I'm a temporary cubicle squatter at work, waiting for my office to vacate. As much as I yearn to escape the grey fabric-covered walls, the current office occupant has been so helpful to me that, given the choice, I'd probably prefer she stay than give me the better digs.
But I don't get that choice. She's young, ambitious and literally going places.
Under the circumstances, I've limited my personal efffects to the basics. Pictures of Charlie and the girls, the girls, my brother and his wife with us at a Bills game, a book signing at Saratoga, my favorite camera crew gathered on the golf course ar Sea Island and a toddler shot of me with my Grandfather circa 1961 are propped temporarily in frames around my desk. There are so many important ones missing.
This may sound like a lot of pictures to some, for me it's an absurd greatest hits collection .... as if the Stones released a career box set with one 45 r.p.m.
Early along in the introduction of digital cameras, I paid a $1,200 premium for a Sony with nice optics. I've used it so much and it has been so dependable that the effective cost is probably less than that of a disposable camera.
I'm reminded of the ease of the process now as I'm working through Jessica's first years transfering images from sticky old magnetic albums to pristine scrapbook pages with careful journaling to preserve the story as well as the images. Somehow this becomes very important when your babies are adults living their lives several states away.
But it was I who lived so far away from family then. Film and processing were carefully budgetted for payday only. I was thrilled when Jess was toilet trained, knowing that some of the diaper money could be shifted into film and processing.
It was always double prints with each copy divided into a series of pre-addressed relative envelopes and our set laid carefully on the magnetic pages. Over the years, one album became 15. Taking them apart to build more enduring scrapbooks is a massive project which is currently enveloping one end of the apartment.
Charlie doesn't complain. He knows how I am about photographs.
Back in June, Bernie and Karen gave me the best one yet... a large wedding portrait of my grandparents (about which I blogged ad naseum - see June 26 entry). It looked its age (about 93) but instantly became my all-time favorite photo.
I entrusted it to my friend/ ace designer Andalyn to do what she could on the restoration, happy to have what I did and expecting little more than a slight clean up would be possible.
When Andayln and Dave walked in the door with a massive piece of doubled cardboard the other day, my heart leapt in instant recognition of what was there. It's a good thing Andalyn is a rower, a lesser girl might have snapped under the strength of the resulting hug.
It isn't good work, it's astounding work. This stunning sepia couple is as alive today as they were on that day. She gave me the disk with the master image so I can have more made for my relatives.
I'm having one made for the cubicle right away.

Copyright 2005 Judi Griggs