Completely not intended, but somehow life just got in the way. What exactly have I been up to since mid-November?

I had quite a few Fall Sessions to finish up and get ready for my clients, this took up a lot of my time. I had a hard time finding time for myself last Fall, something I am hoping to correct in 2012, making sure there is time for me.

Then we headed south to Maryland and Delaware for Thanksgiving and a Birthday. We took some extra time at our favorite beach after Thanksgiving. Hubby and the kids had never been to the Beach in the off-season, so we spent three rather warm days strolling around one of our favorite places. As hard as it is to leave in the summertime, it was equally hard to leave in the Fall. There is something to be said for lots of parking spaces, lots of room on the boardwalk and beach and just being able to be. Of course we aren’t millionaires yet so we had to come home so Hubby and I could get back to work.

While we were there, the kids had their visit with Santa and we got in a wee bit of holiday shopping. All in all a perfect Fall getaway.

December rolled in and work was busy, the kids were busy and the holidays were upon us.  Our household fell ill with a stomach virus the week before Christmas and it really wasn’t pleasant at all.  By Christmas day Hubby and I were able to eat solid food again, so although we enjoyed Christmas, we would have enjoyed it more without the getting sick the week before thing.  And I should add how amazing kids are, they both seemed to bounce right back within 24 hours or so whereas Hubby and I took quite a bit longer.

January started off very quickly with a fabulous trip to California! Where I got to visit and photograph the amazing Brenda Ponnay aka. Secret Agent Josephine. We had beautiful weather, fresh citrus fruit and a wonderful, if fast visit. I saw more of California in the four and a half days I was gone from Ottawa than I have on any of my previous visits. Brenda took me to the desert (she calls it the Sticks), Palm Springs, Idllwyld (a very scary drive up a mountain) Orange County (Newport Beach and Laguna Beach).  If I could always photograph people in the gorgeous California sunshine I would be the happiest photographer in the world. We had fresh lemonade, homemade mexican food, sangria and a trip to the beach, some of my most favorite things all in one fast trip.  I slept all the way home on the airplane.

Not that I didn’t love being home, but I was only home for two and a half days when I was already back at the airport heading South again. Whew! I am exhausted just thinking about it. I attended Imaging USA a photography conference that was held in New Orleans this year.  I hate to admit it out loud, but New Orleans scared me just a little bit. I was thankful to meet up with another photographer traveling on her own from Rhode Island, Jen Osojnicki and together we took on New Orleans. Well, as much as two women a little nervous about being out after dark could take on New Orleans. We walked the French Quarter and the Garden District as well as experienced Bourbon Street and walking around with a 150 proof rum Daiquiri (that was me, not Jen as Jen doesn’t drink. There was enough alcohol in that drink for both of us so I took one for the team). I had a pretty amazing time and learned lots of new stuff at the conference.

Although I am happy to be home, I know that in just 35 days I will continue 2012, my year of travel to new places as I attend the Blissdom Conference 2012 in Nashville, Tennessee.  I will give you more details about that exciting experience in another post.

There once was a boy, who lived in Montréal. When he was ten when his father passed away. When he was thirteen he got special permission to leave school and go to work. He started working in a Bank, he was the runner. He went from office to office delivering files and mail. Without this job there would have been no food to eat. This same boy, although thirteen, had no front teeth. He was hit by a car in an alley in Montréal and although money was given from insurance it was better used for food instead of teeth.

One of the biggest reasons I wanted to become a photographer at a young age of twelve is because there were very few photos of my parents,  and then again very few of myself and my eldest sister. You just didn’t spend money on photographs it was deemed frivolous, or for the elite. I chose early on to be the one to document our family. It was a gift I was given and I feel I have used well over the years.  My Dad as one photo of himself and his younger brother when they were quite little and a photograph of his parents when his Mother was pregnant with him and last but not least a photo of his whole family. That is all.

When one of my Dad’s sisters saw J this past July, she commented on how much he looked like my Dad when he was younger. She asked if I wasn’t shocked. I replied, how could I be, Dad has no photos of himself, do you?? She does apparently have photos of him, but has not offered them up.  Another Aunt-in-Law in going through photos found one of my Dad and realized that he should have it and brought it when they met up for a celebration this past summer.

This is my Dad.

This photo was taken in July of 1951, a few months before his thirteenth birthday. His last summer before he had to quit school and go to work.

And this is J. This past summer, August 2011 at the age of eight. He wouldn’t smile for me even though he knew I wanted to try to replicate the photo. I didn’t have a cat or a dog to sit on his lap, in fact we are at Saunders Farm enjoying summer and letting the kids just be kids.

He and my Dad came from the same mold. The same stock. They act alike, they think alike and when things get really crazy, they finish each others sentences.  There are no questions of who J takes after, it is not me or Hubby, it is his Grandfather, through and through.

I couldn’t be more proud that J will grow up to be just like Dad. I know he will and does have his own quirks and traits, but in truth, if he going to take after someone why not someone who has worked hard for 61 years. Someone who has been there for me, no questions asked for 41 years.  I couldn’t be more proud of both of them.