It's State Fair Prep season

 So I have been finishing my fair entries. I have 4 to submit, and 3 are done other than some final finishing touches. I won't post pictures until after they've been judged, just in case.

Plus, Mom fell down and got hurt so I've been trying to deal with that. Fortunately, there's multiple trains that run between my town and hers, for a bit more than the gas would cost, and the difference is well worth the hassle I've saved. And Dad has been very supportive by giving me a ride from the train station to see Mom. 

Our Pathfinder game progresses (we're playing Dragon's Demand). We scraped by the last combat by the skin of our teeth (and the generosity of the GM). We went somewhere we shouldn't have and ran into a very nasty fight. We totally misread the clues that said 'beware! stay away!' Oops.

Our 5e game also continues. Still don't really know how the combat works. But we've hit a level the GM likes so maybe we'll stay this level long enough to figure it out.

Chris and I started watching Shakespeare and Hathaway. It's a BBC mystery series set in Stratford upon Avon. Frank Hathaway is a private detective and Lu Shakespeare becomes his partner after investing in the agency. A lot of the episode titles are Shakespeare play references or quotes. They feel like Easter eggs for English Lit majors.

Whingeing ahead: maybe it's my Southern upbringing, but is it really hard to wave or say hi as you come into the office in the morning? If you're on your phone, then no, I don't expect a verbal greeting, but a half-hearted wave at least? Yes, I'm talkative, but unless I have something I need to tell you, I won't stop you to chat. I just want acknowledgment of my existence. Studies prove that people are more willing to do things for people they like. So, help me like you more.

(oops, meant to hit publish on Oct 4)

Confronted by ducks while getting take out

quick update (supposed to be July 12)

 Here's a picture of the Chinese coin, made into a pendant with tatting.

Our 5e game was Thursday. Turns out the fey we met wasn't my PC's lost lost mom. Considering what she was like, that's a relief (she was a hag, and she killed our aunt at the beginning of the game).

Friday, we got together to plan a friend's party. She's having a gaming weekend, kind of a mini-con for her next birthday. It takes a lot of planning, so we're starting now. 

I went to see my parents over the weekend. Surprisingly, traffic was not too bad. I didn't run into any rolling stops or slow and go. My stepmom liked the earrings I gave her. It's getting harder to find neat/unusual red, white, and blue earrings. I gave mom a copy of the photo of me dressed for the wedding.

This is the daisy edging and the hanky. The pattern is from Mastering tatting.

Progess and stuff

 I need to fix a tatted bracelet and I finally found the correct thread to do so. That's my next project. I've been working on tatting a couple aliens (Jane Eborall's 2023 TIAS) for a friend who recently turned 51. I have one in bright green just done and next is one in grey. Need to hide ends.

 

I finished 4th round of the Round Robin doily, but I need to block it and hide the ends. So yes, this photo is a bit sloppy.

 

No progress on the wrist warmers. I can't find the instructions for finishing off a project (do I just pull the yarn through the last stitch?). 

I've down to 2 pairs of (mended) work slacks, so as I got to that point, I've been going to the thrift shop to find more. Until this past Saturday, I was out of luck. I found 3 pairs (wow)! Two of them even have full sets of pockets, although the 3rd pair has those fake front pockets. When I have time, I can amend that.

Our DnD 5e game progresses. At least 2 of the PCs think we're on a wild goose chase and think we got this assignment to get us out of the way while the matter is really being handled at home. 2 PCs had backstory elements we were able to use to get more information for the next leg of the trip. I'm still not sure we have a grasp of the combat, though. And especially the short rest/long rest thing.

We also had a Pathfinder game this past weekend. We finished another stage in the adventure, without dying, although it was close. Two of the PCs were out of any spells above cantrip level and the healer was down to about a third of her spells/channels.