Catch Up

Still working on the Table for One shots

Since the last post things seem to be jumping to be going so slow. Had coffee a few days ago with the pastor of The Canvas Church, a very personable young man and a graduate of Abilene Christian. We pretty well hashed over the Baptist and the Church of Christ. Canvas has a very interesting concept of combining the service with art. Then last Wednesday I helped teach a class in Basic Exposure for the NWHPC Meetup group and generally goofed off.

Drove down to Sugarland this morning for breakfast with the NWHPC group that was going to George Ranch Historic Park. I had planned on going, actually was looking forward to going back, but when the activity chairman called about group rates they said that there was a $1000 fee for photography groups. I had really enjoyed the shoot there a few weeks ago with the Houston Photowalk group and was really looking forward to going back but if that is the way they feel about photographers they will have to do without my support. I know that the Photowalk group did not pay any fee so I will look into why this new policy. Ended up that only five photographers went.

Stopped at Denny’s on 610 at Washington for a coffee to go—makes the roads safer--and they are up to their old tricks so it is on the phone to Denny’s corporate Monday. This is the same Denny’s that told me that AARP Coffee was only $1 in the mornings and when I pointed out the 24/7 out on their counter card the guy got so angry that he had to call some woman to come up from the back to check me out—at $1. Denny’s recently went up on coffee from $1.85 to $1.89 (some went to $1.99). When I gave the waitress my AARP Card and $1.10 she brought it back to me saying that coffee was $1.13. I asked why and she said that she had given me the AARP discount of $.85. I informed her that the counter card didn’t say that AARP got an $.85 discount it said that coffee was $1.

The NWHPC group met at a Denny’s in Sugarland. When the waiter asked what I wanted I ask him how much AARP coffee was and he said $1. So I told him I would take a cup. All of us at the table were over 55 and when the checks came the coffee was $1 on all of them even though I was the only AARP member. So when I talk to corporate Monday they will get a favorable mention.

IF YOU HAVE AN AARP CARD AND GO TO A DENNY’S YOU ARE VERY LIKELY TO GET OVERCHARGED!!

However, I have not had any more problems with the Denny’s near where I live because they all know better than to overcharge me. I even went to one that I very seldom visit over on 290 a couple of days ago. I noticed the coffee there was $1.99 on the ticket but they billed me $1.

I think the management of the one on 610 at Washington is the problem. It is a real shame because it is just down the street from a large medical center and every time I have stopped there have been a number of elderly people that probably are coming from or going to the doctor. You know if they are trying to rip me off they are doing it to all of them. Yeah, I know, it’s only a nickel—and the principle of the thing. If you don’t want to bill it right don’t advertise it!

After leaving Sugarland I drove up to Cypress. A neighbor has a collection of crosses that she wants me to photograph. One is an exceptionally nice glass one. I thought it would look nice with a church in the background. St John Lutheran in Cypress has just built a new sanctuary with a cross beautifully incorporated into the design of the front windows. I thought the two would work well together so I asked David if I could borrow his church for the photograph. When I got there it was extremely hot. I scouted out a location I thought would work well which happened to be in the middle of a children’s playground. David was telling me that the city had insisted that they have nine inches of soft bark mulch over the entire area. I questioned how we ever managed to grow up with only ground under our swings. I am sure that must be part of my problem because I remember falling out twice. But it was great because I had taken a posing stool to sit the cross on and having an extremely soft area should it fall off was a plus. I drug all the equipment out of the car, the camera bag, the posing stool, a folding chair for me to get down low enough, set it all up. Then is when I discovered that I left the media card in the reader on the computer. No sweat, I always carry four extras in my camera bag—the ones that I had taken out and left on the dining room table. I was very, very hot. I was very, very discussed. I had just driven fifty miles to photograph a glass cross. I quickly packed up hoping against hope that no one noticed that I did not take any photographs. Okay, that’s just part of being old. It was probably one of those falls from the swing—the one where I fell on my head I’m sure. I am very glad I didn’t change my mind about going to George Ranch and not find out until I had paid admission.

I was scheduled to do a maternity shoot tomorrow over in Katy. It got postponed until the following Sunday. Not necessarily wild about maternity shoots but the young lady that is doing it for one of her friends felt that she didn’t have enough experience and was asking for help on one of the photography groups. She was getting a lot of lip service but no offers to help. I was thinking it was today and since I was going to be in Sugarland and had to go very near Katy on the way to Cypress that I would take out an hour or so to help her out. Then I found out it wasn’t today but I still told her I would drive over. It’s going to be outside so I am hoping that will preclude the cheesecloth wrap. What people don’t come up with anymore. No cheesecloth and hopefully no belly buttons.