9:50am Writing Practice/ 36° Boise
Yesterday I joined James at the gym at 10am and skipped writing. I'll do it again Wednesday morning and perhaps that will become the routine twice a week --- I can live with that. I had a piece of toast and my vitamins before I went and then an egg sandwich on dill rye when I got back at noon. It's good to shake up the schedule sometimes and adding more exercise to the plan is always a good idea.
James and I are back friends again after a three month break. I'm so relieved and happy! We talk talk talked yesterday and walked and peddled and stretched. He's a perfect work-out pal! He told me the latest with Bryce. At one point he was saying how Bryce never listens, he only talks, that he'll ask a long, involved, deep question and not give him, James, a chance to answer it before taking off on another long question. My observation was that Bryce isn't ready for answers yet, he's just now beginning to explore the questions. That struck James as a profound insight and hopefully will help him understand a little better about where Bryce is coming from as he, Bryce, continues to mature. I said that I thought Bryce's maturity was delayed because of the religion he was raised in, he was never taught to question or observe except from a very limited perspective; now he gets to open up and blossom out and who knows where that expanded thinking will take him? He's still in the beginning stages of becoming who he really is after being molded into a clay puppet all his life. The good news is, I feel confident that James will be OK no matter what happens with Bryce! I won't go into details about that but I'll say that I feel very good about his continued life should Bryce leave him. And that's all I'll say about that.
After working on it for three full days, the calendar is finished and ordered. I got a good deal through Snapfish, I just hope the quality is good. I ordered 60 because I got 70% off yesterday for Cyber Monday. But then the shipping fees were horrible so it's a good thing I got such a good deal. The actual cost per calendar this year is $9.04 each, shipping and all. Not bad! Add the envelope for a buck and that brings them to $10.10 each. To mail one First Class is $3.78, bringing the total to 13.88 each. I'm selling them for $24 each, two for $44, three for $66. My net for one is $10.12, for two is $9.56, for three is $10.70. That should work out fine for all concerned.
I still have plenty to do to get ready to mail calendars when they arrive next week. I have to write the enclosure letter for this year's photos, I have to message everyone who ordered already and give them payment instructions and I need to contact everyone who ordered last year but not yet this year and ask if they want one or more. I'm keeping some for gifts so I really only have 54 or so to sell. I'm going to try not to reorder any and keep it simple and organized.
And then I have to design Ray's zoo book. I'll start creating the photo file for that today. And I'm going to create a book for Jodie using the photos I took at her mother's place a few days after she died, titled, The Dobble Ranch: The Way She Left It. Maybe I'll take some more shots this Friday when I drive to Baker. I'd like to get a shot of the entry to the ranch I've got photos of Jodie and David talking by the horses. It should be a neat book to have. I hope she likes it, it will be her gift this year instead of a calendar.
That reminds me ... I called on Thanksgiving Day to wish them a nice holiday and Keith answered. Jodie wasn't home and Keith filled me in on how bad their life really is, or at least how bad his life is. He says he's just a ranch hand to her, that's all. He was very bitter. He was going to spend the day with his mother in town while Jodie joined her sisters and her own family in Durkee at Jonette's. I listened and said many times, I'm so sorry to hear that. I had nothing else to offer. Sounds to me like their marriage is over, like it will limp along until he decides to leave. I don't think Jodie cares one way or the other. His whiny ways has done her in. Frankly, I couldn't take it either but it makes me sad for them. They started their lives together with high hopes and then it all went downhill from there. Jodie needs a man more like Uncle PeeWee, a tough, strong, self-motivated ranch man, only with a soft heart. Is there such a person? Probably not outside of Hollywood .... I'll stand by to be supportive of whatever happens. Dang. First Nickie and Kurt got divorced and now maybe Jodie and Keith will split up. Dang.
Well, it's time for breakfast and then back to creation mode with photos and books. I'll do Ray's book first, then Jodie's. I have an idea to make photo books with my Practice Happiness photos but that will require a more advanced level of writing. I'll get the other things finished first and then see what wants to be done next.
Good job today!
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