Catching up: Day 18, part II (substituting Day 16) - on the way home

country roads...

Well, as I was returning to work after taking off for a quick pop-in at Clo's High School, I decided that this was my chance. Driving along the periférico at 2:00 pm is really enjoyable - there's so little traffic. This meant I could stop several times along the way to try to capture these lovely scenes that are quickly disappearing! It's true. Every week you can see new construction going on at some point on that highway. It's really given me cause for concern! Many of the sites are future housing projects, and that is not nice to contemplate, no matter how nice the architecture (and most of it isn't).

So I took this picture which I liked because of that blue pick-up in the distance. It was a challenge to get it in the right place at the right time but I got it on the second try.

I'm pretty sure that's a cornfield! I'll try to get a follow-up shot when the corn is ready to cut; should be lovely!

Day 20: Sunday driver

an orange-blossomed tree!

Another periférico shot! This one I missed and had to go to the next exit, turn around and come back. You might think that's no big deal, but I can tell you I was a bit worried about doing it as I was driving a distinctive car with expired verification stickers and there was an "operativo" of police (judiciales?) at the entrance to the periférico, stopping cars randomly... (this "operativo" has been going on all over the city at different sites for months now; they are looking for drugs and weapons transports but if they stop you, I'm sure they take advantage of the opportunity to get you for something or other! I hate having to pass that roadblock every day, and it's only one of about 4 that I pass on my normal routes!).

Luckily, they didn't stop me when I came around the second time, and I waited till I was around the bend from them to stop the car and take the picture. I'm wondering what those orange buds are on that tree???

Day 19: Umbrella Girl

Adios, Jefa

A couple of years ago, I dedicated some weeks to searching the internet for a certain 'umbrella girl' I'd seen as Fned's icon during our chat sessions... She was soooo darling, with long wet straggling blond hair, huge dark blue-black eyes and the most woebegone expression on her face under her dripping umbrella. She touched my heart and I wanted to be able to use that picture as an icon in a forum I'm in, or just have for future reference. Come to think of it, I probably would have used it here on my blog had I found it, but alas, it was simply not to be! By plugging "umbrella girl" into the Google search, I found all sorts of girls and umbrellas, and by plugging in 'sad-eyed umbrella girl', the results were narrowed down to a few, but the one I wanted never appeared...

Yesterday, as I was leaving the farewell party for my boss who is going on to bigger and better things, she got her umbrella and walked me to my car in the rain. We hugged, and, as I was clicking the remote key to open the cardoor, she turned to look back at her house, which is nestled in one of the true woodsy places left near Puebla, and sighed, "I love this view of my house." I whipped out my phone and said, "I'm going to take a picture of you in it. Just start walking back and turn around when I call 'Now!'" "But your phone will get wet," she noted. "No prob.," said I, "Just start walking and I'll do it quick."

Once again, I took the picture almost blindly, and once again, the result is more than I'd hoped for! I don't think I got her house in the picture (it's in back of her to the right; you can see the gate if you click to enlarge the pic), but in a way, you could say, I've finally got my umbrella girl!

Catching up; Day 18: She did it! (Graduation Day)

Graduation Girl - Sitting Pretty!

High School Graduation sure has gotten sloppy! No cap n' gown... no formal ceremony, no big deal at all! And this is the Public High School. They're supposed to make a big deal!

I gave up on the idea that there would be a ceremony after CLo went to her "Prom" night a couple of weeks ago, and then had a few more days of school, and then informed me that school was officially out.

But suddenly, this last Thursday, at 11:00 p.m., CLo gets an e-mail from the school Administration office - Please be at the school tomorrow at 10:00 for graduation papers. Dress nice.

That was the first acknowledgment we'd had that her class had really graduated - and even then, it wasn't clear if there would be a ceremony. So CLo called different classmates, who each told her their different interpretations of the e-mail, but in the end it was all speculation.

Of course, I wanted to go see her graduate! On the other hand, how could I cancel my classes at 11:00 at night? CLo said not to feel obligated, because there wasn't going to be anything official, just all the students taking pictures with their friends and getting their certificates. But my brain was working around the problem and I figured out a way to get to see her and take some pictures around 11:00 a.m. This being Mexico, I figured things wouldn't really start till around 11:00 anyway, so I'd be there in good time to surprise CLo and snap some shots of her and her friends.

So I'm heading out of the parking lot from work, and my phone battery is on its last little line, but I risk it to call CLo telling her I'm on my way... then I go for it!

Fifteen minutes later I get a TM from CLo saying: "Ya empezó y nosotros somos el B, así que APÚRATE!".... You mean there IS GOING TO BE A CEREMONY AFTER ALL???? UNBELIEVABLE!!!

Oh no, I'm thinking, will I make it? I need at least 15 or 20 minutes more to get there, park, and run to the graduation site. Oh please, oh please, oh please! But drive safe... get there alive...

As I'm parking the car, I hear the names being called - they're at the M's.... if it was her group (B) her name's already been called... NO! Please let them still be in the A Group...

But no, it was the B group! I missed her walk across the stage to receive her diploma! As I run up to the site, she sees me and comes out to meet me! We hug and shrug and I take some pictures after the fact! Just to show that she DID graduate... See her there??? Just look at that smile! She did it!

Catching up; Day 15: A Well-Trained Dog

Waiting for the command

This is another picture that truly captured the scene, even though I just aimed the camera in the general direction and snapped! Notice how this dog kept his eyes wide open for the shot. Now why can't I do that when someone takes my picture????

Catching up - Day 14

Caught!

This picture was such a surprise! I really love it. I took it the night Anto was packing. Samo was trying to hide behind the bear but I caught him just as he peeked up! And what's really amazing is that I couldn't really see what I was taking! It's so funny how the blinder I become, the better the pictures I take! It's like I can aim in the general direction and I get a great shot! It simply amazes me!

Day 17: Better than reality

View from the living room

I've got a new camera!

The picture above was taken from inside the house, through the glass door, and I swear, the real view doesn't look this good, even with the door wide open.

I'm still reflecting on that... a camera that makes a view look better than reality!

At the same time, there's a picture of me that captured my expression down to the last detail and beyond, and that was rather a shocker!

I suppose in the end, the poor little camera - a Sony and quite nice! - can't differentiate between good and bad... what it does is capture all the tiny details to produce an intensely vibrant picture... but if you're feeling less than vibrant, don't get in the way of the shutter!

I'll keep that in mind... meanwhile, I'll just enjoy getting the feel of this new little tool. The trick is to concentrate on becoming an excellent snapper, while steering clear of being the snappee!

P.S. Sorry I've skipped a few days but, haven't had any time to attend to the blog.