taxi

saw this taxi recently, when it drove past the window. i usually hear cars before i see them, and know to stand up and take a peek. some days i've seen a dozen old cars of all types drive by, which sends me for a walk uptown to see what's going on...where are they going?

anyway, as i was saying...i happened to be watching a hummingbird that sometimes sits on a tree outside, and saw this car drive past. not quite as fast as the ice cream truck...how the heck are kids supposed to catch that guy?

i've never seen the taxi before. told my better half to look out the front window, but he was deep in conversation with his mom, and didn't quite hear me. it was gone by the time he figured out what i said.

few days later, here it was at founder's day. owner was a youngish guy. i want to say he was telling the group around him he was recently home from the military, but i might be remembering another group of guys and another car.

he seemed nice. i think he was telling everyone about the guys that helped get the car done. looks nice.

classy

went over to central park yesterday. founder's day celebration in whittier—history, local kid dance classes doing their thing, booths featuring local clubs and museums. and a half street of old cars, mainly the model t club, and a few odds and ends.

most the same cars every year. but it was overcast, and as always, i shoot the same cars again; different spot, different light, different picture. never know when you'll get it right. and then think next time, will "the one."

even ran into one of my flickr followers. always nice when that happens. i suppose it's the tripod that gives me away. i'm waiting to see his pictures.

he was letting his son shoot with his camera a bit...that's why i passed by and asked him if he was getting any good shots. then to hear him quietly say, "kathy?" after i had walked past. then introduced himself. so hi there.

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i took a break early to go get some breakfast, but saw this cadillac drive by as i was packed up and walking away. came back around afterwards, just to get a shot of it. by this time, a lot of the people had already checked out the cars, and were more toward the booths and watching the performers. yay, not so many people to get in the shot.

i liked this one, with an old house behind it, that somehow looks good with this car.

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i think i might be catching a cold. you know when you don't quite feel right? scratchy throat, overheating? but i did get some pictures selected and entered for the oc fair. now it's just wait and see time.

feeling old

i think i can almost see my mom in the mirror. eh, probably just the invite for another high school reunion i got the other day. thinking about skipping it. no one will miss me anyway. i can spend that money on a date out with my better half instead and have more fun.

i'm tired. wasn't as busily stressed at work today. short reprieve before another storm there. they're rethinking one of my projects and will combine it with another, so it's just a bit delayed is all. no worries, there's another rush job coming in tomorrow.

thinking about going to the broiler on wednesday. wonder if it will be worth the drive? i know i'm getting burnt out at work, when all i can do is count down the days until the next weekend before the weekend is over.

i suppose we're late deciding on doing a vacation this year, so i don't have that to look forward to yet. i do get to go to vegas in september, but by myself, and i don't gamble, drink or smoke, so what do i do? same as last time i went...look up some car shows, though i probably will only stop at the one on the way home. hate to lose my parking place once i'm in the garage.

i get to take care of my son's dog while he goes off to england to study law for a month. i guess i can pretend that's a vacation, though it will force me to cut back on going to most car shows until he gets home.

i will definitely make an exception and go to the san fernando high school show at the end of july though. didn't even get through half the cars there before we had to leave last year. too hot for my better half's nephew.

all right. i'm just rambling now, so i guess i'll call it a night. what a geez.

cantankerous

this 38 chevy truck reminds of an old coworker of mine. a bit worse for wear on the outside. didn't really care what time did to the outside, yet with an underlying style and way of carrying himself. a sense of grace, that you'd never, ever mention to his face, unless you figuratively wanted your guts ripped out and spewed back onto your feet. really a sensitive soul on the inside, but hides it well. he knew what was needed to make something work and get the job done.

he got the boot this past year. after so many years of service, was unceremoneously excused.
he's bored out of his gourd. never planned on being kicked to the curb, just liked to fill his days with work. he'll be all right, but his parts are getting rusty with idleness.

anyway, he'll be fine. last time i talked to him, he was still as pissy as ever.

land shark

this is an interesting car. don't see too many of these around often. actually, there was another one next to it, but it was a truck. nice gills on the side and the swooping grille up front, this is a 1934 hudson terraplane k at the whittier founder's day celebration. i know this for sure, because the owner has fortunately/unfortunately prominantly displayed a plaque in the window saying so, and wants everyone to know he owns it, and where you can find it, should you have any nefarious intentions, i guess. sort of ruins the image, but oh well.

did i mention that it was my birthday that day? what a great gift to stumble across this little display of cars on a day that i had declared, "no car shows this weekend!" really, i did say that. i had to go back to the house to fetch my gear...i couldn't help myself...lol. my husband watched patiently while i took all my shots. i think he was just enjoying the view from behind.

it was such a nice day, i got a bunch of decent shots, i really didn't have to do much to them. and that's the way it is.

i hope you've got your fix of my photos...i'm driving up to seattle this weekend on business while my hubbie stays home :(...back late monday, and no access to my computer. patience grasshoppa.

old timer

this 1916 buick 45 was at the whittier founder's day celebration i mentioned a couple of days ago. i think it was the oldest car there, and possibly, one of the oldest i have in my collection here.

i think i'm finding it more facsinating seeing and learning how cars evolved over the years, each generations' designers copying each others ideas, various models so similar, yet so different. can still see it going on in the cars of today...does everyone go to the same design school or what? if only that sense of classic style would come back. i think it kind of did with the pt cruisers and the recent thunderbirds. more curves and presence, something undefinable that is just missing in the standard crap they have been turning out, small tweaks, and they call that a new model. yippee. just too boxy and lacking style.

founder's day find

so we were walking around in uptown whittier on saturday, and came across the whittier founder's day celebration going on at a local park. <yawn> but hey my eyes spotted an old car driving by and realized they had one of the streets along the park blocked off and maybe about 20 old cars just sitting there. i think the oldest was a 1916 buick, a few chevys, a pair of terraplanes, and some other interesting cars. also a good selection from the whittier model a club...or was it model t?

anyway this beauty of a 1936 packard was sitting in the shade, the owner and friends sitting in lawn chairs in front of it. i can't recall the exact model, but maybe the owner or his friends will let me know. i let them look at my book of proofs while i took pictures of this one and a couple of other cars down the line. they seemed really impressed, so yay for me. :) i must be doing something right.

he closed the hood for me to get several good shots from various angles. i like this one best, though i have another from a lower angle that hides the apartments behind it and shows off the hood ornament pretty good. maybe i'll post that another day.