July's Downs and Ups
Like the label says, the month of July had its downs and ups:
A Down: Fourth of July weekend: Local fireworks were held on Thursday the 3rd. Which was all right, except for the neighbors shooting off in the street... not just firecrackers, but full- fledged-bought-at-a-stand-near-the-grocery-store-cannon-loud fireworks. Beldandy was okay, but poor Jethro was a nervous wreck -- so much so, that the poor shivering half-Chow not only crawled under computer desks to hide, but chewed through Daughter's stereo speaker wires AND SOSUKE's mouse-cord! (some of my long-time Highlander friends may recall me joking about Chani being jealous of the computer mouse, to the point where she'd try to bump it out of my hand when I was on-line, but she never went THAT far!). Same things Friday Night (minus the wire chewing). And, according to Daughter, Saturday night as well.
An UP (mostly): Husband and I went up to Woodstock to visit his aunt overnight on July 4th... we had a fun time, visited The Fold and dropped $100 on handspun & dyed wool yarn (still haven't found a project worthy!), ate so-so steaks at a Wild West-themed restaurant and grill (supposedly there were Buffalo rides! Turned out to be a mechanical stuffed Buffalo, for kids only.... DRAT! I've ridden mules, elephants and camels; I wanted to add buffalo to my collection of exotica!), visited an old steel foundry-turned-artistic showcase (WOW!).... then came home on Sunday with new stereo wires for Daughter, new mouse w/cord for us, and the most delish organic peaches from Trader Joe's -- only to be greeted by MORE street fireworks that evening!!! Argh!!!
Definite UP: Eric Stuart at Anime-ZING!(July 11-13): Everything good that frenziedpanda7 said about the man a few years back is true and more -- friendly, entertaining, funny, informative -- and that was just in the panels. His concert on Saturday night was incredible! I just wish he'd had a larger crowd for it... and I still feel it was incredibly rude of the convention hall staff to be removing the extra chairs WHILE Eric was performing. oddyssia is now a believer, she bought one of Eric's CDs right after the concert (she'd bought another earlier in the Dealer's Hall). The man is AWESOME! He even complimented me on my Ryou Bakura costume... I gave him a can of corn on Saturday because he mentioned that he'd flown into Iowa Friday and had yet to see any corn! He even took a selfie with the can! and mentioned at the Sunday morning panel that he'd eaten it and it was delicious! (said he didn't want to try explaining a can of corn in his luggage to airport security, LOL). He shared so many funny and touching anecdotes about voice acting, and his music, and life in both Brooklyn and Nashville. Any convention that invites Eric to attend definitely gets their money's worth! Any fan who attends a convention with Eric Stuart as a guest will DEFINITELY get their money's worth.... and more!
Daughter's HomeStuck Cosplay was spectacular.... and she also made my Ryou Bakura shirt (I found a perfect pair of jeans at WalCart but they didn't have the shoe size I needed -- *le sigh*), AND a Millenium Ring!!! I decided NOT to try styling the wig, and it worked okay as was.
Slight Down:Daughter wants to go to an anime convention in Wisconsin in November... which I would be okay with doing, except that it's the weekend before TARDIS-CON, which I already have a membership for; they do NOT do refunds or rollovers to the next year, and I cannot afford two expensive conventions (membership/hotels/travel/food) in a row. (Daughter still does not have a job). TARDIS-CON will allow a membership exchange, IF I can find someone willing to purchase my weekend general membership. I don't have a room reservation yet, so if I blow off TARDIS-CON I will only be out $85 or there-abouts. And to be honest, I'm not that thrilled with the GUESTS this year. TARDIS-CON has sort of lost its appeal, I think; the only reason to go anymore is to maybe spend some time with neadods. *more le sigh*
Bit of a Down: Last Saturday (July 26) was Dad's internment in the family plot in DeKalb. Long drive, had to get up EARLY, because the cemetery wanted us to be finished by 10!!! Hope Dad didn't mind us using the Presbyterian version of the 23rd Psalm (slightly modernized rendition). Texas contingent was there, Younger sister and her SO came also (wasn't sure if they would come, as she and Mom had words earlier in the week, oddyssia, and Mom. I'd found copies of mine and Daughter's High School yearbook pictures, and oddyssia brought an Angel-Class MAGIC card to bury with the ashes. It went pretty well, lots of hugging and crying (as to be expected) and Mom did a brief 'Family History' tour of the cemetery - mostly the Swedish ancestors). Then we took a brief tour through town, past my grandparent's house where Mom grew up (and oddyssia and I would sometimes spend a week visiting when we were children -- the iron posts Grandpa installed in the back yard almost 50 years ago for swings are still there!), the house grandma owned that is now a County Historic Site (because of its age and architecture), a pioneer cemetery with more ancestors, and finally a drive through the NIU campus (Mom attended before Northwestern, and oddyssia briefly pursued a post-Graduate degree). Then back to Mom's house for lunch and family conversation. Da Niece has her Driver's License and has recently re-discovered anime/Manga; Da Nephew has been invited to join an advanced High School Jazz Band Ensemble -- guess I have a few ideas for birthday/Christmas prezzies now.
A Downer: Beldandy has ringworm. We have to give her anti-fungal baths twice a week which she DOES NOT WANT!!! Jethro has also received preventative baths, which make him unhappy as well. The Chow squabbling has reached an all-time high this past week.
I hope August is better.
A Down: Fourth of July weekend: Local fireworks were held on Thursday the 3rd. Which was all right, except for the neighbors shooting off in the street... not just firecrackers, but full- fledged-bought-at-a-stand-near-the-grocery-store-cannon-loud fireworks. Beldandy was okay, but poor Jethro was a nervous wreck -- so much so, that the poor shivering half-Chow not only crawled under computer desks to hide, but chewed through Daughter's stereo speaker wires AND SOSUKE's mouse-cord! (some of my long-time Highlander friends may recall me joking about Chani being jealous of the computer mouse, to the point where she'd try to bump it out of my hand when I was on-line, but she never went THAT far!). Same things Friday Night (minus the wire chewing). And, according to Daughter, Saturday night as well.
An UP (mostly): Husband and I went up to Woodstock to visit his aunt overnight on July 4th... we had a fun time, visited The Fold and dropped $100 on handspun & dyed wool yarn (still haven't found a project worthy!), ate so-so steaks at a Wild West-themed restaurant and grill (supposedly there were Buffalo rides! Turned out to be a mechanical stuffed Buffalo, for kids only.... DRAT! I've ridden mules, elephants and camels; I wanted to add buffalo to my collection of exotica!), visited an old steel foundry-turned-artistic showcase (WOW!).... then came home on Sunday with new stereo wires for Daughter, new mouse w/cord for us, and the most delish organic peaches from Trader Joe's -- only to be greeted by MORE street fireworks that evening!!! Argh!!!
Definite UP: Eric Stuart at Anime-ZING!(July 11-13): Everything good that frenziedpanda7 said about the man a few years back is true and more -- friendly, entertaining, funny, informative -- and that was just in the panels. His concert on Saturday night was incredible! I just wish he'd had a larger crowd for it... and I still feel it was incredibly rude of the convention hall staff to be removing the extra chairs WHILE Eric was performing. oddyssia is now a believer, she bought one of Eric's CDs right after the concert (she'd bought another earlier in the Dealer's Hall). The man is AWESOME! He even complimented me on my Ryou Bakura costume... I gave him a can of corn on Saturday because he mentioned that he'd flown into Iowa Friday and had yet to see any corn! He even took a selfie with the can! and mentioned at the Sunday morning panel that he'd eaten it and it was delicious! (said he didn't want to try explaining a can of corn in his luggage to airport security, LOL). He shared so many funny and touching anecdotes about voice acting, and his music, and life in both Brooklyn and Nashville. Any convention that invites Eric to attend definitely gets their money's worth! Any fan who attends a convention with Eric Stuart as a guest will DEFINITELY get their money's worth.... and more!
Daughter's HomeStuck Cosplay was spectacular.... and she also made my Ryou Bakura shirt (I found a perfect pair of jeans at WalCart but they didn't have the shoe size I needed -- *le sigh*), AND a Millenium Ring!!! I decided NOT to try styling the wig, and it worked okay as was.
Slight Down:Daughter wants to go to an anime convention in Wisconsin in November... which I would be okay with doing, except that it's the weekend before TARDIS-CON, which I already have a membership for; they do NOT do refunds or rollovers to the next year, and I cannot afford two expensive conventions (membership/hotels/travel/food) in a row. (Daughter still does not have a job). TARDIS-CON will allow a membership exchange, IF I can find someone willing to purchase my weekend general membership. I don't have a room reservation yet, so if I blow off TARDIS-CON I will only be out $85 or there-abouts. And to be honest, I'm not that thrilled with the GUESTS this year. TARDIS-CON has sort of lost its appeal, I think; the only reason to go anymore is to maybe spend some time with neadods. *more le sigh*
Bit of a Down: Last Saturday (July 26) was Dad's internment in the family plot in DeKalb. Long drive, had to get up EARLY, because the cemetery wanted us to be finished by 10!!! Hope Dad didn't mind us using the Presbyterian version of the 23rd Psalm (slightly modernized rendition). Texas contingent was there, Younger sister and her SO came also (wasn't sure if they would come, as she and Mom had words earlier in the week, oddyssia, and Mom. I'd found copies of mine and Daughter's High School yearbook pictures, and oddyssia brought an Angel-Class MAGIC card to bury with the ashes. It went pretty well, lots of hugging and crying (as to be expected) and Mom did a brief 'Family History' tour of the cemetery - mostly the Swedish ancestors). Then we took a brief tour through town, past my grandparent's house where Mom grew up (and oddyssia and I would sometimes spend a week visiting when we were children -- the iron posts Grandpa installed in the back yard almost 50 years ago for swings are still there!), the house grandma owned that is now a County Historic Site (because of its age and architecture), a pioneer cemetery with more ancestors, and finally a drive through the NIU campus (Mom attended before Northwestern, and oddyssia briefly pursued a post-Graduate degree). Then back to Mom's house for lunch and family conversation. Da Niece has her Driver's License and has recently re-discovered anime/Manga; Da Nephew has been invited to join an advanced High School Jazz Band Ensemble -- guess I have a few ideas for birthday/Christmas prezzies now.
A Downer: Beldandy has ringworm. We have to give her anti-fungal baths twice a week which she DOES NOT WANT!!! Jethro has also received preventative baths, which make him unhappy as well. The Chow squabbling has reached an all-time high this past week.
I hope August is better.