Sep 30 - we're leaving again ?

On the 1st we're off to Hemingford, then Lake George ... but on the 30th we lived with the rain, after all what else could we do ?

I did, however, have what I consider a major accomplishment -- I shot a roll of film and developed it in the darkroom ! I used the recipe for a two-stage developer that I found on the internet. The advantage of the two stage developer is that it does not oxidize so the chemicals can keep for at least a year. Part of my test was the bleach -- an opened gallon container that I'd brought with me. I was not sure if it would still be good. An unopened bottle of fix (to which you add water), was something that I knew would keep.

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Morning again ...

Using the balance beam scale that I have for weighing gunpowder, which is calibrated in grains (approx 15 grains to the gram) is a bit of a pain since the pan is small ... but it worked. If I do much more of this I'll "invest" in the $100 triple-beam-balance that is more practical in layout for this kind of thing. I also need some small spoons to pick up material ... but I can get those anywhere.

Part of my exercise yesterday was putting speakers into the darkroom and a "clothesline" -- simply a string strung over the sink for drying film. Part of the pleasure of working in the darkroom is listening to music.

Note that the darkroom is not really dark yet -- no ceiling in place. That is not an issue for film development since you use a changing bag to move the film from cassette to reel. To print, however, I need to expose the paper under the enlarger and cannot have any extra light. Of course I could do that at night ... then it's dark ... as long as someone else doesn't turn on a light while I've got paper in the easel.

Anyway -- that's about it for yesterday. We had lake trout for dinner that had been in the freezer. It was ok, but a little fishy. Asparagus and potatoes, all on the barbie, completed the picture.

We're off shortly. It's time to get ready.