New Coffee Shop

Well, Thanksgiving came and went. Now it's the day after. We don't do crazy shopping for Black Friday but sometimes we'll hit a store or two. This time Wilma wanted to go to a sewing store and I remembered this coffee shop next door. We both get something out of this deal. We had a nice time and I got a sketch out of the deal. I was able to do the whole thing before leaving the coffee shop. Those always feel good.

New Tech (I'd Make A Good Wife)

This just isn't what a guy should be saying, but I love my new iron! I know what you're thinking - why does this guy have an iron and why does he enjoy it? It starts with a story.

Over 30 years ago when Wilma and I were dating, we'd talk about many things. In that process she declared that she would not iron, make my lunch or get up early just to cook my breakfast. In pondering all the things to decide if she was "the one", these seemed small. Since she did marry me, these could be considered a verbal prenuptial agreement, so I'll honor them.

Therefore, I iron those shirts of mine that aren't wrinkle-free. These are the shirts that feel softer and the ones I prefer to wear, since the wrinkle-free treatment produces a harsher texture. But I still tend to be lazy so I have both.

In the course of our 30 year marriage we have not upgraded irons. The old iron still worked and I thought it was fine until I used a newer one at a motel while on business travel. The extra steam it produced made a world of difference. Gotta have a new one!

Last weekend we bought this one and I'm in heaven. It has a wide stance to hold it upright, automatic shut-offs for time-out and falling over, and a swiveling power cord. There's a neat little clip on the cord so it can be wrapped up and secured. This all appeals to me as an engineer. Great design and attention to detail. Part of the steam control can even be taken out for cleaning, so there's attention to maintenance, too. So I tried it out on this weeks shirts. It glides with ease and has a nice slow steady stream of steam. Then the burst of steam when you push the button. Wow! I've been missing a lot these last few decades. This is the right tool for the job.

Sketch Crawl Nov. '11

This was a windy cool day in Excelsior Springs so we spent it indoors. Kate arranged for us to spend time at Raymond's, which is a home furnishings place in the old down town. This was our first time there. As with all the buildings in this part of town, the architecture is old and elegant. This place has been kept up, too.

I had a chance to talk with those running the store. That's how I learned about the money transfer gear. They asked about our sketching so I explained the whole sketch crawl and illustrated journaling thing.

Then off for a bite to eat and compare notes and chat with Kate and Vicky and assorted spouses. Christiana had to leave early. This was a shot in the arm to get back into sketching. As my lack of recent posts indicate, I've been off my game lately. I'm hoping to fix that.