If my grandfather were still around, today would have been his 93rd birthday. Not that I expected him to hang around this long, necessarily. But I always think of him on his birthday. He was quite influential in my life and is the one who really turned me on to photography. Perhaps in his honor, I'll shoot my next roll of film in his camera.

Speaking of photography, I had the best ego boost today. While we were in the dark room processing prints, one student was asking another student a question and he said "Ask her," and pointed to me and then said to me "You're the best photographer in the class." I found this particularly heartening because this is a student who has taken other photography classes before and is someone I consider one of the better photographers in the class.

I printed my scratched and melted negatives today. They turned out ok. I liked the sandwiched negatives better, myself. I exposed a negative of some smooth river stones over a negative of my sister sitting with a candle. The background was black so the stones only showed up on my sister. It had the effect of making her look like she was made of pebbles. Ed suggested that I take a picture of some reptile or embossed leather and do it again. I think that would be a fun idea. I'm going to keep my eye out for some good textures to photograph.

I took Joey to her final therapy appointment. She was conversational and witty and so very grown up. When the therapist asked her if she thought we should have one more appointment or be finished now, Joey said "well, we really don't have anything else to talk about." It makes me choke up to think of the progress we made in 7 or 8 months. She will always be a cautious person but she's not controlled by anxieties and fears. She has learned coping mechanisms and conquered many fears that plagued her for a long time. I couldn't be happier. When we left, the therapist said she was glad to have known us and Joey said "Thank you for helping me." I almost cried but I held it together.

Ed called tonight--he got to go to a Phoenix Suns game tonight. One of the people he is working with down there this week is friends with the president of the Suns organization and he gave the group free tickets to the game. Good seats, too. I'm glad he got to do that. He doesn't do enough relaxing and recreating.

I have a calm and peaceful feeling tonight. I feel very contented. I'm not sure where that feeling came from but I'm mighty happy to be feeling it. Especially since Ed will be traveling tomorrow. I usually have a little anxiety when he flies. Especially lately.

I also have the beginnings of a sore throat. It feels a little raw and irritated. I just got over a cold--I have absolutely no interest in getting another one. This doesn't feel like my last cold, though. There is no respiratory involvement.

Time to put the computer away for the night. Ta!

--L