contact sheet

a large ship being escorted into the harbour

These three images this morning are all from the same contact sheet. 12 dreamy Holga black & white images from my past. I would guess from the summer of 2003 maybe earlier than that. A contact sheet found while in the midst of attempting a big declutter session of my living room/dining room.

So you may be wondering how did that battle go anyway Susan ? (Big deep sigh). Well, as I sat on my comfy sofa last night, Winnie curled up beside me snoring, watching my new fav Stephen Colbert and surveying my immediate surroundings ... things were definitely neater, cleaner and dusted. Piles of magazines were at least sorted and organized and I did come across a few treasures in the process. Very little made it to the recycling, donate or yard sale boxes (yet) ... but overall I ended up feeling that it was a very good beginning. I need to learn accept my foibles I think ... and one of those is, my ever sentimental nature needs at times to really dwell on, examine, and remember many of the items that I am considering parting with.

The act of decluttering can be a terribly time consuming activity for someone like me. I'm almost never ruthless in my pitching-out abilities (when cleaning out the fridge or my closet - yes maybe, I'm much more strong and decisive with food and clothes). But not so with books and magazines (all of which in a round about way I've convinced myself are somehow related to my creative endeavors she says sheepishly), or with the things I've collected and accumulated over the years... like this contact sheet. What a lovely find.


my handsome gentle red dog Jake

Oh my. 3 weeks today we said goodbye to Jake, retriever extraordinaire. When I think about him being gone it makes me feel sick with sadness. I try to push those thoughts away and replace them with happy thoughts of him racing into the waves at the beach - his most favourite thing in the world or him putting his big red head in my lap, many times a day, so that I could thoroughly rub and scratch every nook and cranny of his head and shoulders and all around his ears. He loved that, he loved me and I love him so much.


a young Winnie Dixon sitting on a sandbar

Sweet cheeks, Miss Dixon, she's my comfort these days. It's Winn and me and our brood of cats now. She sleeps on my bed every night. She's watches my every move. She certainly helps me feel much less sad, she's a perfect dog, she has cheeks of sweetness and I love her.