven minutes away. It was 10am and the memorial didn't start till 1pm. So we drove down to the Des Moines waterfront and sat in the car and played on our laptops. Totally normal behavior for two adults in their twenties to be doing early on a weekday afternoon.

At noon, we were the first to arrive at the church. But Burt and Banetta (?) arrived shortly after. Then Ma, Pa, and Grandma. Then it was a steady stream of distant family relations. Cousin Annie. Joyce, Dick, Scotty. More Moerhles. Rolfe and Alison. Hans. Lots and lots of people that we largely unfamiliar. Alicia and Phoebe couldn't make it due to Phoebs being sick. Nathan agreed to do the second reading in her place, and I switched to doing the first and longer reading. Everyone seated and the priest did his thing. We sang, and Nathan and I were comrades in tone deafness. I saw we, I mean everyone attending. No one would ask either of us two to sing solo. I must thank the PNCA thesis oral process for giving me the strength to speak publicly. It is a big fear for a fair number of people, but not I. I'm not the best at it, but I don't mind doing it.

I do not know the Catholic traditions, and thus did not know when to speak in unison, what prayers to say, and so on. But that was okay. It was about half Catholic, half not, so it balanced out. The priest did the body of Christ thing.

Dad's eulogy was very good. Emotional, moving, and very much true to Grandpa.

After the service, we moved into the hall below and had snacks and drinks. A slideshow of scanned photos played. We all chatted with one another. Scotty recalled many tales of grandpa. I drank tea and chatted with distant relatives. All was good, and the flowers were plentiful.

At 4pm, things were packed up. Flowers into Joyce's truck. Scottie got some cookies. Grandma went back into the Prius to be delivered back to Mats Mats. Nathan and I returned to Seabeck. We raced Ma and Pa and Grandma a bit, but soon lost them. Ha ha!

I stoked a fire, Nathan showed me games, we ate soup and bread, we hot tubbed, I stoked the fire further, we watched stuff online, talked about future living arrangements, and all was good. Ma and Pa didn't get home till 10ish.

leap day, bonus!

Remember when I said I would accomplish something? Hhaha. The snow was still around, five inches of it, but it wasn't hazardous. It should melt pretty quick. I stayed inside. Ate food. Went on the Internet. Read Habibi. Tomorrow is Grandpa's memorial. I have to get up early and pick up Nathan from the airport. Early. Fahhh. Big day.

go away snow, we don't like you

Really, Washington? Snow? Again? And four inches! Stop it. Just seriously...stop. And four inches? Who can sled in that? That sucks! It is just an inconvenient amount of snow. Now the streets will be icy, but nothing will be cancelled. Totally lame.

Anyway. I spent the afternoon working on a pamphlet for Grandpa's memorial. It took a lot of Microsoft Word jiggery pokery, but I did it. Part of it required positioning the text off the page itself, so that it would show up when it printed. I dunno. It was odd. But it worked! I even did an insert that was the obituary. It featured a young photo of grandpa, while the outside had a recent photo. It looks quite nice, though the ink started to run out in the printer. So the photo is black and white, instead of color. Still, it looks good. I used some of my left over thesis paper to print it, so it is thicker than regular printer paper, which is nice.

So I did that, and that was good. I also spent a while in front of the fireplace keeping warm. Didn't venture out into the snow. It was dark by the time it was really accumulating. Mom got home safely, so that was good.

Lunch was hot dog sandwiches, and dinner was salmon burger. Mmm. Ma and pa watched The Flinstones. I watched Nordic television. I hope the snow melts soon.

What will I accomplish tomorrow?

bismillah

Did a bunch of driving today. Well I sat in the back seat while dad drove. I started reading Habibi, which is simply wonderful. The art is beautiful. The story layers are...just unbelievable. It is so well conceived, and I'm just starting! It really does the comic thing so well. Couldn't be done in any other medium, and I love art like that.

We picked up Grandpa's ashes in Sequim, then swung by the cafe that Celia works at. Had a delicious lunch with lots of tasty treats. Dad and I shared a tuna sandwich and there were pastries galore. Celia spoiled us. We swung by a lavender store and picked up a present for Joyce. Ahh lavender stores. They are so smelly in a good way.

Stopped by Mats Mats for a little bit as well. Grandma seemed in better spirits, and her health had improved since the last visit as well, which is always good. We gave Joyce her present, and there was some sorting out of the memorial arrangements.

I wonder how I could spice up my blog. A joke? What's the difference between a well dressed man and a tired dog?

...

...

...

One wears a suit, the other just pants!

Anyway, back at home, I did the Internet thing and Dad made me a hot dog sandwich. It was quite good. Well, I put the mustard and ketchup on myself. I'm a big girl.

I think there are some tasks that need accomplishing tomorrow. Suddenly, Tuesday has arrived.

err uhh

Didn't get a whole lot done today. Got absorbed in the Oscars.

Still, had my tea and breakfast. Watched stuff. Stoked the fire. Watched the Oscars. Sad Gary Oldman didn't get the win, glad Plummer and The Artist did. Made popcorn. Wore my new trousers.

Yup. That about sums it up.

pants!

Slept in. Had an egg salad sandwich for an early lunch/breakfast. Had some tea.

Ma came home from a busy day doing exercise stuff at the Y. We all chilled out.

Then after several walks with Holly, we went into town! First Dad got some car parts, then we went to Old Navy. I tried on a bunch of pairs of pants and discovered that I am down a size! How great is that? Some of the pants were just ridiculously tight, but that was more the style. Anyway, found two lovely pairs. Didn't get anything else, though some of the shirts looked nice. I have enough shirts though. Way too many shirts. I don't have many pants. I sort of cycle through the same three pairs. I really need to sort through my clothes in preparation for my move. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow? Listen to audiobooks and sort. My room itself is a clothing pile mess. It wouldn't take that much effort to set it to rights.

We did some food shopping afterwards. Mom said to one of the Albertson's workers that I was wondering where the hard cider was. ME! Put it on me! How could you mom? Ask for your own booze. Hahah. We also got doughnuts, and we ate said doughnuts while on the Anderson Hill trail. Mmm yum.

Back at home, we ate some clam chowder, popped open some of the cider and watched Bird on a Wire on Netflix. It was cute. Lots of yelling from Goldie Hawn.

Gotta scan. Gotta sort. Gotta get shit done.

london and iraq

AHhh woke up this morning to set photos from the Star Trek sequel. I am so excited for it! Benedict Cumberbatch is playing the villain most likely, and it is going to be good. So good.

After a hash brown and egg breakfast, we three lounged around a bit. And then we went into Silverdale, got some take a way, did some grocery shopping, and off we went to Mats Mats!

Grandma was ill, so we mostly chatted with Joyce. I grabbed some more photos. We took some stuff to take to Goodwill. We had the take a way Chinese food for dinner (beef with broccoli is both auntie's and my favorite). We got caught up on the status of things. Threw out some ideas. Admired Joyce's cleaning of the kitchen. Cleared out some of Grandpa's things. Visited with Grandma a little bit, but not much as she wasn't feeling well. The new Prius was packed full of stuff and off we went back to Seabeck.

Ma and Pa watched Portlandia. Then it was beddy bye time.

2002 was 10 years ago

My Grandfather's memorial will be March 1st.

I did not called in for Jury Duty.

Now the time is nigh to really get everything together so I can head on down to California. Daaaamn.

Anyway. Slept in. Had a little breakfast. Watched Bron/Broen. Mom napped and read. Dad did Dad stuff (car repair). I scanned in a few more pictures. Now I just have to do the wedding photos! All though I'll be visiting Mats Mats again soon, so then I'll probably collect more photos to scan...ahhh. Still, I got a good chunk of nice photos scanned. Go me!

After a chicken salad dinner, we watched Moneyball. It was better than I was expecting it to be. I liked Chris Pratt as Hatteberg. That was a lovely little piece of casting. Not a movie I'll watch a second time, but not too shabby considering I would never have picked it for something to watch. Baseball isn't my thing.

So now I think I'll watch more Danish/Swedish murder mystery. It is good stuff. Thankfully there are only ten episodes to be watched.

Eleanor Dorchester

business time

Scanned more photos. I think I'm about half way done...though there are more photos at Mats Mats. Plenty more. So many more. So I'm about half way done with the photos we have on hand here. So I worked on that. And I sorted them. And sat in front of the fire. And watched Danish/Swedish murder dramas (Bron/Broen)...

Dinner was fish and potatoes and....I forget the vegetable.

Then we watched a few episodes of Dream On. Such a cute show.

I'm on call for Jury Duty this week, though my pool hasn't been called yet. Hmmm. I need to start getting my stuff together for California. The time is nigh. Should make and order some business cards. What makes for a stunning business card? Color. Lots of color.

scanning the day away

Spent the middle part of the day scanning photos. Photos of grandpa, photos of grandma, photos of dad, photos of auntie. And I have more photos to go! Had some Doctor Who and Oz playing in the background while I worked. Tomorrow I'll do it again. It's fun to sort and organize and get digital copies of photos. It is also good because, in scanning, I can adjust the contrast and make some photos better in appearance.

Dad made awesome burgers for lunch. I should have him teach me how to make them before I leave.

Chicken, potato, and broccoli for dinner. Mmm.

Glee was relentlessly serious and dramatic and pulled the heartstrings. They really didn't have to go and do what they did with the end, but they did it anyway. Boo. Raising Hope was hilarious. One of the best episodes they've had in a while.

no more nights in Mats Mats for a while

Oh right, didn't write up Sunday. Because I was at Mats Mats.

Sunday:

Forget what I had for breakfast. Mom came home to rest and regroup and tend to house things. We headed back to Mats Mats together for the night. Grandma was a bit discombobulated when we arrived. Dinner was a stir fry. I talked to Nathan on the phone for a while. After Grandma went to sleep, we watched Rise of the Planet of the Apes. It was better than I expected it to be. Sorry, don't remember much about Sunday.

Monday:

Dad found some bacon, so breakfast was an eggs, bacon, and toast extravaganza. Grandma was in a better state. I sorted through more photos. Aunt Joyce arrived! So now one of us doesn't have to be in Mats Mats every night. A break. Which will be nice. I got through, what I hope, the last of the old photographs. The Alaska, Joyce and Joe childhood, young Grandma and Grandpa photos. There are more photos, but glossy ones of quilts and grandchildren. I won't be scanning those. Just the ones of Grandma in a hula skirt, Grandpa gnawing a crab, and my dad as a young cute dork.

Ma and I headed back in the Prius. We soaked in the hot tub, and that was nice. February is so mild. Dinner was left overs. Dad came back in the small red truck. We watched Willow, and I played the MapCrunch game where you turn off location help and get dropped off on a random road in Google Earth (using the MapCrunch program) and try to find an airport. It is fun. I got lost in Tokyo and gave up after hours of wandering.

Tomorrow I'll put on an audiobook and scan scan scan. Sounds like a plan plan plan.

holding down the fort

It was nice to be back in my bed. The Mats Mats twin beds get a bit unnerving what with how small they are.

Dad came home for the afternoon. I made myself a scramble for breakfast (two eggs, left over turkey, onion) and toasted an english muffin. I helped dad haul up fire wood and fix the handle on the woodstove. Pop left to go back to Mats Mats, and I kept the fire burning, and kept Holly doggy company. Gave her lots of cuddles.

Tomorrow I'll go back to Mats Mats. Going to look through our photo albums and look for an empty on in which to put family photos. Not sure if I should scan and then put them in albums, or sort them and then scan...probably should sort than scan, just to make it more organized.

the passing of my grandfather Joe Sr.

2/15/2012 Wednesday

My grandfather, Joe Spencer Sr., passed away in the night.

Mother and I packed up the car with snacks, clothes for overnight, and Holly, and off we went to Mats Mats to say with Grandma Eleanor Spencer. Mom, well versed by now in the practices of the affairs of the departed, set in on making the calls and arrangements for cremation and otherthings. I kept them all company. I pulled some photo albums from upstairs, and Grandma told me who this person and that person were. There were photos of a ski trip, where everyone shoved snow into each other's faces. My grandmother still has her yearbooks from when she attended Stadium Highschool in the 40's. She also has the yearbooks from the school my dad and aunt Joyce attended int he 60's. I plan on scanning the portraits, because some of them are amazing.

It is fairly quiet out here in Mats Mats.

My grandparents always remembered birthdays. They also made up candy bags for the kids (my parents counted as "kids") on Halloween and Easter, even though they were not particularly religious concerning the latter. They were also avid readers of this here blog, and often when my parents mentioned my achievements to them, they would reference my blog saying that they already knew. My grandmother is mostly electric chair bound, but carries on some lovely conversations and is not lacking in wit. Joe and Eleanor were married for sixty five years. How amazing is that?

Auntie Joyce is in Colorado, and Dad is in Houston, but is flying back tomorrow morning. Celia came by for dinner, and brought some treats from the bakery she works at. I sorted through so many amazing old photos, but most of the people I don't recognize. What does one do with photos of unknown people who are probably long gone? Grandma dozed off while we were watching Pretty Woman on ABC Family. Nothing says family like the movie Pretty Woman. Tomorrow, we'll pick up Dad and continue with everything.

2/16/2012 Thursday

I slept in whie mother tended to breakfast. Grandma was up and at them, and conscious of what had transpired the previous day.

The Hospice caregivers came over, one to keep her company, the other to give her a bath. Dad was flying in from Houston, so Mom and I drove to Silverdale to pick him up from the airporter. We had some Burger King for a late lunch/early dinner, and then we returned to Mats Mats. Grandma Eleanor can't be left alone. She doesn't require much care, but she does need someone else around.

I have been sorting through so many photos, and I've barely even started sorting them in a way that prepares them for life in albums. I keep finding boxes, and I know there are more. Still, it is a good project. Found a wedding photo of my Great Great Grandmother Nellie Pratt. I should do a family tree.

Dad went to sleep at around 7:30pmish. Mom and I stayed up a bit and watched stuff quietly on my computer. It has been a major bonding experience with my mother, these past few days.

2/17/2012 Friday

More calls are constantly being made. Joyce won't be in Mats Mats till Monday, so one of us needs to be there at all times. After tea and sandwiches, Mom and I departed to take a break in Seabeck. Dad stayed behind to help and work on paperwork and this and that. Nothing can really progress till we get a death certificate.

Mom took a nap, and I checked what has been happening on the Internet. I also scanned some photos. We snacked a bit and rested. Mom has headed back to Mats Mats for the night, but I, and Holly, are staying in Seabeck. Just three days into it all, but it feels like much, much more.

progressing onwards, getting that artwork on my computer

Documented my monotypes and my intermediate illustration portfolios. I think I'll put monotypes as a project on my blog. There are enough nice ones to give it its own category, and it is good to not say I'm a monotype based illustrator. Haven't edited them for internet yet, but I'll do that tomorrow, and document more of my work. One of the portfolios was full of other people's posters, so I don't need to document that.

More leftovers. Glee managed to be cute and had some good numbers. Raising Hope was funny. Did you know there is a website that has every episode of Whose Line Is It Anyway? Well there is!

A gray day. No rain. Just grayness. Meh, whatevvver.

reminiscent of days gone by, hopeful for the ones to come

Mom bought me doughnuts! Good mom! She was running errands all over town today. Dentist, doctor, getting Holly washed. I watched my telly and ate doughnuts. Holly came back all nice and clean and good smelling. I gave her many cuddles. Then we took her for a walk and she got muddy, and when she started to roll in some leaves in mud we both went, "HOLLY NO!". But she didn't get that dirty, and she cleaned herself up.

I downloaded the free image editing software GIMP, and that combined with finally figuring out how to light my pieces (HURRAY!) and some helpful advice from my friend Petra, I am successfully documenting my artwork! That is until I realize that it isn't a good enough format for print...but I think it should be fine. I'm not resizing them to be that small. They just need to look good on the screen, which they do! I've gone through three of my eight (!!!!!!!!) portfolios of various artwork made whilst at PNCA, and documented what I think need documenting of those three. It is going good. I've just edited about four pieces and put them on my website (under illustration). Tomorrow I'll edit the 16 or so pieces that need color correction, and document a lot more. Finally on the ball. Got over that hump! Whoo! Go me.

Going through these old portfolios, which contain work from 2008 and 2009, I can really see how much I've grown in technique, confidence, style, and just all around...artistry. It is heartening to see how much one grows, especially knowing how much further one can grow. I need to organize these properly for storage. I want to take some prints with me, as gifts for those who house me in the Bay Area, but some things can be filed safely away for a decade or two.

Banana Slug

11" x 11"

Screen print.

2009.

did something! I did something!

Today I mostly worked on my website and the organizational system of my art folders on my computer. The folders on my computer were a mess. I kept finding folders called "new art" that contained work from 2009! I also had to dig through my backup discs to find all the stuff I've done for Odd Owl, because that was scattered. No point in documenting things, if I just put the files somewhere that I can't easily locate. I should have been more on the ball years ago. Gahh.

But my website is looking better! www.trilliantrillian.com! Mostly the sketchbook and Odd Owl sections have been updated, though the Illustration has been reorganized a bit as well. Weebly is so easy, if a little bit inflexible. Tomorrow I will throw myself at documentation. It, once again, got too dark before I could make real progress. I think the lights plus natural light might provide some results. Once I figure it out...ahh yeah.

I want to expand the borders on my website, make it a little bigger. Need to figure out the part of the html that corresponds to that.

Mom was gone all day at the Flower & Garden Show in Seattle. We watched 101 Dalmatians. Holly wasn't bothered by all the dogs barking.

I'm amazed at how much a trap the internet is, well not really...

Promised mom that when she gets back, tomorrow, from the Seattle Flower and Garden Show tomorrow, that I will have made some progress in my portfolio. Some way, some form, I will do it! Today was another unproductive day.

Made myself a scramble for lunch. That was good. Ma and I soaked in the hot tub. That was also good.

Dad will be back in less than a week. With him around, I'll probably be more productive. I'm rubbish at being productive when people are not around.