Are we sitting quietly?

Then I shall begin.
OK I know it was a lame brained idea. It came from the mormon who said that she and her father – both challenged it seems in the having a life department found a camera someplace in Utah. Hearing that there was this idea of sending images to each other without using our cameras. Think photo department on a grand scale.

I had planned on doing this when I arrived. I had planned due to the unique nature of not only the time zone but also the placement and the shortened days, to do it on a weekend. Then with all the goings on, I forgot.

I realised on Friday that it was either this week-end or next Saturday as the days have become –even more – numbered. I realised the resolution problems I should have taken something bigger to be seen but I am not a blond Minnesotan so signs are not my thing.

AS soon as I got up I went to the site to see exactly where I would have to stand and found that the camera had moved since last night. Usually you cannot see the McMurdo’s Lane – the steps to the Duke or its sign. The camera is pointed more toward the court house. I was glad that I looked then panicked that it would move again and I wouldn’t know about it.

I had everything planned I would cheque the tyre, get into town about one park right there so I could if necessary stand on the machine. Did worry a bit when I saw the spaces filling up – people drinking that early? Parking is free in St. John’s on week-ends.

Then Baird rang. He needed the machine to go into town to buy food for the brunch to-morrow. I’d be there at noon.

I am getting ready when Sharon stops by. I am thankful this is not Tilting up on Fogo when people can simply walk in but I cannot bar her from entering.

She takes off her boots – curse the fact that Martin and Gabrielle have no back kitchen – I offer her tea. She accepts. Tea or herbal? Tea. I remember that I have no milk. She thinks a bit and goes for the herbal. I have one bag.

It is 11:45 and she is here for a chat. The house, the party this evening in St. John’s, her idea for a stand by her place next door to sell her art and some hot dogs. I like chatting but I really have to go. Tell her so and we leave.

It seems that Kennedy has left his phone at the Pipe House. I take pictures of us with it driving into St. John’s. Baird opines that he won’t know how to erase them.

He lets me down at his mum’s place. I see graffiti over in St. Pat’s ball park and am off.
-How are you getting back out.
-I’ll mange
-depending on the goodness of the white folks?
-yes they are so wonderful.

Yes b’y the capital is a great place for marling. It has been raining but now it has stopped. It is 3C, I am too warm but it intend to stay in town to watch the Ravens Colts match at the Duke.

Head over to St. Pat’s then down Carpasian Road into Georgetown to photograph the Georgetown Pub and the bakery. Michael from the Gould’s comes to chat about the place and how great it is and his snap is made. Down Williams Street and some paths between streets to Monkstown Road through Rawlin’s Cross down King, Bond, Gower making snaps that are both street furniture and urban formalism.

Into the Fairmont Newfoundland – voted the best rest rooms in St. John’s – I prefer the Delta - the Spur came in second.

Picked up a Globe and Independent for later and with 15 minutes before I have to get into place, I wander down Duckworth waving to the people in the Family Barber shop and to Sue next door.

It was raining but it stopped. I don’t like all the cars around but there is nothing I can do. I pass the time trying to find the camera. It is in the studio on the fifth floor wonder how it was moved. I cannot stand in the street as there is a lot of traffic.

A man comes out of the Duke to have a smoke. He ignores me as it looks like I am waiting for someone. Besides he is more interested in the 20 somethings photographing each other with a pro looking Canon digital camera – white lens. They are in the empty lot beside the CBC, then in the car park. They cross the street to sit in various doorways. Buddy behind me is really interested. Then his friend comes out.

I want to photograph them but even time I turn to try to do something I fear that that will be the new uploaded image and there will be a minute of my back.

I knew it would be small, I liked the feed back that it was hard to see and make me out – not in my usual torturous way but, in hindsight, it seemed fitting. There at the top of the image was Signal Hill and the Marconi Tower where the first transatlantic signal was received “…” the letter s. again it was simply something but it was a start. My puniness was a proper homage.

Knowing that people who go through the WGAS are time challenged I stood for a bit longer then headed up the hill to the Rooms for the walking talk of Paul Kennedy and Mary Pratt.

The place was filled with art guild biddies as Mary Pratt looks like the queen of art school biddies.

I got in because I had Paul’s phone, they wanted to bar me from the gallery due to my “book bag” until I held up the phone again. There were bag bigger than mine and someone was walking around with a Coke.

Talk was disappointing as it was a gush fest worthy of the likes of Sheilagh Rogers. The talk was more about technique than meaning. It was interesting listening to Mary Pratt insult people without them knowing it.

Printmakers hate my work because it is so perfect.
You have been to University so you know about a lot of things. I know how to paint.
She dissed Northern European still life paintings and painters, people who think. My hands cramped up taking notes.

She didn’t talk about any sexual innuendos in the paintings of food, only technique. I had heard this – over and over but I had to see it for myself.

Baird’s mum was there with her date but left early. Chatted with Kennedy a bit about Sullivan’s Loop until an art guild biddie came to talk about something marvellous.

IT was dark and rainy when I left but still made a couple of snaps on the way to the Duke.

A pint of Guinness – thought it was Sunday – and sat in Clarke’s Beach to read and await the game. Arsenal v Blackburn was on.

The Guinness was poured beautifully the bar keep even drew a shamrock with the foam.

While reading the Globe saw that the game wasn’t until 4:30PM Toronto time. It was only 3:30 here. Drank up and decided to go back to Pouch.

But I hesitated. I asked the bar keep if I could photograph her since she made the shamrock in my Guinness. She hesitated but was on the verge of giving in when Richard a week-end regular asked if he could be in the picture also.

She then said no and backed down saying that I should take a picture of Richard instead. I said fine.
- I feel funny about having my picture taken.
So is that why I saw you starkers in the exhibit that I saw last week at the florist’s, I thought.
I took a snap of Richard we started chatting.
Later back in Pouch related this to Baird who said ‘fine darling if you want to take off your clothes…

Out on the street it was beginning to drizzle. When I got to the Torbay Road it was raining, As I was leaving the city it was snowing. No one was stopping so hopped in a taxi at the Irving Gas Bar at Stavanger Drive by now the roads were becoming covered
with 80k/h winds.

15 rolls developed.