Do you know how LONG it takes to download around 200 pictures off your camera and load about 90 of them to photobucket? I'm still downloading mum's collection to my computer and there are about 100 on that one.
At Walgreens, we got about 160 prints...some of them doubles...but they were the best of them.
I'm going to post SOME of the pics here...but for the most part if you want to look at them they will be
here. We got to Champaign a couple of hours early, travelling better than we expected. Unfortunately, our train was delayed....three times. We were supposed to board by 10:30. We ACTUALLY boarded around 2 am. My mum was dead on her feet...and we took FAR too much stuff on the train. It was quite a bit cramped...but we were so tired we didn't care by then. Probably the worst part about the waiting was the young mother waiting for the same train at the station. Not that I have anything against young mothers... This woman had 3 children under the age of 4. The 2 and the 4 year olds were running around willy nilly because she didn't bring anything for them to do. Then she just kept yelling at them and threatening to beat them (and it sounded serious). She spent most of her time trying to pick up a guy waiting for the same train...and talking on her cell about her "baby daddies" and far too much information for being in a room with strangers.
The train ride was ...interesting. I think if I hadn't been so nervous I would have slept better, but I found that I only slept a few hours before spending the rest of the day staring across the compartment at my mum. We watched some dvds on her laptop for a while...then I did some crochet....we talked...we dozed. Finally, around 7:00 pm we arrived in NOLA.
felis_felicis and
freakyartychick (and her dad) met us there shortly after and we went to dinner (after much convincing that we were NOT moving in with
freakyartychick and her fam). We passed a lovely (if short) evening with Jenn's family and Ann-Christin.
Thursday morning was bright and sunny as we packed up
freakyartychick's van and trekked back into NOLA. The ride was quite enjoyable and we got there safely just after noon. As we arrived I found
darkcrest right away in the lobby...and as we were checking in, I saw
mudblood428 in the lobby and probably would have killed her with the squee if I hadn't restrained myself (and she's just as gorgeous as ever). We got our luggage upstairs with the help of a wonderful bellhop who was very entertaining. I gathered my blankets for the gallery and made my way to registration. While I was questioning where to take my "art," I ran into
dragonsinger954 and there was more squeeage. After I turned in the blankets and
freakyartychick,
felis_felicis, and
lindal_2007 (mum) got signed in for the con, we decided to get a bite to eat.
As we were sitting in the Pelican Bar, I saw
alabastard,
alabastardragon, and
slytherin_echo across the lobby and pointed them out to
felis_felicis who was anxious to meet up with them. I cornered mudblood428 again to give her the gifties I had brought with me for her. I was rather excited when
alabastard,
alabastardragon and
slytherin_echo came to join us. We immediately fell into fun snarking between the Malfoys and the Weasleys.
I remembered belatedly that there was to be an informal meetup of the
hpcrafters_pr. But I couldn't remember where. So,
freakyartychick, mum and I ended up slurping Starbucks and I was working on some random project. I got asked if I could have my pic taken for some kind of scavenger hunt. Slowly all these people kept wandering in asking if this was where we were meeting for the craft meet up and I just kept shrugging saying I didn't know because I couldn't remember, but given that everyone was coming there, I guess it was so. *grin* I got a fun owl from
dragonsinger954 and
ofenjen and I was able to give them their bags. I met quite a few crafters but didn't catch everyone's name. I did get a lot of fun freebies from the very generous crafters. I ran into
mudblood428 again and met a few of the Spellcasters. And when I blurted that there was a piano on the third floor, I tricked V into going up there later and playing "Someone Else's Life" for me and mum. She was joined by
spoonjosh who did a lovely duet with her and they began working on a lovely new song called "The Easy Way." *raises eyebrows* How's that going, V?
We left there to have a wee moment to ourselves before dinner. Then we went down to dinner where every attendee got a free copy of HPOotP on audio cassette!!! W00t!!! Free loot!!! And at some point (can't remember if before or after dinner), V gave me AND mom and a few dozen other people a print of one of my ALL time (and mum's ALL TIME) favorite pieces of fanart. *dies* So when V mentioned she wanted to talk to the NBC people who were interviewing random people there, I went over to the guy as he finished one interview and told him he had to talk to V...because...well, he HAD to. Just after dinner,
freakyartychick pointed out Brian from Draco and the Malfoys at the front of the room. I nearly ran down half a dozen people to glomp him. I got the BEST hug from him. He asked about everyone he had met at the library. Then we got to watch a live Pottercast with lots of wizard rocking. We met Alex of the Remus Lupins and had our pics taken with him. What a cutie! And a HUGE flirt. I have to make him something. I think Jenn thought I had lost it when I got a massive fit of the giggles over the elfhats.
We finished up the night with some more talking and attending the first of the movie nights.
Okay, enough for now... have some pics...
lindal_2007 waiting for the train with our CARRYONS!!!
felis_felicis and
freakyartychick before dinner
mudblood428 being her generous self. :D
alabastard,
alabastardragon, and
slytherin_echo Me with Alex of the Remus Lupins. (I got kissed by him the next night...*tease*)
The gathered wizrockers of the Remus Lupins, Whompy, one of the Moaning Myrtles(?), the Parselmouths, and one of the DatMs.
And how could I forget the jam session after the podcast?
Okay, that's enough for now.
melora98 and
d_n_me94? See you tomorrow afternoon. :D
Hope all is well with the rest of you and that those of you who traveled to PR are home safely...or on your way there. *bows out of the room*
More stuff tomorrow. Don't want to overload you guys.
I missed you.