What a great picture!

Our daughter went to the races in Louisville yesterday and took this picture with her iphone camera.  I think it’s just a great picture and I wanted to share it with all of you.

Wooooh . . . . . . . .

I’m not sure what kind of “title” that is for my blog, but I couldn’t think of anything else.  ■  The picture to the left in the blog is “enhanced” to bring forth the colors in the snapshot.  ■  Jac brought over a neat instrument – it measures the temperature of whatever it’s pointed at.  It’ pretty cool. Kind of neat.  Maybe I’ll get one.  ■  Bedtime. 

No “W” flag tonight . . . . .

“You can’t win ‘em all.”  Yeah, there’s no “W” flag over at Jac’s house.  Bummer.  Cubs apparently lost.  Jac’s flag is my barometer.   ■  Gout update:  I know you’re all interested . . . the foot is better – not gout-free yet, but better.  Another dose of the gout meds and I should be fine for awhile.  ■  I joined the Cary-Grove Chamber of Commerce today.  My parents were members of the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce.  Continuing in a tradition?  ■  Time, yes, again for bed . . . . . .

Stereoscopic photography . . . . .

Ok, where’s he going with this one?  ■  Stereoscopic photographs are 2 photos taken of the same scene, but taken from slightly different angles.  You’re probably familiar with the old stereographic viewers that had a circular card with photos on it that you inserted into the handheld viewer and voila – a photo that looked 3D.  ■  To view my homemade 3D photo click on it to view it in a larger size – then you’ll have to sort of stare at it and cross your eyes until it forms a 3rd image between the two.  That image will be in 3D.  This could take some practice, but you’ll get it eventually.  ■  When I was in college I was a geography major, geology minor.  One of my courses was a class in air photography.  In order to see things in 3D, two photos of each image were taken at the same time a few degrees apart.  Put next to each other you could discern a 3 dimensional image of the area photographed.  While we used special “glasses” to make the viewing easier, most of us in the class were able to view the photos in 3D without their aid.  ■  So, go ahead and give it a shot.  ■

Gout . . . day 2 . . . . .

This is my 2nd day with a gout attack.  It started yesterday morning and finally got pretty bad around 6:00 pm or so yesterday.  This morning when I got up it was bad so I made a trip to my rheumatologist.  By the time I got there and got to see him the foot had improved enough that he didn’t think there was enough fluid to draw out of a joint in order to test it.  Yes, they have to stick a needle in one of your affected bone joints and withdraw fluid.  It sounds painful to me.  At any rate here it is 5:00 pm and the bottom of my left foot is pounding – it feels like the foot is expanding and contracting.  It’s difficult to walk.  And certainly not without a cane, or two.  ■  Time to feed the dogs. 

Gout . . . . .

Yup, it appears to be back.  It started this morning – I could feel it in my left foot as I descended the stairs.  Throughout the day it’s been getting worse.  Tomorrow I’ll call my rheumatologist.  He needs to stick a needle in the affected area, withdraw some fluid and check it for uric acid crystals.  Sounds like a fun time.  ■  I’ve got Wednesdays off – at least for right now.  And I need them off in order to get some drawing done.  ■ 

Overcast, but a good day . . . . .

It was overcast today.  Heck, it rained too.  After the rain was over this is what the sky looked like.  It actually looks worse than it was.  ■  Took a frame inventory today.  Need to inventory my mattes tomorrow.  It’s always nice to know what one has in stock.  ■ 
This week I need to join our local Chamber of Commerce.  It’ll be nice to meet new people and become closer to the community that we’ve been in for the past 30+ years.  ■  It is time for bed.  I’m tired.  ■■■  Oh and I almost forgot – question:  should I try making bacon toffee this week? 

Of all things great and small . . . .

Last night we went to the Willowbrook Holiday Inn to hear our good friend Terry speak.  Terry belongs to Toastmasters and was 1 of 6 people in Toastmaster’s district competition.  Terry spoke in front of some 450-500 people and did a fantastic job.  His speech was entitled “Of All Things Great and Small.”  He took 3rd place in the competition.  Congratulations Terry!  Afterwords a bunch of us went to an Irish pub and hoisted a few Smithwicks to Terry.  Click on the picture for a larger version.  And you can click on this link ( http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=952604731802312510 ) to see and hear a previous version of his speech.    ■   Makes me think about joining Toastmasters . . . . . . hmmm . . . . . .

First and second very warm day . . . . .

Yesterday (Friday) was warm – and so is/was today.  The picture at the left was taken last night out on our patio.  From left to right:  Steve our neighbor, Mollie our dog, Holly my wife, and at the bottom, Zoe our dog – you can just see part of her – she’s the black thing on the bottom.  ■  I worked today.  May have sold a nice American 50th anniversary Strat.  The customer took it home to try it out.  I think it’s probably sold.  ■  Tonight a bunch of us are going to see our friend and Bullfrog Band photographer, compete in a divisional Toastmaster speaking competition.  I know he’s nervous, but he always does a great job at speaking.  Maybe I’ll post from there tonight.  ■ 

At the guitar emporium . . . . .

[iPhone] Dr Woods on 12seconds.tv

It was another good day at work.  Enjoy my 12second video!

A beautiful day . . . . .

It was a beautiful day.  Sunny and getting warmer.  If I could just get rid of this cold I have – sneezing, coughing, sniffling, tired eyes, etc.,  I feel exhausted.  ■  Jac, my across-the-street neighbor, found a “generic” oil filter for my John Deere.  When we went out to get a filter for the tractor I got a John Deere brand - $12 for the thing.  Jac – how much does the Fram filter cost?  ■  Lots to get done in the next couple of days.  Time for bed.

Winning . . . . .

. . . and losing.  There should be some sort of story with that title.  But, no, no story tonight.  ■  The picture at the left was taken out of our front living room window.  It’s of Jac and Sue’s home and shows, if you look closely, the “W” flag for a Cub’s win.  Hard to see, I know, but it is there!  ■  Tomorrow – how do you repair a lamp? 

From ambulances to lawn tractors . . . . .

The ol’ John Deere – ok, it’s not really old, but it sure makes life easier.  This morning Jac and I went to Home Depot and picked up a filter and oil (and for me a new cordless drill. – My old one had been recalled as a fire hazard!)  Jac performed the oil changing magic on the little beast and I think we’re about ready to go.  All we’re waiting for is the grass to grow – and it looks like it’s starting.  Hey, Jac, thanks so much for the help.  I do appreciate it.  ■  Back to work.

Busy day . . . . .

This was the scene out our kitchen window this morning around 6:00 am.  A fire truck and an ambulance at a neighbor’s house.  I couldn’t tell which neighbor it was, but the ambulance took someone away.  ■  It’s a little past 9:00 am and I’ve already been to and back from the dentist’s office.  Next visit is in June.  ■  I need to get an oil filter and oil for my John Deere; need to finish the historical drawing and get that sent out.  And I have to go to work at noon again.  More money for me, but it sure does cut down on the amount of time I have to get other things done.  ■ 

Historical buildings . . . . . .

I’m working on a drawing of a historical building in Philadelphia.  You can see the beginning of the drawing in this post.  This building is from 1683 – pretty old.  I hope I’m doing it justice.  ■  I had to go in early to work today (noon instead of 3:00 pm) and I’ll have to go in early tomorrow too.  Sure cuts down on my drawing time.  ■  And I almost forgot – I’ve got a dentist appointment tomorrow morning.  ■  I’m coming down with a cold, or something like that.  I started getting stuffed-up yesterday and today it’s been getting worse by the hour.  Time for bed.  ■