Aftermath (Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival) - picture heavy

Autumn Breeze and I had our date night Tuesday and we decided what to do for our trip. She's been the recipient of some culls and purges recently so she wasn't looking for much. Still, it's a good idea to get an idea of trends, etc.

it's a caterpillar, very fuzzy

Thursday, the Deadlands GM revealed he thinks we're coming to the end of the game. He's not certain how many sessions, somewhere between 2 and 20. The question, what to play next? At this point, he's torn between Dresden Files and Blue Rose. Dresden Files is a Fate game and thanks to the Shadows of the Century game I ran, SR is familiar with it. Blue Rose is a new (to us) system, but it's romantic fantasy (think Mercedes Lackey or Diane Duane or Tamora Pearce).

coloring at lunch

Friday morning, I packed up my clothes, etc. I grabbed my sock loom and a skein of yarn, my Loom Knitting Primer, some tatting supplies, and some coloring pages (in case I had some time to do so). One of my friends called as I was packing and put me half hour behind. Autumn Breeze was running behind, too but we were on the road in a fairly timely manner.

We took secondary highways so it was a scenic trip. I was missing sleep so I took a nap part of the way. And I found out my yarn was the wrong size for the loom, so no knitting. The primer is really good though. Autumn Breeze had given me some red linen thread so I tatted a heart for her. She wants a bracelet from the same thread.

we stopped at a roadside produce store

Saturday, we had breakfast at the hotel and then off to the festival. I had my Ravelry pin but didn't see any names I recognized. It's a big festival after all.
This is where we parked on Saturday.

We were really close the drive/road farthest from the gate.

More scenes from the Festival

his shawl is FAB, he's working on the pattern

There were so many lovely handknits, hand crochets, and woven garments.

shorn alpaca

so cute

French bunnies

sheep!

He has horns

not sure of the breed, but cute

unshorn alpaca

Here are a few purchases; the dk yarn (wool/cotton blend) to use with my sock loom.We ended up spending most of Saturday (in the cold and wet) at the auction. She bought 4 looms, and this is one is with a 2-liter bottle for size comparison. Mom said she wanted to buy something for me, so I got this tunic.

On the way we saw this car. I think it's been in an accident.

And today, this arrived. Yay!

Yes, It was a very nasty cold

And I was pretty wiped out for the week. I'm still coughing occasionally and last week I had a lot of trouble sleeping.

 Here are both the ice drops in size 10 Spice Cake

There was a fire alarm at work, while I was at lunch. So I went to the stress relief snack time at the nearby store. I colored two pages.

 this broken root reminds me of something. If could just remember what.

 Yarn bomb!

I'm in the Employee Forum again, for a one-year appointment. The next meeting is tomorrow. On Friday, I leave for Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.

Mom and I had to sign some papers for stuff so I went to see her last Friday to get them done. Then we did some shopping and generally spent time together. I still can't get her DVD player to work.

Happy Passover or Easter or if you don't celebrate either, happy weekend

I worked on a couple more ice drops in the size 10 thread.

I also started coughing. I thought it was pollen or nearby brushfires. No, I have a cold. It started hitting Friday afternoon (while I was doing mom's taxes) and then really hit hard over the weekend. I did get mom's taxes done, not without some stress and headaches, but done.

I even got the paperwork in the mail today. I went into work long enough yesterday and today to get some time sensitive work done. Then home and rest. Although the coughing keeps interfering. 

Another week, another tatting demo

I just wish I'd gotten more pictures. On Saturday, the Triangle Tatters, aka Tri-Tatters, were invited to demo at an independent living facility. They fed lunch to four of us (the ones who RSVP'd) and it was delicious.

After, we sat at tables in their activity room and showed off tatting and examples of tatting and ooh'ed and ahh'd over the tatted collar and pillowcase edging one of the residents brought. I took pictures of that, you betcha.

I started a ring in thread to match my turtle earrings, etc but I didn't load enough thread and ran out 3/4 the way through. Rather than load more thread, I gave up on the ring, temporarily. Instead, I emptied my shuttle by making a couple hearts. I gave one to the lady who showed her tatting to us and the other to the woman who sat next to me, patiently listening to me tell her about tatting.

I also started another ice drop. However, it turned out I'd picked up a ball of size 10 to work with. I had to adjust it a bit and I didn't load enough thread onto the shuttle. On the other hand, it only lacks a final chain and a hanging loop. It still looks good.

Thursday's game was cancelled; the GM had deadlines at work. And Friday, I took a few hours off to get my mom's taxes done.

Alas, it turned out she donated so much she topped their 'non-cash donations' limit on what they feel confident about handling. It was very disappointing, mostly because I'd spent so much time getting the materials together. But they don't charge for the service, so I shan't look a gift horse in the mouth (I'm not Greek or Trojan, so I feel safe about that).

The NC Natural and Cultural Resources is doing a project about NC and WWI, since it's the centennial of WWI. On Tuesday, there was this little tidbit about Cherokee 'codetalkers' at the Somme Offensive.

May Change to Posting on Wednesday

Anyone care? I didn't think so.

packaging for wireless mouse, why does it have space for the cord?

While I was at NCRL Day

more advertising the event

On Thursday, they were doing the reading of the Holocaust names in The Pit. I can never listen for long, unless I feel like having a painful cry.

I finished the bracelet for the door prize for North Carolina Regional Lace Day. But I forgot to take a picture. Shame, it's pretty. And they had so many door prizes, not all of them were handed out and they're saving them for next year. Both the ones I provided (bracelet and a crocheted bag by my mom) will be seen next year. I guess.

 I showed up early so I could add the hearts I made to the goodie bags. Instead, I put them out on the table so people could pick up their own. I took Carolyn Kotlas's bling your shuttle class. We put decoupaged origami paper on plastic shuttles. These are the two I did.

I also made a few purchases. I bought some thread (of course), a couple of lovely shuttles, and a few books.

in hardback, even

this started very small and has almost died several times

I'm getting someone else to do my taxes this year. One less stress for me. I'm getting the same people to do my mom's. Although I had to gather all of her documents, first. Including her driver license, which was in Greensboro. That was a trip. Literally.

I had a lovely evening with CC. I was up too late afterward, though.

Oh, and my alma mater won a sportsball thing. Ya know, if anyone's interested. Yes, I will get a polo shirt if I can find a nice looking one.

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.

Happy Spring Equinox, etc

DR's party on Saturday was fun. His house is a little small (hey, one guy, how much room does he need?) so he rents a picnic shelter at a local park and has a potluck. Everyone brings their one main dish and then share sides and desserts.

CD started prepping Thursday night. He began marinading the chicken breasts. Saturday morning he made the barbecue sauce, meatballs, and got the corn on the cob ready. Alas, his dessert attempt was not successful (we ended up getting a dozen doughnuts from Dunkin Donuts).

On the way there, it was cold. It was raining. It was not looking good. It did stop raining by the time we got to the park. We met DR's aunt and uncle visiting from Wisconsin, I think. Lovely people. We all chatted and had a good time. The food was delicious. I love CD's honey barbecue sauce. SO YUMMY! The leftovers did not last the weekend.

I took more pictures but I don't have permission to post pictures of people, so y'all miss out. I didn't even get pictures of the Canadian geese grazing nearby.

By the time we were packing up, the day had turned quite lovely. The sun came out and the temperature went up to comfortable.

I finished the red bracelet but I haven't taken pictures yet. I may end up giving to NCRL for a door prize.

I've done more coloring. And took pictures of the pages.

Yesterday was the spring equinox for the northern hemisphere. Now the days will be longer than the nights. Of course, we've already had most of our blooms.

Depression, I Haz It (and do not want it)

There was a bead show locally this past weekend. I made it as far as my porch on Sunday. At least I got some laundry done. Oh, and I wound the rest of my buffboo yarn. I've even picked out the pattern. I just need to brace myself (review the crochet cast on) and get started. It's really the small victories, I guess.

plum flowers?

I think the Duke Power thing is finally straight. Or at least, they finally got my POA in her file. It was 'in the wrong place.' It was suddenly discovered when I asked to speak to a supervisor. I don't know if that's true or what, but I'm still pissed about it.

Still haven't found Carry's present. She didn't want the knitting needles I picked up somewhere, because she doesn't use that kind. I showed her my cable knitting. She noted the cable went odd at the end, until I told her the last two were deliberately in the other direction.

Here are some of the calendar pages I've colored.

I'm working on another bracelet; varied red with the 2-hole seed beads. I don't have any pictures. However, here is my turtle earrings, ice drop pendant, and bracelet set, with designer names.

Deadlands game is ongoing. We're discussing using a shared google doc for the game notes. Right now, I talk all the notes and SR fills in when I'm not there, or can't notes for some reason. I try to take them in the 'voice' of my character but it's hard when I'm covering stuff she's not there for.

It snowed Sunday morning. It was gone by 2 pm. I didn't get any pictures but it was powdered sugar snow (looked like someone had dusted the ground).

Mothers and other matters

My mom's short term memory is still very bad. One of her therapists suggested getting her a tablet or the like for intellectual stimulation. I ordered a Kindle Fire for her and got it connected and downloaded a few things for her; a few books (yay for free books) and some games. Then I took a little notebook and wrote down how to operate the Kindle.

Enjoy some flowers, just because

When I saw Mom on Saturday, I showed her how to use it, but of course, she forgot. And she can't find the little book I started writing in. I called her today and walked her through turning it on and opening the book she wanted. May I say, 'thank you Kindle for being fairly simple.' If it had been complex, I could not have handled it over the phone.

By the way, the Duke Power thing still isn't straightened out. Yesterday makes my 3rd attempt to get the POA on my mom's file. I am really not happy with them. At least she's no longer paying the power bill for a place she's not living. 

Tomorrow is International Women's Day. I can't take the day off, but I can wear red. And I will. And if you are seeing this today (Tuesday - I hope to post it at lunch), Kiva is offering a free trial. I think today is the last day. To give you an idea how well it works, I've deposited about $150 dollars for Kiva loans. I've loaned out $680 dollars. Kiva makes money available to local lending institutions, who lend the money at lower rates, the borrower repays the loan, the lending institution keeps the interest and returns the capital to Kiva, who returns the money to my 'bank'. I can withdraw or loan it out again. Obviously, I loan it out again. Sometimes, I also make a donation to Kiva to help with their operating costs.

Tonight is my date with Carry. I still can't find the present I bought for her. I took it out of the car because I was worried about breakage. What did I do with it?

I finished the loom knit cable. I did cables in the opposite direction for the last two, just for practice. I also went ahead and bought a couple cable needles.

I've been playing with my coloring page of the day calendar. I have at least 2 or 3 that are partially colored, but I can't find them.

US POLITICS AHEAD
I swear, it's like lawmakers aren't even pretending to be serving the people. They're serving the corporations, or whoever has the deepest pockets (see the latest health care bill where a HEALTH INSURANCE company collects the penalties someone pays for being uninsured).