TheBanyanTree: My other part time job

[JMoney]

D was my immediate boss when I was working in web development at the uni.
She is also one of about ten people from the same general work area who,
over the space of less than three years, either left voluntarily because of
the troublesome woman in charge or were forced out by her.

Because the university was going through yet another of its reorganisations
and retrenchment payouts were on offer D jumped at the chance to end her
misery.  After over 25 years working at the place she was entitled to a very
tidy sum indeed.

Towards the middle of last year another of the people working for the
troublesome woman decided to lodge a grievance rather than just resign.  The
end result was that the troublesome woman lost her important job.  So a
party was held and I was invited to attend.  That's when I learned that D
had bought a picture framing business.

In January, on our anniversary day out, since we were heading down that way,
I decided I'd like to see D's place of business so we stopped by.  Even
though it was a Saturday afternoon D was there, working away.  I knocked on
the door and she let us in.

I love pictures.  I love coloured cardboards, framing moulds, industrial
strength mat cutters, canvas stretchers, mitre boxes, sticky papers and
tapes, and all that lovely stuff.  I saw it all in there and thought how
much I'd like to know how to use those tools properly.

And then D's husband came down with Ross River fever.  The fellow who
introduced me to Spoon was a picture framer.  His wife came down with Ross
River, was ill for 9 months, couldn't work and they had to sell out.
Feeling concerned about D's viability I spoke to her and offered to help.
It would be a pleasure for me, I said.  You would be doing me as much of a
favour by teaching me as I would be doing for you by working for you.

So it was agreed.  And now, every Friday morning, I work for four hours with
D.  It does me good.

Today there were 8 prints of old Queenslanders* for framing, each 30cm by
21cm.  We chose the colours for the double mat together.  They all had to be
the same so choosing colours that would look good with each different print
took some discernment.  I worked out the dimensions, D checked them, and
then I got to work cutting.

First you have to cut the outside borders of the front mat.  Then you put a
wavy pencil line on the back so that once the inner border is mitre cut you
can orient the centre piece correctly.  Next you cut the outside borders of
the inside mat.  With the front mat centre piece in place, you glue the
inner mat to the front mat.  Then you can mitre cut the inner border of the
inner mat and the centre piece of both drops away.  You have a lovely mitred
double mat.

These prints were on heavy paper so they could be stuck onto the foam core
board backing with just a tape hinge at the top.  Thinner paper prints have
to be stuck entirely with an underlay of double sided sticky paper and that
can be difficult, as anyone knows who's tried to cover school books with
Contact and not get any air bubbles.

One thing I've noticed lately is that I just don't work things out as
quickly or remember newly learned things as well as I used to do.  So there
I was, mucking about, trying to figure out how to get the print properly
centred on the backing board and beneath the mat.  There are these lovely
little leather-covered bags full of lead shot that you can use to hold a
print in place once you've decided on its proper position on the backing
board.  They're soft but very heavy so I find them fascinating.  Just the
feel of them is good.  But using them means trying to adjust three things at
once relative to each other: backing board, print and mat.  It never
occurred to me that the thing to do was to stick some  tape on the back of
the print, centre the mat above it and in that way stick the print to the
mat first rather than to the backing board.  Once that is done sticking the
backing board on is a simple thing.  And D is so sweet natured and polite
that it took me a while to understand that she had come to my side to teach
me how to do just that.  That was why she was asking me what I was trying to
do.  Once upon a time I would have worked out what to do by myself in short
order.  All I can think is that I'm either just getting older, or the
cracked head I got when I fainted after giving blood to help the Bali
bombing victims has done more damage than I ever would have imagined.

By 1pm I had all 8 prints neatly stuck down beneath their own double mat.
It wasn't even half the job because the frames needed to be cut and
assembled; the glass had to be cut and cleaned; the glass and matted prints
loaded into the frames, stapled in and taped down; the hanging fixtures
screwed in, and the cord tied to these neat little fixtures.  But it was
time for me to go.

I laid out my work on the big table and admired it.  Even without frames and
glass the pictures looked good.  It's so satisfying to make something that
will last, that won't get dirty next time it's used, that doesn't have to be
remade on a daily or weekly basis.  I love doing picture framing.

Janice
*Queenslander - a style of house that was standard in Queensland around 40 -
50+ years ago, wooden, without exterior cladding so that the structural
timbers are exposed, elevated, with corrugated iron roof, usually with a
verandah having a fancy wood trim.  Examples found in Brisbane are now worth
a small fortune.  My Auntie Ed had one at Yerongpilly and another at
Taringa.  Frankly, the lack of exterior cladding always bothered me.  I
mean, Brisbane can get chilly in winter.  A Queenslander only provides
tongue and groove and a few coats of paint between you and the winter
winds - and the summer furnace.  There's no place to put the insulation.
Aircon must cost a bomb.  I'll take new and comfortable over old and
romantic any time - at least for living in.