Almost time....

Map of NC/SC has been acquired. Triptik from AAA has arrived. Car is empty. Clothes are packed. I did my tatting homework (loading shuttles and beads) as almost the last thing. I am missing 2 things; a button and some felt.

With four people in the car, I'm having to choose what to take instead of just dumping an assortment of tatting thread and beads into a bag. However, I have 3 bags (plus) instead of two. One bag is clothes, one is for tatting and one is my purse. It's a good sized purse and I could carry it on my lap. Except I'm driving. The plus is a couple bags of tins, plus a bag for "The Poncho" and decoy. Oh, I just remembered, my item for the white elephant swap. I have it wrapped (yay, gift bags), but I need to make sure it makes it to the car.

I modeled it after I won last year

It was pouring down rain last night so I waited until this morning to pack my car. I packed in the basement (more room to spread out my threads and supplies) and I went out the back door. Shockingly, after the rain last night, the grass is very wet. My sandals have no traction. Fwump! Full face plant. My hands and knees are a little sore and my jeans are damp. I'm waiting for my sandals to dry before I put them back into my suitcase (as secondary shoes).

I went to the dentist last week and to give myself something to take my mind off my mouth, I tatted. I pulled out size 10 thread, loaded 3 bobbins, and tatted flowers. Here's one bundle of the ones I made.

I mailed my Dad's birthday present and it arrived the same day they got home. He didn't have that DVD (marines in WWII) so he seemed please. His birthday is not until this weekend but he opened it early.

I have Anitra's present. I found another "lace" covered journal for her. Actually, I found a small sketchbook and a journal. I also found the tiny beads my Aunt Dot gave me. They're smaller than what I commonly use, but Anitra uses that size.

I painted my nails. My throat was a little sore last night, so I was sucking on a cough drop. I wanted to wait until I finished it before I went to sleep. My finger and toenails are now silver glittery. Too bad one thumb nail decided to tear off, almost to the quick. My nails were decent before that. Oh well.

Gosh, it's hot

I made my supervisor very happy on Friday. He asked for my help with a spreadsheet. It wasn't hard, just tedious and time consuming. I managed to get it done before I left on Friday. I wasn't at work yesterday, so I wanted it done and not have it waiting for me when I got back.

Rose after a thunderstorm

Survived the storm

Saturday, CD, RG and I drove north to Maryland. The drive up was horrendous. The 5 plus hour drive took about 7 or 8 hours. That included a heavy storm, one so dark I couldn't read at 3 pm in the afternoon. It also included stop and roll traffic from Richmond to DC. Ugh.

On the bright side, I finished my edging and got it sewn onto my wrap. It looks..fabulous. I need to get a good picture of it.

Left is almost new ball of thread, right is the one used for edging, started new

Our friends MM and B were having a 'meet our babies' picnic on Sunday. B's sisters organized it. They did a great job, food, decorations, drinks, etc. The only problem was one they couldn't control; the weather. It was hotter'n Hades on Sunday. We were under a shelter, so we had shade at least. There was an occasional, welcome breeze. I wore my lightest weight skirt and wielded my fan. The twins are a couple months old now and quite adorable. RG spent most of the picnic holding Baby D.

After the picnic, we joined MM and B for supper. I helped B by feeding Baby C. I was somewhat alarmed because MM just told me what to do (here's their bottles if they need to be fed, here's the musical mobile) and then LEFT ME! Lucky, B came to my rescue. She showed me how to hold them and I fed Baby C and burped her as she went to sleep and B fed Baby D until she went to sleep, after burping.

We had a great supper and conversation. B made one of her wonderful pies. It was a fresh berry pie, with the berries just picked the day before. She made the whipped cream with honey and marscipone. Oh so tasty!

We drove home on Monday. It wasn't quite as bad but it still took some time. The book I'd packed to read in the car on the way disappointed me. We had to stop for a bathroom break and luckily the place was one of those old fashioned trucker stops, small restaurant, etc and had a rack of used books for sale. I saw an entertaining one and read it on the way home.

Back home at last and then back to work this morning. It was absolutely roasting still. I had to walk to a meeting and took my parasol. It helped.

Next weekend, it's Fantasy Gamer Conclave! I need to go by and print out the pregen characters for Silverhex Chronicles.

I've finished tatting another two bracelets and started a third one.