Grannymar

If you visit my blog on a regular basis the name Darlene will be familiar as a regular commenter. She lives in Tucson, Arizona and joined the world of blogging last July. So what is so unusual about that? I hear you ask. Nothing really unusual I agree, until you read her bio:

I am an 83 year old widow living alone.

How many other folk at 83 years of age do you know that set up and run a blog? Why am I telling you about Darlene? Think about it… with all those years of living behind her, what wonderful stories and experiences she has to tell us.

One post in particular is very well worth reading in these days of world recession. I realise, that to many young people the idea of scrimping and going without may seem a little like science fiction. I remember life in the fifties, a time of make do and mend. A time when ‘Credit’ and ‘Debt’ were considered as deadly as cancer and aids, we scrimped and saved for weeks, months and sometimes years before buying luxuries.

Now go and visit Darlene and read her piece about the Great Depression and the years that followed. I hope we don’t ever have to go back to that way of living, but can continue on as normal.

My good friend Rowan asked a question earlier in the week: What is normal? His quotation from Ellen Goodman voiced my thoughts more eloquently than I ever could.

Normal is getting dressed in clothes that you buy for work and driving through traffic in a car that you are still paying for - in order to get to the job you need to pay for the clothes and the car, and the house you leave vacant all day so you can afford to live in it.

Does Ellen have it in the bag?

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So my final attempt at creating spot colour in my photos for p4oi stays with the bag theme. I have to admit this spot colour idea proved much more difficult than I first imagined and I doubt that it will become a favourite pastime. Worth a try though.

‘How do you wish to pay, cash or credit card?’ Asked the girl at the tills, after folding items the woman wished to purchase.
Standing behind her in the queue, I watched as she set her bag on the counter and fumbled for her wallet, I noticed a remote control for a television set fall from her bag onto the floor
‘So, do you always carry your TV remote?’ I asked as I bent to pick it up.
‘No,’ she replied, ‘but my husband refused to come shopping with me, and I figured this was the most evil thing I could do to him legally!

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I don’t know of anyone with a birthday on 30th of October, but these pink balloons caught my eye that day at the Abbey Centre shopping Mall. Once again I thought of our p4oi and of course they are ideal for 30th of the month. You might notice that I managed to achieve two areas of colour with different hues.

I met Brian & Maxine at Junction 1 Shopping outlet seversal months ago. Brian’s pink polo shirt caught my eye with Pink for October in mind. He willing posed for me and I liked the shot. I am happier with the ‘pink’ in this one than with some of my earlier attempts. Each time I try I discover something new. Hopefully I will remember what I did for the remaining few photos in the folder!

I wanted to have a male model at some stage of the month because breast cancer is not the preserve only of the ladies. We all need to be diligent in examining our breasts. If you have a partner then make it fun and a pleasurable experience. Grannymar encourages you to do so. Make it a regular part of your calendar.

Another of my attempts for p4oi.

Now I know that some of you will be Partying over the Hallowe’en weekend. Early planning makes for a good party.

So how about this for a little diversion and amusement:

Like a child I have not forgotten a promise. This is still October and I did say I would try to colour spot some photos as part of p4oi. Today I have one for you. I have posted fewer of these ’spot colour’ attemps because they are more difficult than I first realised and take quite some time and very steady mouse control. I actually think that apart from my very first attempt that they look like I had the crayons out. I have followed the same instructions each time as far as I can. None of the layout diagrams seem to match the version of photoshop in my computer. It is enough to make anyone give up, but I have no intention in doing so!

I will learn.

This little lady I met with her grandmother as I went in search of men in skirts! A very lucky young lady indeed. This photo was taken the second time I met her that day. Earlier she was in t-shirt and shorts. Here she was sporting a new dress that granny had bought. I wish I had a kind granny to take me shopping for nice new clothes.

As I went on my way I thought of childhood, adults chatter and of promises. Sadly we remember the unfulfilled promises of childhood. Simple things that adults dismiss and say ‘Yes’ or ‘Of course darling!’ and continue with whatever they are doing and never give it another thought.

We adults often carry on a conversation ignoring a child within earshot or in the room. We think they are paying no attention to what we are saying as they play about with their toys or watch TV. They sometimes pick up half a sentence or their own interpretation of what was said and not the real message behind whatever was talked about. We can unwittingly feed them with fear, teach them language that we might not like them to use, or indeed situations way beyond their understanding.

Children Will Listen from Into the Woods by Stephen Sondheim performed by Barbra Streisand puts it into words far better than I can

I use Firefox as a browser and on the iGoogle page in a bottom corner is a daily horoscope for Pisces by Rick Levine. I seldom give it a glance but on Sunday it caught my eye

Sunday, October 5, 2008

You know what you want now and are willing to be patient as you work toward your goals. But a frustrating setback could be rather discouraging if you see it as a failure on your part. Instead, take it as constructive advice. Once you know where you need to improve, you can get back to the drawing board and try again.

I did have what I considered to be a less than perfect result to a new project. You guessed it - my very first attempt at spot colouring a photo. I did get a rather watery pink in my first effort. I took it as a challenge and so during the afternoon I spent some time trying again. Here are the results:

Original photo

The image I posted on Saturday

The one I produced today.

I am sure you would agree that I still have a long way to go.

I promised to try and learn a new technique for October in support of Breast Awareness Month.

Calm down now! I am not about to do a striptease right here on the blog. My shrivelled walnuts would send the Toyboys running in the opposite direction faster than the speed of sound.

I want to let Will know that I listen and read what he says. So today I unveil my very first attempt at Creating Spot Colour.

Voila!

I met Muriel and Dixie Dean in Tesco one day many months ago and immediately the pink tissue around the flowers caught my eye. I approached them and told them about the idea of Pink for October and they were willing to pose for me. I hope they like my effort.

So tell me what do you think? Honestly!

I am only home from my weekend (that turned into a week) with Elly & George. I spent the evening unpacking, sorting and generally getting things back to normal. The phone went into overdrive with people checking up to see if I was dead! All these folk who never thought to call or phone when I was sitting all here week on end alone - Awwww! They chose to phone, call or push notes through my door when I was away. I was even woken from my dreams before 7.30 this morning with a phonecall!

Resigned to the fact that I would sleep no more I got out of my warm pit and as soon as my feet touched the floor there was silence. Not a sound, no radio, no gentle whine from electrical appliances and the phone was dead. In other words I had no power and no breakfast.

Well now that is sorted.

I have no story for you today so I am depending on Maxine for help and I hope you notice she is in the Pink!

Hopefully I will be back to normal tomorrow!

Credit: The Pink for October image above is by Lee Caglioti

With thanks to Laura for the timely reminder and Image.

For several years now we have set aside the month of October as a time to draw awareness to the scourge of Breast Cancer. We all need to be aware and do what we can to help eradicate it.

We must not however allow it to draw a veil over all the other Cancer sufferers out there.

Cancer has played a part in my life story and taken away loved ones and friends over the years. I am also travelling the road with several good friends as they journey through the minefield that Cancer is. These wonderful people have taught me acceptance, patience and how to take life one day at a time and I am thankful to have known them and have them touch my soul.

Tomorrow I hope to include the Pink for October link.