How Did I Do This To Myself?

Have you ever noticed that sometimes you open your mouth and find yourself committed to work you really don't want to do? I'm bad about that. And now is one of those times.

The Gallery has grown so fast and has become so busy that record keeping has been towed under. It is hard to keep up with the inventory, and sometimes we have not been sure if something is missing, sold, or if the artist removed it for a show. I suggested several things that could help us track this incoming and outgoing, and consequently I'm developing a database which includes a picture of each item for exact identification. About a third of the way through the process of inputting of the data, I began to be concerned about more "question marks" than I originally expected. So I mentioned that we really should have a complete inventory. Good Idea, huh?

Welllll.......

Last Monday (the Gallery is closed on Monday) everyone, including a few friends and family members swarmed over the gallery checking each item, recording missing information and taking pictures, using removable colored dots to denote missing information. It took us almost eight hours to cover it, but we did get it done. Whew.

Buuuuuuuut........

Now it is up to me to reconcile all those records and put it into the database.

I gotta learn to keep my mouth shut.

But it is job security, isn't it?

This week has been pretty hot here. Now before I say more, I acknowledge that "hot" is a relative concept. The highs have been in the upper 80s, which I know probably sounds heavenly to some of you who have been battling 90s and 100s. But since many buildings do not have air conditioning, the word "hot" must be adjusted to fit the circumstance. The Gallery does not have a/c. It will soon. It does have really good ceiling fans, and we open doors and windows to create drafts. But when you are sitting still working, it in one thing; running around in frustration trying to find a picture which may or may not fit the title given by the artist in my own interpretation, is a completely different circumstance! So Monday was exhausting.

Tuesday was better. I worked only a few hours, doing payroll and paperwork. Yesterday was Another full day as July 4th is a big holiday here. There was a parade of epic proportions (for such a small town) followed by 2 rodeos every day through Saturday, along with other event. It brings in many visitors, and the Gallery was swamped all day long. Again, a hot and sweaty day.

I didn't take pictures of the parade, unfortunately. The camera was in the car. It lasted over an hour ... the main drag is about 10-12 blocks on a US highway that is shut down for this. That's a lot of parade! It isn't a fancy parade, but it surely gives you the picture of what is going on in the county. I had no idea! There was even a convertible with a sign on the side "Class of '62." Gail and I cheered that one!! Of course, we graduated elsewhere in the state, but that isn't the important thing.

Driving home yesterday, I was just pooped. So I moseyed along, and stopped several times for some pictures. Here they are ....

This big ol' cloud just fascinated me. It was just looming in the sky over Nogal Peak.



And I thought this was a rather pastoral scene with the herd of black Angus in the valley below the same peak.



And some wild flowers, of course. These little lavender ones look almost like orchids ......



These little flowers are kind of like Black-eyed Susans. Perhaps a wild version of them, I don't know....



These are some new ones I've been seeing just the last few days ....



The petals are a rusty type color.



And don't they look pretty against the sky?


OK, that's all I have today. I'm staying home and cleaning house. I need some self-care time. Hope everyone had a good holiday!