another photographer’s truck. old guy, he’s everywhere. don’t know him well, but he always says hello. knows everyone.
had to wait for his fanboys and him to go off somewhere else, so i could take a few shots. they’re ok; at least he parked off away from other cars.
hey rey. happy new year.
1952 chevy bel air
back in whittier for a day or two.
walked uptown for dinner, saw the mayor at the cigar bar. chatted for a few minutes. had intended to take a picture of an old chevy that was parked there twenty minutes before when i drove past, but he had already left by the time i parked and walked back up the street.
i’ll take one of the mayor’s fifty-six on the way back if it’s still there—it’s on the other side of the street.
it’s getting tiring living out of a suitcase, but responsibility and all… mom is now in possession of one of those “i’ve fallen and can’t get up” devices, so i’m a little less worried being away for the night. but she hears every creak in the house when she’s by herself.
nothing much has changed here in whittier at the house. better half wants to get out for a few hours of freedom, but his mom has changed his plans, as only she can, so maybe tomorrow, maybe tomorrow.
night shot from one of the few toy drives i got out to in december. beautiful car, difficult lighting. had to shoot it a lot, as cars and people kept messing things up on the long exposure. this will just have to do.
1946 chevrolet fleetline
hauled my ass out of bed at four am today, and got over to pomona about a quarter after five. strangely, no traffic, no waiting at the gate to get into the parking lot. almost thought i had the wrong date or that it had been cancelled.
got a fairly close to the fence parking spot, and noticed others with their little wagons, so i knew i was in the right place at the right time.
strangely, once inside, the cars were few and far between all the way over to the bleachers. really weird, since the place is usually packed that early. no cash left after xmas? too cold?
well, i was still fine—fewer cars and people cruising through my early shots. first time out in almost a month, and didn’t really feel up to talking to anyone. wore a thin hoodie jacket, which was fine when i was moving, but got a little bit chilly waiting for long exposures until the sun came up.
saw a group worshipping at the foot of the old man, waved, and went back later to shoot his car.
someone did come over and ask if i was the one that posts on instagram…sorry if i seemed a little slow on the uptake. he pulled me out of zone or whatever. should have handed him a card.
this car was sitting off by itself, a little too close to the cheap barriers, so they cast shadows on the side of the car. all the different light sources, make the shadows bounce around in weird directions.
1948 lincoln continental
picked up dad’s ashes yesterday. he’s on a bookshelf now. his dad’s ashes are nearby on another piece of furniture, but giving him the space alone for a bit.
this whole process has had the feeling of a wedding. all the excitement and preparation just before the event, then the thing happens, emotions all raw and out there. then the honeymoon….
now the ashes are here, that’s over. now just get on with things. oh well. had no ceremony, and didn’t want a military fuss. so we have an unfolded flag, and no instructions or thoughts on where we should put him. same reason we have his dad on a shelf. suppose we should get some boy scout to fold the flag or look it up on the internet.
told my mom, we should just fly the thing. wasn’t his personally, and it’s just going to sit in the shipping box otherwise. she’s thinking about it.
anyway, been staying with her five to six days of the week. probably for the foreseeable future. just back in whittier, so my better half can have a sanity break and get out of the house.
rained yesterday, more rain this next week, but not tomorrow. hoping to go to pomona tomorrow. i expect it will be cold. i expect i’ll hate the new tripod head some more. i expect i’ll take a lot of pictures, and not have time to do much with them for a while.
back end of an old lincoln from last year. a veteran’s show out at rose hills cemetery. i’ve only ever hung out near the entrance, near better half’s uncle’s grave. never noticed the weird looking building that looks like a sculpture at the udvar-hazy in dc—all space inspired—further up the hill.
the days leading up to my dad passing, the roof of the house was covered with crows. at least i assume they were crows, not ravens, around here. there are still a few hanging about, tapping on the tiles each morning.
in the days since, i’ve seen so many hummingbirds. one even flew up to the window when i was at home in whittier.
i was getting water for one of the kid’s dog beasts outside, and i felt two taps on the hip. no one there. i’ve decided it had to have been a hummingbird. maybe i had a red jacket on, i don’t really remember, so i’m going with that.
mom slowly going through his stuff, giving away clothes, destroying meds, packing his books. i’ve grabbed a couple pairs of his socks—my feet are cold. still strange how i move about the day, doing normal things, then if i stop for too long, i realize he’s not there anymore, and this is just so much junk.
i am eating way to much guacamole. wish this fog in my head would lift. going back to work tomorrow, expecting condolences and fresh tears.
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fleetline from a show at manny locos last summer. shooting towards the sun again...maybe it was just the best angle. probably there was a car with an open hood or some other thing that ruined the pic when i considered the other side.
1954 chevy
dad’s been gone over a week now. been sorta living in the house with my mom. better half stays with his mom.
still need to come to whittier once in a while, and today is one of those days. computer time, picture time. sister is hanging with my mom, and her daughter is visiting from japan…my dad had been looking forward to seeing her yearly visit. oh well.
thinking i’ve missed quite a few car shows this path month. better half had given me a new tripod and ball head before everything happened, and i only had it out this once at the kustom oldies/loyal alliance toy drive at dolphin park.
need to use it a few more times, before i declare i totally hate it, because it’s different than what i’m used to. the tripod is tight, but loose enough to lay flat on the ground. the ball head requires more fiddling than the pistol grip i have used for years. works but pisses me off. they don’t make the one i was using anymore, not too many of that model bouncing around on ebay.
better half says i’m not good with change. i disagree, i’ve been quite flexible for the last couple of decades. i just don’t see the need to change equipment, as long as it works.
here’s a nice chevy. red is such a hard color to shoot in the bright sun. i just couldn’t get out earlier, in the early early light.
thinking about pomona next week. it might rain, so i don’t know. bag the camera, carry an umbrella, get a different shot. it could work.
my dad died last night. just before midnight. didn’t think it would hurt this much, but it does. i don’t think he suffered...they had him sedated.
retired navy. married to my mom for sixty-three years. four kids...all here for xmas because of him. glad my brothers were able to fly in on time.
i just can’t...
1948 chevy fleetmaster
sitting in yet another hospital. my dad, again. and this time i'm not so sure he will go home again.
my mom's birthday. well, technically it was yesterday, since it's after midnight.
this just sucks.
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don't have the energy to say much about this car. love it. envious. maybe someday i'll buy one.
finally made it home yesterday night. quite sure, i’ve completely used up my time off with pay for the year and then some. but an emergency is an emergency, and i am glad that i was there to help.
my brother is back home, physically all right. still a little on the loopy side, but hoping that will go away after he gets back on his regular schedule.
he has a lovely hospital bed smack in the middle of his office now, and will be visited daily by nurses or therapists or some such personnel.
hopefully i will not feel scared enough for him to have to fly back, but i would.
one more from dolphin park last week. isn’t it lovely?
so far, my return flight has been delayed four times. almost ten pm now before we take off. i'll be heading straight to work at this point. i won't have any sleep. no one at the desk to ask about changing flights. gotta ask my brother, a pilot for another airlines if its weather related. guessing not, since i just heard a flight called for san diego.
now my flight has dropped off the board altogether. shit.
sunny here, unlike the skies in this pic from a few months ago.