As it happened (from my Journal archives)

July 17, 2006

Monday 11:31 am - I have decided that this month's eBay puzzle will be Slot Canyon, Arizona, USA '98 - a very narrow canyon with colored striated rocks graced by a beautiful mixture of sunlight and show. I need to get going on this puzzle, a Seewald print from the year 2000 calendar, as I want to get it made, auctioned and shipped before traveling to the East Coast in late July. The puzzle will be cut in Swirl Curl style with around 500 pieces.

July 20, 2006

Thursday 11:12 pm - Starting cutting puzzle #673, Slot Canyon, Arizona USA '98, cutting about 100 pieces. Cutting going well. It was very hot at the shop and I wore surgical gloves while cutting to prevent sweat from dripping on the puzzle. It cooled off nicely later in the afternoon.

This puzzle is going to have considerable color line cutting in it, increasing the difficulty of putting the puzzle together. I've pushed back the expect completion date. I now expect to have the puzzle completed and the auction launched by Saturday afternoon, worst case Sunday afternoon. The auction will be a three day auction, not a five day auction. Normally the auctions are seven day auctions.

July 21, 2006

Friday 11:42 pm - Spent around eight hours today at Mixed Media, with most of the day focused on cutting #673. Cutting continues to go very well, some areas of really nice Swirl Curl cutting. I now have around 340 pieces cut and have around 160 to go. Inland heat wave continues. I'd like to get the puzzle done and the auction launched by late tomorrow afternoon, but my mid-day Saturday dance classes will interfere. By Sunday for sure. I'll have pictures when the puzzle is completed and the auction launched.

That fire I mentioned last week was put out a few days ago when the winds shifted the fire back onto itself.

July 22, 2006

Saturday 7:49 pm (temperature discussion revised Sunday 9:55 am) - Puzzle is done, will have pictures, final piece count and launch the auction tomorrow.

Today was the second hottest day in July ever recorded in San Diego going back to 1875. The 99 degrees at the airport which is right next to San Diego Bay, broke the day's record by 12 degrees.

My shop was 107, the highest I've seen since starting cutting puzzles. I managed to get it down to a "cool" 98 after some cooler air from a nearby storm arrived, before resuming cutting. It was really, really hot today, probably 105-110 outside the shop. I found myself needing lots of liquids.

In nearby El Cajon, the high of 113 set an all time record for any day, and also broke the day's record by 12 degrees. In nearby La Mesa, the high of 109 degrees tied their all time record and broke the day's mark by 13 degrees. The record keeping for these two city are not as extensive, going back to 1979 and 1934 respectively.

There were 61 power outages around San Diego today affecting over 50,000 people, but none that affected me.

Saturday 11:13 am - Was at the shop for a while this morning, got another 70 pieces or so done and have about 90 to go. I expect to resume work by mid afternoon and complete the puzzle in time to launch the auction by early evening. Will be a three day auction.

Heat wave getting worse. Record high minimum temperature last night at the airport. Temperature at shop was already 100 when I left, never that hot before in the morning. Felt even hotter outside when I left. Hopefully sea breezes will reach inland by the time I return. Yesterday set an all time record for peak electrical power demand in California.

July 23, 2006

Sunday 3:01 pm - Marathon effort to prepare a meatball dish for up to 50 people has caused the auction to be delayed to Monday morning.

Weather: A lot cooler today although still above normal to the point of breaking some records, inland.

July 24, 2006

Monday 2:35 pm - Auction launched. This is a THREE DAY auction.

From the auction description:

This puzzle, Slot Canyon, Arizona, USA '98, features an excellent photograph by master photographer Michael Seewald, the photographer whom I've featured several times before within the 100 Puzzles Project. This image was removed from one of Michael Seewald's limited edition art calendars (the March page from year 2000), of which 499 were printed. This puzzle is a limited edition of ONE, I will not be purchasing any additional year 2000 calendars (anyway, they now cost $1500!), nor accepting commissions from others for this image. Calendar purchase information is here.

The puzzle includes two figurals: an outline of the state of Arizona (subdivided into a three piece micro puzzle) and a stylized Flute Player; and my signature piece (signed, numbered and dated on the back). I also marked a second piece on the back (the Flute Player), indicating the puzzle belongs to the 100 Puzzles Project.

This puzzle is cut in my Swirl Curl cutting style with small pieces. There is quite a bit of color line cutting in the interior, adding to the difficulty of the puzzle.

Not part of the puzzle - rather a picture of people trying to cool themselves off at La Jolla, CA.

Note: this is a THREE DAY AUCTION

When I cut this puzzle last week, it was the hottest day ever recorded in some parts of San Diego county. In my puzzle shop (no air conditioning) the interior temperature reached 107 degrees! Two fans helped and at times I had to wear surgical gloves to keep any sweat from getting on the puzzle.

Michael Seewald wrote: As I enter the coolness of the "narrows" at mid-morning, a slight fear envelops me - flash floods. (This happened to half a dozen unlucky tourists just after my first visit here!) As I enter, mighty bolts of desert light, hurled by an ubiquitous sun, topside, came down fast and furious through the passive openings above. Soon, the constant ricocheting splinters then spear into a fanciful waterfall of dancing, bouncing and tumbling light, down, down, down along walls the color of rich Navajo pottery. Finally, they land and lay quietly spent in small proud pools gathered on the cool, otherwise dark desert floor. I work fervently, as I know the performance will be short lived. By mid-afternoon the steep angle of the canyon walls rejects all such efforts, chocking off the sun's assault until the wonderful eternal dance resumes the next day.