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damontJulia (of ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
sue_n_julia) was in town a couple of weeks ago, and we had the good fortune of eating dinner with her while she was here. I hear she's safely driven cross-continent to visit her folks for the holidays; I wish her (and Vandal) a safe trip back out West when the time comes.
It was nice to seegorgeousgary and the_sheryl on Saturday evening at Gary's birthday housefilk, along with katrinb and thelongshot (and their kid), starmalachite and stevemb, museinred and stevezeve (who arrived *after* I did!), and another Dave from GA who's on temporary assignment in the FedroSplat. (I gave him a ride back to the Metro when the party broke up.) It's too bad that [a] I don't have a portable enough keyboard and [b] I suck on guitar; my singing was, of necessity, unoccupied. someday I'll have enough time to rehearse cadhla's "Evil Laugh" with someone so we can do it at a filksing.
Mostly it's been a very somber December though; too many friends are going through very serious loss. One close friend (whom I've known almost 20 years) just lost her father this week, and I found out about that just minutes after first hearing the bad news about Roana (not Rowan or Rowen or Rowena ordevreux, yes I know at least half a dozen people with similar SCA names in this range). That's on top of everything else, including at least three miscarriages, other deaths, hospitalizations, and unsettling medical news. As a bunch of us said on Wednesday night -- "Memo to Universe: CUT IT THE &^%$#@! OUT ALREADY!" I think Janina said it best; like her, I'm running low on cope. So I'm finding it difficult to get into the spirit of the season, as 'twere, and it's why I don't have much to say by way of updates. (I do have a couple of amusing old-timey computer stories involving punchcards that I might be persuaded to post.)
If you have something for all of us here to pray (or otherwise give support) for, or especially if you have a happier story to share with us, please do!
I was out of town, and offline for the most part, Wednesday evening and all of Thursday. I went to the Wednesday night gathering in Bowie, and then straight to the Northern Neck to crash. Thursday morning, my optometrist (who's down thataway) confirmed that yes, I do indeed still have eyes. I then *finally* found fresh rubber for my windshield wipers that fits (well, only sort of, but well enough). I am still annoyed enough that I intend to track down *some* place that sells the refills that actually fit just right... but these were good enough that the van passed inspection on Thursday afternoon. Yay! I then helpedayrfield make eggnog and other holiday preparations, before heading home in what the radio was calling "patchy fog" the entire time I was on the road. "Patchy" my gluteus maximus. More like "constant fog with thickness ranging from 'somewhat impaired visibility' to 'you sure that's a traffic light there?'..." I've had worse trips before, but this one really did take an annoyingly long time to complete.
The weather looks like it's going to do a number on us again this weekend; we should have no trouble getting down *to* Richmond on Saturday, and it'll probably just rain down there all weekend, but getting home could prove a little *too* quaint and picturesque. OTOH, if we were going to Bhakail Yule, getting home would probably go beyond Q+P to "fun and festive"... please folks, everyone have safe travels this weekend no matter where you're going!
And on that note, what does your weekend look like?
sue_n_julia) was in town a couple of weeks ago, and we had the good fortune of eating dinner with her while she was here. I hear she's safely driven cross-continent to visit her folks for the holidays; I wish her (and Vandal) a safe trip back out West when the time comes.It was nice to see
gorgeousgary and the_sheryl on Saturday evening at Gary's birthday housefilk, along with katrinb and thelongshot (and their kid), starmalachite and stevemb, museinred and stevezeve (who arrived *after* I did!), and another Dave from GA who's on temporary assignment in the FedroSplat. (I gave him a ride back to the Metro when the party broke up.) It's too bad that [a] I don't have a portable enough keyboard and [b] I suck on guitar; my singing was, of necessity, unoccupied. someday I'll have enough time to rehearse cadhla's "Evil Laugh" with someone so we can do it at a filksing.Mostly it's been a very somber December though; too many friends are going through very serious loss. One close friend (whom I've known almost 20 years) just lost her father this week, and I found out about that just minutes after first hearing the bad news about Roana (not Rowan or Rowen or Rowena or
devreux, yes I know at least half a dozen people with similar SCA names in this range). That's on top of everything else, including at least three miscarriages, other deaths, hospitalizations, and unsettling medical news. As a bunch of us said on Wednesday night -- "Memo to Universe: CUT IT THE &^%$#@! OUT ALREADY!" I think Janina said it best; like her, I'm running low on cope. So I'm finding it difficult to get into the spirit of the season, as 'twere, and it's why I don't have much to say by way of updates. (I do have a couple of amusing old-timey computer stories involving punchcards that I might be persuaded to post.)If you have something for all of us here to pray (or otherwise give support) for, or especially if you have a happier story to share with us, please do!
I was out of town, and offline for the most part, Wednesday evening and all of Thursday. I went to the Wednesday night gathering in Bowie, and then straight to the Northern Neck to crash. Thursday morning, my optometrist (who's down thataway) confirmed that yes, I do indeed still have eyes. I then *finally* found fresh rubber for my windshield wipers that fits (well, only sort of, but well enough). I am still annoyed enough that I intend to track down *some* place that sells the refills that actually fit just right... but these were good enough that the van passed inspection on Thursday afternoon. Yay! I then helped
ayrfield make eggnog and other holiday preparations, before heading home in what the radio was calling "patchy fog" the entire time I was on the road. "Patchy" my gluteus maximus. More like "constant fog with thickness ranging from 'somewhat impaired visibility' to 'you sure that's a traffic light there?'..." I've had worse trips before, but this one really did take an annoyingly long time to complete.The weather looks like it's going to do a number on us again this weekend; we should have no trouble getting down *to* Richmond on Saturday, and it'll probably just rain down there all weekend, but getting home could prove a little *too* quaint and picturesque. OTOH, if we were going to Bhakail Yule, getting home would probably go beyond Q+P to "fun and festive"... please folks, everyone have safe travels this weekend no matter where you're going!
And on that note, what does your weekend look like?
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no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 03:14 pm (UTC)they need prayers, money, and more. that is where i learned to make the knotted rosaries i make for Lady Ro. they go through medical scanners.
they also always have listings of people who need prayers....
yeah, the universe needs to STOP with the garbage already....
no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 03:34 pm (UTC)I plan on daylight driving and taking care in the passes, that is for sure!
no subject
Date: 2007-12-14 04:03 pm (UTC)(I feel like his appearance is one of the few bright spots in this entire year, so I understand where you're coming from.)
no subject
Date: 2007-12-15 04:05 am (UTC)*Hugs*
Date: 2007-12-14 07:14 pm (UTC)Re: *Hugs*
Date: 2007-12-15 04:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-12-15 02:19 am (UTC)Funny you should mention that. I've been meaning to learn that too. (And may have to, for Boskone...we'll see what she might want me to do, since I was one of the folks who offered to be trained guitarist)
Great seeing you last weekend!
no subject
Date: 2007-12-15 04:15 am (UTC)It was good seeing you last weekend too! Thanks for having us!