A day late, no dollar involved

Wednesday afternoon, was the retirement celebration for my coworker, Jim. Here's a picture of his card and a slice of his cake. It was tasty, btw.

Wednesday night I and JJ went to a stories and music of Scotland talk. A group is trying to raise enough money to endow a chair to study Scot and Gaelic life in North Carolina. It was really warm that day, so I just wore my shawl, no jacket. As I left work and went to meet JJ, I realized, 'uh oh, it's really cold and windy. I'm going to freeze tonight.' We left supper (running late) and it was more of the same. The stories and music were very interesting and I stayed just a little too long.

JJ walked with me to the bus stop and I had juuust missed the bus, and the next one was in an hour. At least, it was much warmer on the walk to the bus stop. We went across the street to grab a drink and sit somewhere warm. And it was frigid again when we returned to the bus stop, but the wait was only a few minutes.

Thursday was Deadlands. SR and I worked together to take notes using Google Docs. It's different, but effective.

Friday, pretty much at the last minute (only a few hours before it started), I found out about a Scot/Irish/Appalachia music ties, with a dip into Cajun. I alerted JJ and he joined me. There was a reception with Irish food beforehand (corned beef sliders, raw veggies, potato nibblies, etc) and both people were from the same area of Ireland. They are a wife and husband poet and poet/musician. We had a lovely time. It wasn't as late and it wasn't as cold, so it was easier to wait.

Saturday we were supposed to play Pathfinder, but MC just got married the week before so instead RW ran Mermaids for his daughter, her friend, RG, and I. CD kept RG's dog occupied while we played. After, we played LotRO. We were trying finish a particular quest. Alas, we weren't quite up to it and kept dying. We played a bit too late trying to finish it.

I was wiped out Sunday with a migraine. As a result, I got almost nothing done.

Got some stuff done, including gathering up my tax info and Mom's. However, I decided to use a tax preparer for Mom's since frankly, hers is more complex than I'm used to. I went by the place today but didn't have mom's id so I need to go get that before the tax prep person can really start (pesky id theft worries).

 Here are some spring pictures.

this is what is turning my car chloris

 And here's a picture of all of my buffboo yarn, both teal purple. I've wound them into balls.

Signs of Autumn

We've actually had some jacket weather these past couple mornings. Afternoons have still been warm, though.

Our Sunday game of Mermaid Adventures was interrupted  by the furry lad in the picture. He was friendly and ready to enter the house as soon as the door was opened. We gave him some water
and kept him the shade, on a strong leash.

He had his rabies tag so we called Animal Control, who contacted the dog's owner. She thought he was still in the backyard. Apparently, he dug his way out.  She was so happy to get him back.

Speaking of Mermaid Adventures, RW and family were hosting a couple of other kids for the weekend. The older girl played with us, too. The kids' father plays a home game with RW. The girl loved the game and wants to know next time we play so she can play, too.

This is where I went after work tonight. It was interesting. I just wish I hadn't missed part one back in April.

I've decided to make a couple bobeches for my 3rd State Fair entry. I'm trying out one pattern and I've figured out how to climb out instead of cutting and tying between rounds. It's three rounds but pretty quick. Given what I know of the competition, I'm unlikely to get blue, but at least I'll have an entry.

CD has decided to enter the State Fair, too. He's going for the honey recipes category. He made a bbq sauce on chicken last night. And it's so good! I will be having leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it.

I am working on a second wave bracelet, since the beads were already loaded. But I messed up my variation and I've put it aside so I can work on the bobeches and bracelets for sale.

I have downloaded pages from Passion Planner and I'm playing with them. I know two people who have one and rave about them. By the way, if you decide to get one of your very own, would you use me as a reference? If three people buy one based on my reference (using my email), I get one for free.

By the way, coloring mandalas is very peaceful and soothing. This is just pulling crayons form the bag at random.

Out of curiosity, does anyone have any questions to ask me? Anything you'd like to know?

Summer is Here

It's gotten hot. It's still cool enough at lunch, most days, to enjoy sitting outside in the shade if there is any kind of breeze. I've almost caught up on my responses to letters. I still have more to write.

Our Mermaid Adventures game got cancelled. M had a birthday party sleepover to attend. C. R, and I played Lord of the Rings Online instead.

I've been doing a little tatting. The hearts are for tsocky, she has cancer. If you don't know who she is, she's a marvelous knitting designer, known for her incredible socks. She's a genuinely good person.

 The bracelets are just a couple I finished this week. They're currently blocked and drying.

Have you heard or seen the YouTube series Sh%t Southern Women Say? I listen to it, going 'never heard that, I've said that, mom's said that,' etc.

Snow and Ice

We finally got some wintery weather that amounted to something. In inches, it didn't add up to much, but any ice is bad.

This is after about an hour of snowing. Just after I took this picture it turned to sleet.

This is about 6 pm, and I had only seen two cars since I disembarked the bus. Do I need to say that's unusual?

My bus left as I was heading for it. I couldn't run because of the treacherous footing. I had to wait over a half hour for the next one. I stayed mostly warm, because I dressed for the weather.

As of 2 pm, work was at 'you can leave if you aren't mandatory, just take paid leave', until 11 am on Tuesday, when I looked at 7 am. However, my bus didn't start running until 11 am, a mile away. My stop wasn't going to get service until 3 pm. At that point, I decided it wasn't worth it. I let my supervisor know, he wasn't surprised.

When I happened to look again this afternoon, work and bus were both closed, the announcement made about an hour after I last checked. I'm glad I didn't even try. Apparently, the ice was even worse than I thought.

I found the thread for the booties. Too bad I can't find the same pattern. I found another pattern, though. I'll probably go with that. The thread is Lizbeth #109. I thought I would get more done since I was home all day, but all I did was get the shuttles loaded.

I'm glad I dropped my lettermo letters in the mail over the weekend. They didn't go out yesterday because of the Federal holiday but they'll go out as soon as mail services can resume. Here's one I mailed.

I never did post my final scissors, did I? Here's my final of Jane's TIAS.

As you can tell, I ran of thread on one shuttle. I had enough to finish, and that is what is important. I used what was left on the other to make a Barbara H heart.

By the way, the Japanese heart I've been doing, is about the size of a US quarter in size 20 Lizbeth. 

Saturday, we played Mermaid Adventures again. The narrator says he needs to work on his plots, as we've had some kind of chase scene every adventure. His daughter's character is made for combat, with high body, tough, lucky, and fast swimmer.

For Valentine's Day present, I gave my SO a grater to replace one we had accidentally ruined, the measuring cover part anyway. Then we found out he can get a replacement cover for $.25. Oh well. It's the thought that counts?

RolePlaying Game with a child and the rest of my week

Saturday, we played Mermaid Adventures. Our last game was two years ago, much to M's frustration. It was up to her dad to schedule the game and the time passed faster than he had realized. Don't tell M, I'd lost my character sheet and had to make up my octopus spell caster again. M has been wanting to 'play games with Daddy' since she was four. R and I gave her child-focused RPGs for Christmas before she turned 6. She decided she wanted to play Mermaid Adventures. We played two years ago and she really enjoyed it. She enjoyed Saturday's game, too. We may have gotten her bitten by the RPG bug.

I've lost my tatting; both the bracelet I'd finished tatting and my TIAS up to Day 5. Jane has up to Day 7 out and I'm behind. Again.

I'm tatting a heart from a Japanese webpage to keep my tatting fingers busy in the meantime. I'm using Lizbeth seashell in size 20.

My car has been back into and out of the shop again. Maybe this will keep it out for a few months. I would really like to have a fully functioning car for awhile.

I've been playing Pathfinder Online. It's still early enrollment. I've discovered a problem with their graphics. It gives me a headache after a couple hours. And then, while in my character's home town, crafting, three players came up and killed my character. And the local guard (NPC) did nothing. I have no reason to go back into the game. I was just starting to figure out how to fight and how to craft. If it had happened outside a settlement, well, travel is risky. It will take some serious convincing to get me to play again.

Monday, I read someone's blog post about their first troll. And that getting a negative comment on their blog meant their audience had spread, beyond their 'comfort zone'. And that they had expressed an opinion, strongly enough, it grated on someone. It's rather like Jim C. Hines essay about the value of a negative review on his books. I've never gotten a negative comment on my blog. That's because this is a journal rather than an opinion piece.