Ushicon 2006
Wet, wet, wet! At least, that's how it started out. The rain they'd been forecasting(promising) for us all week long decided to download in one, massive deluge on Sat., the first day we went(Ushicon is a three day event-Fri., Sat., and Sun.). Jess was all decked out in her "Terra" outfit, so I had to retrieve the golf umbrella from my truck so she could make the 10 foot walk from front door to passenger side with out smearing, melting, wilting, et.al. Still had to stop for money, so my left arm was soaked by the time I finished with the ATM. Good thing I always carry a towel with me. "Be Prepared!", the boy scouts always say.
Got into downtown Austin without encountering any rain induced pile-ups on 183 or 35, but had forgotten how to get into the Marriot parking garage; so had to go down two blocks(Austin, like Houston, has streets that alternate one-ways, pain in the royal butt), and circle back around. It's about that time my truck decides to start making a weird noise. Panicked right off the bat, thinking, "This thing is nearly 10 years old, seen a lot of miles, had $5,000 worth of repairs on it in the last year, must be the transmission", kind of moment; before I realized I had a flat. To which I responded, "F***! I've got a frikkin' flat!" Luckily, I was only one block from the Marriot. Pulled into the drive to the hotel, at which point the tire is making that, "ka-thud, ka-thud, ka-thud" noise, and people are pointing, and yelling, "Hey! You've got a flat!" Well, no duh! I get into the parking garage, and manage to make it up to the fourth level, which is still a covered level; and therefore out of the rain, saving my daughter from ...well, you know. I find a space, which really isn't a space; but I've got a flat, so screw parking protocol at this point; and I pull in. Sure enough, flatter than day old Asti. Call hubby, who asks if I still have the Allstate Roadside Assistance card, to which I thankfully, and joyfully, reply, "Yes!" Call them, get a fairly pleasant individual for 9 a.m. on a Sat., who takes my info, puts me on hold, and goes to call around to find someone to fix a flat on a Sat. morning at 9 a.m.
Dear daughter is freezing at this point(see previous post, and you'll understand why); so I send her into the hotel with some friends while I wait on my cell phone. Nice man comes back on to inform me that Road Runner Roadside Asst. will be there in approximately 30-35 mins. to fix my flat. I thank him, call hubby to let him know I'm okay, call Jess in lobby to let her know I'm okay, then get back in truck to wait. Of course, 10 mins. into my wait, I'm bored to tears, and kicking myself in the rear for not; at least, bringing along the L.A. Times crossword. But, the nice fix-it guy did show up in exactly 35 mins.!
I then had to go through the fun of calling hubby back to ask him where the "key" was to crank down the spare from underneath the truck bed. This process involved me climbing into the back seat of the truck, lifting the back seat up, removing a nut from the world's longest screw, and digging out the "key" from under a grease-coated, spare jack. I have never felt more like a girl in my entire life! BUT...the tire got changed, no charge!
So, once inside the hotel, my DD was mobbed by folks complimenting her on her outfit, and wanting to take her picture. And I was the toter of the backpack, and taker of pictures. Jess made some new friends; one of which lives in Victoria, where her grandparents live; so now she knows someone close to her age in that town. She also discovered why podiatrists in this country make so much money; as she wore boots with 3 inch heels for the very first time in her life. Poor thing's feet were so sore and swollen by the end of the day, she decided against dressing up for the second day.
Day two was spent just hanging out, finding an artist to draw Jess' alter-ego; which we have done every year, wandering the dealer's room, spending some money, and visiting with old friends from last year. We cleared out at 2:30 and came home exhausted, but happy!
Can't wait for next year!
Got into downtown Austin without encountering any rain induced pile-ups on 183 or 35, but had forgotten how to get into the Marriot parking garage; so had to go down two blocks(Austin, like Houston, has streets that alternate one-ways, pain in the royal butt), and circle back around. It's about that time my truck decides to start making a weird noise. Panicked right off the bat, thinking, "This thing is nearly 10 years old, seen a lot of miles, had $5,000 worth of repairs on it in the last year, must be the transmission", kind of moment; before I realized I had a flat. To which I responded, "F***! I've got a frikkin' flat!" Luckily, I was only one block from the Marriot. Pulled into the drive to the hotel, at which point the tire is making that, "ka-thud, ka-thud, ka-thud" noise, and people are pointing, and yelling, "Hey! You've got a flat!" Well, no duh! I get into the parking garage, and manage to make it up to the fourth level, which is still a covered level; and therefore out of the rain, saving my daughter from ...well, you know. I find a space, which really isn't a space; but I've got a flat, so screw parking protocol at this point; and I pull in. Sure enough, flatter than day old Asti. Call hubby, who asks if I still have the Allstate Roadside Assistance card, to which I thankfully, and joyfully, reply, "Yes!" Call them, get a fairly pleasant individual for 9 a.m. on a Sat., who takes my info, puts me on hold, and goes to call around to find someone to fix a flat on a Sat. morning at 9 a.m.
Dear daughter is freezing at this point(see previous post, and you'll understand why); so I send her into the hotel with some friends while I wait on my cell phone. Nice man comes back on to inform me that Road Runner Roadside Asst. will be there in approximately 30-35 mins. to fix my flat. I thank him, call hubby to let him know I'm okay, call Jess in lobby to let her know I'm okay, then get back in truck to wait. Of course, 10 mins. into my wait, I'm bored to tears, and kicking myself in the rear for not; at least, bringing along the L.A. Times crossword. But, the nice fix-it guy did show up in exactly 35 mins.!
I then had to go through the fun of calling hubby back to ask him where the "key" was to crank down the spare from underneath the truck bed. This process involved me climbing into the back seat of the truck, lifting the back seat up, removing a nut from the world's longest screw, and digging out the "key" from under a grease-coated, spare jack. I have never felt more like a girl in my entire life! BUT...the tire got changed, no charge!
So, once inside the hotel, my DD was mobbed by folks complimenting her on her outfit, and wanting to take her picture. And I was the toter of the backpack, and taker of pictures. Jess made some new friends; one of which lives in Victoria, where her grandparents live; so now she knows someone close to her age in that town. She also discovered why podiatrists in this country make so much money; as she wore boots with 3 inch heels for the very first time in her life. Poor thing's feet were so sore and swollen by the end of the day, she decided against dressing up for the second day.
Day two was spent just hanging out, finding an artist to draw Jess' alter-ego; which we have done every year, wandering the dealer's room, spending some money, and visiting with old friends from last year. We cleared out at 2:30 and came home exhausted, but happy!
Can't wait for next year!