Last entry Julio twenty-16 (29)

IT’S FRIDAY on everyone’s calendar except those that work weekends out of necessity. I checked and tomorrow will be two (2) WEEKS since my last Confession.

Truth be told, I am writing over an unposted entry dated 22 July that just never got traction and it is a far better starting point as I can just use the great material, toss the good material and add only the BEST material.

It is early Friday morning. I thought the sun was not going to come up again today as things were looking a bit overcast. But things turned rosy with the first light and the grande orange ball broke over the horizon and is slowly peeking thru the trees across the street making its way up and over the trees.

You see we have had some rain since we huddled last and it served to cool things much.

Today's image is latest completed project but MOST importantly most recent sale. Yep. This is the blue winged teal sold at the Tupp’s art show in July.

Delivered to Wendy R. She said it was awesome & she liked it but my sense(s) of it were she was hard to read so honestly I am not sure.

But look at it. What’s not to like?

I could point out some small things but my Dad warned me about this years ago. Just shut up & don’t say ANYTHING. No one else will noticed the little flaws and you would be the only one to see them and full exposure will only serve to point them out to the world.

I retold that little story to my Mom on the phone for a dose of comfort & joy. She likes hearing stories of my late Day. Next Friday, 8/5, marks the anniversary of his journey to the other side.

The bike training rides are getting longer & longer as the HH100 draws nearer. The Wicked Strong team this year is much better organized generally and all repeat riders are back. FB stepped up, took charge & secured team lodging at the house with the owner we missed connecting with last year. This is huge AND sweet. Still not the hulking rv parked at MPEC but getting closer. This place MAY work for future races as well but who knows. Watch for the results coming later in August.

I played golf this past week Wednesday night in the league. The best I played all year surprising myself, shocking my partner and devastating my opponent. I missed two (2) very short & makeable birdie putts and hit a few spectacular shots. Just like the Old Days. Expect of course I made the putts for birdies. One quick tale …

On the long par 5 up the hill (#7), after two unbelievable shots, I could not have wished or placed my ball in a better position. I am looking at the ‘money shot’, get it close I am thinking, on the green and make a putt for a birdie. Standing over the ball, at address, ready to hit the shot, confidence, like perspiration, I can feel on my shirt.

Well, I proceed to drop THAT shot into the drink (water hazard). A watery grave. Dropped a penalty ball and hit the same club, same placement, right at the flag and then made the putt but now for a bogey.

That’s the way the GOLF GODS talk to you. Keeps you humble.

I continue to wrestle with technology. True confession time. I put the weather app back on the phone.

WHAT ??

Yes. There was a pop-up shower, no, a STORM of magnitude & Biblical proportions and I was following it for planning purposes. I quickly removed the ‘app’ as I was soon reminded why I took it off in the first place.

CONSTANT annoying ads, low-value info 24/7 in the form of mindless videos and the alerts. I do not need to know the temperature at any given instant in time to get dressed or for any reason. It's always hot in the summer (40) and cold in the winter (10). Enough already.

The dumb-ass phone is once again charging intermittently even with the new battery & the operating system that wiped out much useful information. Some lost forever, some being slowly reconstructed. In truth some was backed up & saved like contacts & photos but only SOME (most) pictures.

So my ‘love affair’ with the ‘smart’ phone & technology continues like a bad marriage. Can’t really live without it and really don’t care to live WITH it. I fooled around last night & this morning for a bit & got kindle, tuned-in and pandora all free 'apps' loaded. Not a huge techno-fete but learning is good.

So it goes.

That’s it.

I am out of gas, energy & any sort of motivation I started with.

To my left here on the table are half-necked tropical fish, two shorebirds, a red knot and a killdeer and another bwt with the head not yet attached. The fish are life size. A sergeant major and two damsel fish … a three (3) bar & a white tail but you can't distinguish them yet, They are identical except the whitetail has four (4) black bars. Stunning black on white when finished like Holstein cows but fish.

Photos when fini but in time for the next Tupps show & sale 13 August.

WHOA.

Speaking of shows, I connected with Cabela's.

I met with the marketing manager at the local store in Allen and they are having their annual Fall sales coming right up and he said he would get me a table in PRIME position to show (read sell) decoys. He told me HUGE money comes into the store AND STAYS. Think like KA-ching, ka-ching.

He was also very interested in a painting after seeing the diorama in my marketing brochure. His wife has photos he showed me on his phone and I told him to email me 4-5 and figure out with her what size and we could talk serious price. And I mean serious. I am thinking $4-500 for maybe 36 x 24 standard size canvas. Larger of course is going to bump that up. Considerably. I can apply the same techniques & methodology used on the 4 x 8 ft piece of plywood and the View from Dukes which is still underway but stalled for the moment awaiting a buyer.

I think that’s all now. Really.

Bill out, chill out.

Have a great w/e and see you in August.