Thumbs up!

We've muddled through three long, stressful, anxious weeks until this morning, when Travis and I received a giant, happy thumbs up. We got the house we've been wishing, hoping, and praying for. We close May 9. I'm so excited I can't even sit still. (Edit: We closed early on May 2!)

I'm listening to Yonder Mountain String Band because nothing says happiness like some loud 'n' lively bluegrass!

Happy 'Roid Week!

Happy Traveling Polaroid Camera Project!

I heart Polaroid

I'm sure having a lovely time with my Polaroid SLR 680 and SX-70 cameras and wish I'd gotten on the stick earlier. I haven't picked up a roll film camera in weeks because all I think about is Polaroid, and I guess that's ok.

I made this shot after our first kayaking outing of the season on Sunday, as we were leaving Willard Bay State Park. We were on our way to the Flying J for gas and ice for margaritas. For more Polaroid kayaking photos, see my Flickr page.

I'm listening to the Strokes' cover of "Mercy Mercy Me" with Eddie Vedder.

Wasted?

I'm sure I mentioned a long time ago that my grandma finally trusted me enough to let me take the tattered Weinstock's gift box full of old family Polaroids home so I could scan them and preserve the memories. Well, I found this one among the tiny colorful documents of birthdays, Christmases, Halloweens, vacations, and various everyday events deemed worthy of a snapshot, and am so curious what my grandpa was thinking when he snapped this and, moments later, when it developed before his eyes. I love the image and can't help but wonder if he was going for something artistic or if it was a mistaken, "wasted" image. I wish he were around so I could ask him.

I've been thinking a lot these past weeks about my grandpa, much more than usual ever since Polaroid's doomsday announcement. He'd be up-in-arms about it and probably would've written Petters a few times by now to give him a piece of his mind. My grandpa's been gone for 16 years now - more than half of my life - and I always wonder what he'd think of my photography and my camera collection. If he were still alive, I bet he'd often be getting into trouble with my grandma because I know he'd be stockpiling Polaroid film for me, not to mention more cool cameras to feed it through, and still more regular film cameras he'd manage to find. I'd sure love to get the chance to show him my photos and hear his thoughts on my compositions and projects and cameras, and Petters. I'd love to sit down together and tinker with our vintage cameras and talk. Someday...

Blue

Whenever I'm seeking real bona fide guidance in my life, I turn to the stars. I read my horoscope, but not just one. No, I read as many as I can find until I find one I like, and today, most of them said the same thing: I'd have a mentally draining week. Well, guess what? I have! We are in the process of selling our home and buying a new one and I can't think of one single thing that could possibly be more draining than that. So, in case anyone is still reading this, I'd like to ask you a favor. Please send us your good house vibes and send up a little prayer for us that this will all work out and that our mental-draining will cease because as Michael "Squints" Paladorous once said, "I CAN'T TAKE THIS NO MORE!!"

On the bright side, I've finally more or less converted my SX-70 to take 600 film, and I'm loving the results. What a great little camera. The autofocus is kaput, but the manual focus is stellar and everything else looks to be functioning properly.