Betty Delivers

Altoona has a unique laundromat-gas station-sewing center, called Betty's. A couple of months ago, Betty took on the project of making Hannah's bedroom curtains. We picked up the curtains today, and here's the finished product! Surprise! Betty even made two pillows for Han's chairs. I think Han will bliss out over this one. (Moreover, it's about time Betty finished!)

A Night at the Oscars

Harry and Lauren did fine for the first hour of the Oscars, and then they both faded . . . into area code dreamland. When Lauren woke up at 11:30 p.m., she announced, "The area code is 299." Harry has never used a phone, so he didn't know what she was talking about. They were both happy to return to slumberland.

New Gutherie Trip

The old Gold Medal grainery and mill is right next to the new Gutherie Theater. The mill was probably located next to the river for easy barge access.




The new Gutherie is full of interesting visual features: glass, lighting, and mirrors. Here we are messing around with one of the rectangular windows which is framed in mirrors.


A portion of the building juts out toward the Mississippi River. You can see some of the windows from the previous shot here. This huge projecting portion of the building has nothing holding it up which makes for an incredibly strange feeling when one stands in the furthest part of the building. One bartender told us that shortly after the building opened this section "settled." He said it felt like he was in an elevator when it "bobs" a few times before the door opens.


More interesting reflection on the left of the picture. This portion is actually a mirror on the left side of a rectangular window that reflect the Mississippi River behind us. The right side of the picture, however, is actually a front portion of the Gutherie.


On the 9th floor is Joe Dowling's Studio. It's basically a big room with windows all the way around and a window in the floor, which is REALLY scary if you have any fear of heights at all. Because it is so bright, the windows are tinted--hence the green background.

Here's another version of our window picture: a great opportunity for messing around with optical effects. It's also easy to pretend that one is six years old again!

Deanna in Joe Dowling's Studio on the 9th floor of the new Gutherie Theater.

Harry's Perch

Sometimes Harry looks like a cat draped over the arm of his favorite chair playing "Squirrel Bark," watching the squirrels, wishing he could catch just one.