Day: August 5, 2011

Sometimes the Timing is Just Right

By / August 5, 2011 / 1 Comment

Howard went off to GenCon and I had a few days where I was done with GenCon planning and not yet into the urgent pre-WorldCon scramble. The kids needed and outing, so we went to the zoo.

We arrived just as some of the early arrivers were leaving for lunch, and so we got a close parking space. We wandered in to the zoo where we found that the baby elephant was taking a bath. I snapped a picture just as she flapped her ears adorably.

We wandered onward to discover that the bird show was due to begin in just moments. We found seats near the front. They weren’t shaded, but when the ranger asked everyone to scoot in, we scooted right into the shade. The bird Show was amazing and I had a couple of perfectly timed shots.

We walked out of the bird show to discover that the carousel had no line. We all found animals to ride, except Link who declared his disinterest in the whole thing with a particularly 13-year-old-boy tone. He elected to sit on one of the carousel benches. I told him to make sure he rolled his eyes a lot as we went round.

We wandered up the hill and had lunch at uncrowded tables because everyone else had already eaten by then. As we were ordering lunch a woman came up to me. She was a Schlock Mercenary fan and recognized me from a presentation I gave at LTUE last February. After lunch, we happened into the small animal house just as they were feeding many of the small animals. This meant that the animals were active and cute rather than sleeping. There we met the Cheshire Cat.

The sign said “Sand Cat” but I know that face. He blinked at us in a very impressive and knowing way.

We exited the zoo just as rush hour was headed into it’s peak. Traffic was heavy all the way home, but despite the truly impressive construction zones we had to traverse, there were no serious traffic blockages. Home was calm and welcoming. Howard called and we talked for a good thirty minutes about the convention and the zoo. Then we wished each other a Happy Anniversary. All is as it should be.

Promises

By / August 5, 2011 / 2 Comments

The fabric was cut and folded neatly, ready to be sewn. When it was done it would be a fairy dress, floaty and beautiful to match the dreams of a young girl who fell in love with a picture on a pattern in the craft store. Gleek clutched that pattern and begged with big brown eyes. I couldn’t say no. Then we raided our fabric stash at home and found the pieces we needed. All was ready and waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Other sewing bits got piled on top as I occasionally rummaged in my sewing box to make various emergency repairs. Mostly the sewing box resided in the closet with the cut fabric hidden inside. Life marched on. One Halloween passed, then another. The dream dress was mostly forgotten, except every so often when the Gleek would remember and remind me. I would sigh and carefully not promise exactly when the dress would be done. Promises matter. I don’t want to break them. Yet the cut pieces of fabric were like a promise. They were a task incomplete.

Another dress was dreamed of. This time it was mine. I bought an out of date dress and had grand plans to re-make it into something lovely. Stolen minutes went into the measuring and cutting of bright chiffon. Time came to hem and I dusted off my sewing machine. I pulled out my sewing box of supplies. The pieces of that previous dream dress were there. My dress needed to be done within a week. It made sense to work on it first. The project with a deadline takes precedence. Yet my kids so often must be patient when I have a project. They spent the summer at home instead of with lessons and trips because I needed the calendar to be empty. They foraged for their own meals far more often than I want to confess. My kids must wait on me for permission and for most of their dreams. Gleek’s dress had been waiting on me for two years. I put aside my bright chiffon and finished a fairy dress for my daughter to dance in. She looked beautiful.