Gen Con Wrap Up

I wasn’t as ambitious this year as I was last year and didn’t do a daily post for Gen Con. A lot of that was because things were a bit different for Jon and I this year. Not bad, but different, and we wanted to try to minimize things, which meant not taking a computer with us.

Other differences: minimal bag carrying, working part time for AEG, no digi-cam or cosplay photos, different hotel room and travel routes, and no food truck experiments. While generally these could be seen as minor differences, they did give us a slightly different Gen Con experience than in the past.

I’ve decided to break this post down into our Gen Con highlights and lowlights, complete with a few random pictures I was able to take with my phone.

Highlights:

1. Working for AEG – Fellow gamers might be familiar with AEG or Alderac Entertainment Group. They have a bunch of fun games, including Legend of the Five Rings, Trains, and Doomtown: Reloaded. This year, we had the opportunity to work part time for them. They are a great bunch of people, and it’s hard to go wrong when “work” means “teaching people to play new games.”

2. Playtesting – We made it a point to get in three playtests in the First Exposure Playtest Hall, one of our annual favorites. Basically, you pick a game that’s not yet out on the market, play it, and give the creators feedback. We did a board game, an RPG, and a miniatures game and had a blast trying out all of them. Jon and I could probably take one full day to do nothing more than playtest. Seriously.

Dream Heist was a blast…hope to buy this one when it comes on the market!

3. Swag – Volunteering has its perks, and we ended up bringing home a ton of games. On our last day there, we splurged a bit and bought a few things as well. It’s safe to say we have enough games to last us the rest of the year and beyond, including a new horror RPG for me to scare people with. Mwahahaha.

Game on!

4. Culinary finds – For various reasons, we didn’t end up trying any food trucks this year. After our initial annual splurge at The Ram, it was mostly Steak ‘N’ Shake for us, with two tasty exceptions. For breakfast one morning, we discovered a great restaurant called First Watch that served amazing food. We also found the part of the mall that houses Haagen-Dazs. So that was a thing that happened one evening.

5. Walking – We walked everywhere! We even took walks when we didn’t need to, and breaks were minimal. Instead of making Jon go back to the car if we needed something, I went with him. I’ve come a long way in five conventions, and considering how much better it makes the whole experience, it’s a good reminder to keep up the “training.”

Lowlights:

1. Hotel – Our regular hotel doubled their prices last year, so we booked another one that was more within what we were used to paying. Normally we get lucky with the cheap hotels, but the one we got this year was awful. It smelled funny, had a sad breakfast,  no soundproofing, and even though the staff was friendly, they weren’t super efficient or knowledgeable.

2. Traffic – Gen Con wasn’t the only thing going on last week and weekend. The Indiana State Fair was happening and Saturday brought a Colts pre-season game. Even though we got to the ICC early on Thursday, we stayed gridlocked for about a half hour and then had trouble finding parking, something we’ve never had an issue with before. Leaving the convention center on Saturday brought more gridlocked traffic among the sea of gamers and Colts fans.

3. Con crud – For the first time ever, I got sick after Gen Con. I started feeling it on the drive home on Sunday, and on Monday it was full blown grossness. It’s about four days later and I’m still feeling the effects of it, but I’m recuperating. Washing your hands religiously is a good thing, but sometimes the crud will find a way.

4. The drive – I normally love road trips and I love to drive, but this year the drive felt super long and uncomfortable. Our trip started with a few annoyances, like the gas station not being opened early enough for us to get a drink and Dunkin’ Donuts not having the mix needed for the drink I wanted. Later it got worse with stalled vehicles on the highway and rush hour traffic. I realize none of these are huge and most of them are to be expected, but they seemed more dramatic this year than they should have been.

However, we did stop and see the world’s largest wind chime again, and that was pretty awesome!

All in all, our fifth year at Gen Con was a success and we’re already looking forward to 2015.

A.

CITO Geocaching Event and Walking Club

In honor of Earth Day, Groundspeak and the geocaching community held a CITO weekend this past weekend. CITO stands for “Cache In, Trash Out,” and it’s a movement to encourage geocachers to help clean up the environment while we’re out searching for caches. Jon and I aren’t as good about CITO as we should be, but it’s something I’m aiming to improve on this year.

Souvenirs!

Anyone who participated in a CITO event earned a souvenir, so of course I couldn’t resist (I love my badges and rewards). Our local geocaching group was holding an event to clean up our section of adopted highway. We were up early and out the door and meeting everyone at 10:00 out at the scenic overlook. After visiting and eating a donut, we split into groups and each took a mile of highway. Luckily, things weren’t too gross, though I did almost fall in some mud once.

Our strategy was to drive along the side of the road and get out every few yards to pick up stuff. It seemed slow going when we both got out and walked a stretch, so we’d take turns getting out of the car and doing a section. It wasn’t bad at all! We came away with sore backs, but the fact that we completely rocked those bright orange clean up vests more than made up for it.

In other news, I finally took baby steps towards building a local walking club. I’m starting small with a Facebook group and friends. Eventually I’d like to reach out to people in the community, but I’d like to build a foundation and do some more research. Right now, it’s a good incentive to schedule walks and stick to them. If I know other people are expecting me, I’m more likely to get out there and move.

A.

Royal Bunny Tracs 5K

Today we walked the Royal Bunny Tracs 5k. This was our third 5k, but the last one we walked was about four years ago.  Considering how far I’ve come with walking in the past year, this was an exciting milestone for me.

This was a local event put on by Manhattan Running Company and the Kiwanis to raise money for foster kids to go to summer camps and participate in school year mentoring programs. The race started at 8:30 with registration opening at 7:30. We were there around 7:15. In hindsight, we probably could have slept in a little, but I like to be prepared and ready.

Before we even signed up, I asked a friend to see if they had a time limit. I knew I wasn’t going to finish in less than an hour, and at the time, I was planning for more like an hour and a half. When we went to pick up our race packets, one of the organizers knew our name and reassured us that we could take as long as we needed. I love that we were on the radar and getting support before it even started.

We each got a Bunny Tracs T-shirt and a race number. I put my t-shirt on over the one I was already wearing and didn’t have a problem with fit. This was refreshing. Not only were plus sizes offered, but they fit like a plus size and not a medium with the wrong tag.

The race started at exactly 8:30. Jon and I stayed in the back so the runners and fast walkers could breeze past us. I wanted to enjoy the walk, not hurt myself at the beginning. I walked my normal pace on the first lap, tried to pick up the pace on the second, then started losing momentum on the third. I jogged a couple times, including the last few yards over the finish line. By the time we started the second lap, we were pretty much on the track by ourselves.

The volunteers were awesome, waiting for our laggy butts to make it to their stations and being super nice and supportive. All kinds of people threw words of encouragement at us. I wasn’t expecting that. In hindsight, I probably should have thrown some back, but all I could think to say was thanks. Which is probably okay, since someday maybe I can encourage people walking a 5k for the first time.

They had already taken down the finish line arch, but the ground line was still there, so our finish felt official. We didn’t get timed. The organizer at the beginning asked if we cared about time. We didn’t. Jon timed us on his phone though. We finished in one hour and fifteen minutes.

We made the last part of the awards ceremony and chatted with people before leaving. There were other events happening, but we were wiped and still had laundry to do.

I’m planning to sign us up for another one, and we’re going to continue training to build speed and distance. I haven’t given up plans to maybe run one someday, but I’m going to get some walks under my belt first.

Achievement unlocked. The day has been a success.

A.

5K Prepping and Training

I hadn’t been planning on walking a 5k for a few more months. I’d thought about signing up for the Glow Run in June, but I didn’t make that a thing because of money, time, etc. (excuses, right?). I figured my first true 5k wouldn’t be until the Orc Stomp at Gen Con (if they’re holding it this year, of course).

But then a fellow worker bee tagged me in an FB post, and it was “challenge accepted” from there. Why? Because I want to walk one, and I didn’t really have a good reason to say no. I’m fairly prepared, and I have time to get even more prepared. So instead of finding more excuses, I went ahead and signed up.

These shoes were made for walkin’.

That was a couple weeks ago. Fast forward to the present. We’re two weeks from the walk and in true me fashion, I’ve procrastinated. This past week brought very little physical activity and way more unhealthy eating than planned. While I rarely get caught up in what I do and don’t eat, I know I’m not feeling my best and I know why.

I was a little apprehensive about our training walk today. Besides lack of regular activity, it’s been a couple weeks since we walked this distance. Instead of doing our normal track, we decided to test drive the actual track for the event.

This track is dirt, not pavement. It’s relatively flat and in a nice area. Because I wasn’t familiar with the longer loop, Jon walked with me instead of at his own pace, and that made for a much more enjoyable walk since I had someone to visit with.

We didn’t follow the exact path that the race will take, but we monitored using the markers and our Fitbits, and by the time we got back to our car, we’d walked about 3.20 miles in about 1 hour and 10 minutes. This marks my best walking time. Granted, it was flat terrain, and a lot of hills would take me longer, but I don’t even care. I feel good about it.

When it comes to walking, it’s hard for me not to compare myself to other people. I’m so slow. Even when I feel like I’ve got a good pace going, other people breeze past me. I’ve been told I walk weird, and I’m sure that’s true. Sometimes I have a limp depending on what hurts. I apparently walk on the ball of my foot, not my heel. I’m sure all of these are factors. I’m sure others would say weight and motivation are factors too. Either way, I think I’m destined to be the tortoise.

And really? That’s okay. I’m not in it to win anything or be better than someone else. I’m doing it because I can (which hasn’t always been the case). I’m doing it for movement and to help out a cause and to feel like I accomplished something.

Before today, I was a little nervous about this walk, but not as much now. Even if Jon leaves me in the dust and I come strolling in a half hour after everyone else, I know I’ll at least have finished it. That in itself is pretty awesome.

If anyone in the area wants to sign up, you can do so through Manhattan Running Company. You can also read here to find out how to make a donation if you’re so inclined. I’ll have a recap of the walk after it happens. Until then, wish me luck!

A.

Saturday Walk and Manhattan Running Company

I made it out this morning to take my 5k walk despite being tired from getting to bed so late. Jon didn’t join me due to a sore throat and looming cold, so I made it to the track solo after grabbing breakfast and a bottle of water. It was a tough walk today. It’s warmer, and the sun made things a little more uncomfortable. Not complaining in general…I love the sun and I’m glad to see it might stick around for a season. But this means I need to invest in sunscreen and get in the habit of carrying a water bottle while I walk.

Even though I was tempted to stop after every lap, I didn’t. I made it around four times…which I think is more than the 5k distance at that track…and I maintained the hour and a half walk time. It was slightly longer due to stopping to take a phone call and to text Jon, but it was close.

I also got to break in my new shoes!

Pay no attention to the old school carpeting and the super baggy sweatpants.

The Most Comfortable Pair I’ve Ever Worn Adidas shoes I bought for five dollars at Goodwill were too worn in the sole to be able to walk and jog comfortably. I have another pair of Adidas, but they’re not as comfortable for wearing in general.

About a week ago, I received an email from Manhattan Running Company that reminded me of their free gait analysis. I figured it would be a good idea to try it out. Plus, I’d like to start supporting some of the city’s small businesses and keep my money local, so Jon and I went up there to see what they had.

They did a test to see where I put my weight when standing (on my toes, apparently), then they had me jog on the treadmill so they could record what my feet do when I’m running. The woman who helped me showed me my video alongside the video of a runner with an overpronation. It looked so weird…like his ankle was going to snap. I know part of it was an optical illusion…but it was a little unsettling, even though I know it’s common and one of those things that differ with people.

I learned two things with my analysis: I don’t have a pronation and I strike on my toes, not my heels. Apparently there’s no right or wrong way to do it. The woman mentioned that runners who strike with their toes have to work harder. However, word on the street is that that’s how barefoot runners run. And while I have no intentions of running barefoot, I figure I’m just going to stick with what’s comfortable for me, even if it is the less efficient way to do it.

I picked from a few different shoes and ended up with the blue ones based on fit, comfort, and price. They were on sale, and I can’t say no to a discount. Because I mentioned the email, I also got a free pair of socks,They may be the most comfortable socks I’ve ever worn (besides hand knitted socks, which aren’t ideal for exercise). They’re really lightweight and soft. I didn’t “get” it before, but I think I see why runners invest in more expensive socks.

Besides the gait analysis (which I think is a really cool thing) and my wanting to support a local small business, MRC is just a cool place in general. They have all sorts of running gear. We’d gone there before because they were the only place in town we could find armbands to fit our phones. The service was great too, and the woman who helped me was nice and patient in answering all my questions. There’s always that thought that a place is going to get weird when I tell them I want to run at my size, but I didn’t get a judgmental vibe at all from them. If you’re in MHK, I recommend this store. If you’re not, definitely check your local listings for a good small business running store. Keep it local, peeps…if you can, of course.

When Jon needs new shoes, I think we’ll head back up there and get him fitted and analyzed too. Hopefully they have his shoe size. Dude’s got big feet. Either way, I bet I’m buying more socks.

I only tried out the new shoes with walking, so tomorrow I’ll test how they feel when I run. Even though the walk itself was rough, the shoes felt awesome. Side note: during my test, I realized that jogging on a treadmill is actually easier than jogging on the track. Didn’t expect that one.

After the walk, I was pretty much out of commission for the rest of the day. I showered, did some stuff online, and watched some movies. Beside this blog, I tried to do some other things that required thought, but I just couldn’t. Every once in awhile, I just need to let everything rest, and this was one of those days.

Here’s to hoping I’m a little bit sharper tomorrow so I can check some stuff off the to-do list.

A.

Waiting for Good News and Making Good Things Happen

Part of the reason I’ve put off writing for the past few days is that I was hoping to have some good news to share. Jon had a really positive interview last week, and we were hoping to hear that he got the position by early this week. Unfortunately, he hasn’t heard anything yet. So we’re still in limbo, and I’m a ball of anxiety waiting to find out if we can finally breathe a sigh of relief or if we have to hold it for a little while longer.

I was thinking about it at the gym, and my daily blog post, even when it was super boring and nothing more than “I didn’t do anything” or “No time to write, stay tuned for tomorrow” helped keep me grounded. It was routine and it was an accomplishment. Since I’ve started blogging sporadically, other than the Influenster product reviews and the book reviews, I kind of feel scattered again.

I’m sure there are other reasons for feeling scattered: new position at work, aforementioned unsureness of the future, the changing of the seasons. But right now, I’m trying to find things that will help me get back to feeling “right”. Maybe my daily blog, even if it has no rhyme or reason, and even if it’s boring, is what I need to aim for.

So we’ll see how that goes.

Let’s see what I can update on right now…

I’ve been pretty good about exercising regularly, though I’ve been bad about walking on breaks and getting to my step goal. I decided to do more 5k training, but I’m setting my own rules and guidelines since I was having a hard time getting into the C25K trainer.  Gen Con is only five months away, and Jon and I want to do the Orc Stomp 5k, so I really need to start building endurance and maybe some speed. Last Saturday we walked the distance of a 5k at the walking track (a little more, actually, because of the way it’s laid out). I paced myself and didn’t have too much trouble. I also finished it in an hour and a half…slow, but I thought it was going to take me two hours, so faster than I thought.

Speaking of 5ks, I also want to sign up for the Glow Run in KC, but I have to wait until we know if we’re staying or going. I’ll obviously walk it, so I have to check and make sure they either don’t have a time limit or they have a long time limit.

Speaking of running, I’m still doing a little bit of it…and I’m getting better! When I do walk/run sets, I can run for about two minutes on my first run. I think I could do more on my second set if I wasn’t having a problem with ankle tightness and cramps. I think we’re going to go to the local running shop soon and get fitted for good shoes. It would be cool to run a little bit at either the Glow Run or the Orc Stomp.

Speaking of Gen Con, we’re officially going because we volunteered to work part time for AEG.  This means less time for scheduling events, but it means more gaming swag and the chance to hang with some cool people. We volunteered for Big Game Night last year and loved it, so we’re hoping this experience is just as fun. I think it will be.

I’m glad spring and summer are getting closer so I can spend more time outside. I haven’t gotten comfortable doing any sort of running on the treadmill, though I think at some point, I may have to stop being so scared and just do it.

Maybe after I figure out that ankle problem.

Off for a Twitter chat, a shower, some reading, and some sleep.  If you think about it, send good vibes our way. It would be nice to hear about a job for Jon so we can start planning for the rest of 2014.

Blue Skies Sunday

The weather was awesome today, and I managed to get up early enough to get out and enjoy it. There were a few minutes before we left the house that I thought it might be easier just to sit at home and read, but I pushed myself to get outside and I’m glad I did. Jon and I had a pretty awesome day, complete with some walking to help ease the soreness from yesterday.

After grabbing a quick breakfast at Subway, we took advantage of the dry roads and warm temp to go geocaching. In our back roads travels, we came across an area we hadn’t been before.

We found six caches before heading into town to do laundry and grab lunch at Olive Garden with a gift card we had. We debated doing some more geocaching before gaming, but instead, we ended up going to the zoo to walk around for a little bit.

 

We only had a partial group for gaming, but we still managed to get to the second chapter of our adventure…after almost getting eaten by the Kraken. We cut the game short by an hour because the wind picked up. By the time we got home, the warm and sunny day had been overtaken by wind and snow. Oh well…at least we got to enjoy several hours of sun.

I was going to watch American Horror Story tonight, but I’m tired and need to shower and get ready for tomorrow. I’ve been having trouble sleeping, so I’m going to take a melatonin, but I have to do it early or else I’ll be groggy tomorrow. I’m hoping that the weather isn’t horrible tonight and that I don’t have to deal with ice in the morning.

Bring it on, Monday!

A.

 

Weather Woes and Scenic Views

It’s been a good weekend, other than the fact that I keep having bouts of sleepiness and stuffiness in what seems like a constant fight to keep from getting sick.

Friday night was a chill night with my friend. We went to Olive Garden, and I tried OG’s zeppoli for the first time (italian sugar coated donuts with raspberry and chocolate dipping sauces). I may now have a reason to go there just for dessert sometime.  After I left her, I had some time to kill while Jon finished at gaming, so I had a coffee and some reading time at Hastings.

We’d planned to take a walk and go geocaching on Saturday, but the weather wasn’t as agreeable as we’d hoped. Though the temperature was warmer than it has been, it was really windy and cloudy, and we got a little bit of rain. We also couldn’t seem to figure out where to buy a park pass to go hike around Tuttle Creek State Park. Once we find out where we’re going to be moving to, I’m definitely investing in an annual state park pass.

It worked out okay since we were saved from being caught out in the weather. We did make a pit stop at the dam to take some pictures and look for a geocache that we didn’t end up finding.

It was fun climbing around on the rocks to look for the cache, but it was a bummer that we didn’t spot it. The wind was biting, so maybe we’ll have better luck on a warmer day.

We chilled at our house sitting house for the afternoon and watched This is 40, which I thought was pretty funny. Later, we went to our friends’ house for some  social time and to get a check on the car. We also watched Iron Sky, which was…as expected…pretty ridiculous.

Today, the weather was more agreeable, so we relaxed through the morning, then took a walk around the neighborhood before going to lunch at Longhorn’s. I tried the Parmesan Crusted Chicken this time. So good! Afterwards, we headed back to Wamego and decided to take further advantage of the nice weather by walking the track and doing a zombie mission. This might not have been our best idea, since lunch was really filling and I felt sluggish the whole walk. But in hindsight, I’m glad we did it.

I’m sleepy tonight and as I’ve been writing this, my throat has gotten progressive sorer, so I think I need to go ahead and lay down early and try to sleep it off. I’ll read for a little bit. I’m currently reading Geek Love by Katherine Dunn. It’s not about dating nerds. In fact, it’s a very unsettling novel and definitely a turn from the stuff I’ve been reading.

As for my January goals regarding coursework and novel revision, I’m not sure if I’m going to reach them, but this week I'[ll be kicking things into high gear. I also start a new Coursera course tomorrow. More friends are going to be in town this week, and I’m excited to see them, but we’ll see how much social time we get. Either way…I can’t be sick, so fingers crossed that I wake up feeling great tomorrow morning.

A.

Alphabetical Grocery Shopping

While I can’t pinpoint anything major that happened today, it was a day filled with a bunch of little thing that kind of made everything a-ok. Lately, I’ve felt pretty edgy. Between winter depression, work changes,  and waiting for Jon to hear something positive on the job front, I’ve had a hard time relaxing. Today was good because I was able to enjoy and appreciate the good bits and pieces.

1. I got up early and got a prime parking spot at work.

2. A friend has offered to help us fix our car.

3. Imperial Garden for lunch and quality friend time is a great combination.

4. Two people told me I inspired them to do something with nothing more than a random post on social media.

5. Jon and I bought actual groceries, and though the initial investment was more than we’re used to spending, we broke it down and did the math and were able to see the money we’ll be saving by not eating out as much.

6. I was able to help my dad with his taxes (now we wait to make sure they’re accepted).

Plus, tomorrow’s Friday…always a bonus.

The title of this blog refers to something kind of silly Jon and I did tonight. The wind in Kansas was super high today, and though the temp itself wasn’t bad, that wind chill was bitter, which meant no outside walk. Though we did have the option to go to the gym, we also knew we needed to pick up groceries. To kill two birds with one stone, we decided to get more steps out of our shopping trip by doing Alphabetical Grocery Shopping.

Basically, I updated my original “by aisle” grocery list to add any last minute things we needed, copied it into an excel file, and sorted alphabetically. Then I transferred that to my Evernote, and we shopped the store by getting the items in alphabetical order. This was seriously hilarious and just as completely inefficient as it sounds. We made several trips back and forth across the store, and only “cheated” twice at the very end by grabbing items on endcaps instead of going to the aisle section where they were located.

Between shopping and checking out, the whole process took us about 45 minutes (which is slightly longer than our normal walks and takes into account stops and starts). It also earned us each about 3,000 more steps, which pushed me over my daily goal. I didn’t do as much hall walking at work today, so doing this on a normal day would have put me well over 10,000 steps.

I don’t know if any other shoppers were paying enough attention to notice how silly we were, but it was actually kind of fun, and a pretty good way to get more activity by doing something we had to do anyway. We spent a lot of time laughing about how ridiculous it was, which just added to the fun factor.

I’m pretty sleepy tonight. I don’t think I cried today, but my eyes have that slight burn-y feeling I get when I do. I think I’m going to call it an early night and lay down to read for a little bit. Also…this images pretty much sums up my thoughts on tomorrow:

Be prepared to get down, my friends.

A.

Friday Fun and Winter Woolfest 2014

I’m using this weekend as another opportunity for some serious stress relief, and so far, the universe is with me on this.

Last night, after taking Jon to gaming, I hit the gym for a short but effective session before meeting up with the crew at Terry and Erica’s place. During times of high stress, I tend to withdraw. Last night was a reminder of how therapeutic “friend time” can be. We visited, discussed books, and watched a really bad horror movie, complete with our own little Twitter party. There is something hilarious and fun about sitting in the same room with people and only talking via Twitter.

Jon was done with gaming by the time the movie was over, so I picked him up. During the movie, I got a notification that a new geocache went up. We decided to go get it before heading back to Wamego, figuring that since we let about three hours go by, someone would have gotten there before us. It seemed as if the snow kept people in, however, and we got the First to Find! Yay for us! We finally made it home, and after reading a few chapters in the second Iron Druid book, I crashed.

Today was Winter Woolfest at the Columbian Theater, so I was up early to shower and gather my knitting supplies (nothing like waiting until the last minute). I packed light, deciding to take only a set of needles and a small ball of yarn for the instructional sessions. I also walked instead of drove, a daring choice since there were still several slick spots on the roads and sidewalks. I managed to make it without falling.

 

Since I was limited on spending funds (and the last thing I need to do is add yarn to my current stash), I took advantage of the classes that were going on throughout the day. The first one I took was one on Bavarian twisted knitting. I love the pattern this makes, and though it was a little nerve wracking to cable knit without a cable needle, I loved how easy it was and the look of the finished product.

Practice swatch. I bet I could fit this into one of my upcoming projects.

The second class I took was on new methods of casting on. I’ve done nothing but long-tail for a long time, and I hadn’t bothered to learn any other methods, so this was a good opportunity to try something new. I learned three cast-ons, including the basic knit cast on, a cable cast on, and a modified long tail (I can’t remember the name right now) that makes the cast-on row stretchier (perfect for socks).

I met up with two friends at the ‘Fest, and we went to Toto’s Tacos for lunch. Tortilla soup and a “Burrito Jr.” were today’s choice. The Burrito Jr. was just meat and cheese. It was not small, but it was delicious. There was a line when we got there, but it was worth the wait.

After lunch, we did some vendor browsing before the afternoon sessions. There was tons of beautiful yarn and fiber, but I managed to hold back. I did entertain the idea of trying drop spinning again, but decided to hold off. I might get into spinning someday, but for now, especially with a pending move and a tight budget, I’ll continue to wait for the right time.

The first afternoon session was about blocking. Blocking is one of those things that seem really easy and basic, yet every time I’ve had to block something, it seems hard and nerve-wracking. The session was great. I’m no longer intimidated by the thought of blocking. Now I just need to buy some supplies.

The second session was a demo on braid cording with a lucet, though the technique was also taught with the use of fingers. I liked it, though it will take me some time to really get the hang of it and get it right. Apparently, you can use the technique with torn up t-shirt material to make cowls. I want to try this. The young man from RJ’s QTs (RJ himself, in fact)  gave the demo, then sold me on the idea of buying a couple new project bags.

I know someone who loves penguins!

The final session of the day was a lesson on Brioche knitting. It seemed pretty easy, so I think I may have been doing it wrong. However, even if I was, the technique I WAS doing was pretty fun, and I liked the finish product, which looks like regular ribbing except it’s nice and soft and squishy.

We stuck around for door prizes, but no luck this year (though since I’m still loving the  Hiya Hiyas I won last year, I’m set for like the next ten Woolfests).  V made a suggestion that we go across the street for coffee and pie, but sadly, the restaurant was closed. Not to be thwarted, we moved on down the road and tried two other places before we finally found a place that was 1)open and 2)offering coffee and dessert. Thank you, Rambler’s of Wamego!

I had the brownie sundae, V had the blondie sundae. So delicious!

While indulging in dessert therapy, we chatted about writing and conventions. V is one of my writer friends, and since she’s more knowledgeable on the subject, I like to pick her brain and get her feedback. We drank coffee and visited for a couple hours, finally calling it a night before the sun went down completely.

I walked home, and I walked fast since I didn’t have the foresight to use the restroom before leaving the restaurant (fail). Luckily, many of the ice patches from the morning had melted, so it was a pretty smooth walk. The temperature was perfect, though the slight chill did cause a little bit of lung discomfort (nothing to worry about…it’s happened for years).

Besides the fact that the day was a blast, it also served as a good way to mark some strides in my health and mobility. Though last year was fun, I remember not being able to stand and walk as much. I remember taking frequent sit-down breaks, taking the elevator, and taking as few extra walks as humanly possible. In fact, I’m pretty sure I didn’t take any extra walks. And I drove.

This year, I walked to and from the event. I took the stairs going up at least four times (took the elevator going down, but that’s because going down stairs hurts my knees with legitimate “have to stop walking” pains). I didn’t mind making extra trips, and even took an extra trip back to the restaurant to get a bottle of water. It was seriously awesome.

I’m going to finish up some things online, maybe play some Candy Crush, then lay down to read. The weather is supposed to be really nice tomorrow, so the plan is to go to the zoo to see the animals “open” their enrichment gifts. I love a trip to the zoo. Plus, if it’s as nice as it’s supposed to be, I’m going to soak up as much outdoor therapy as I can to prepare for the coming work week.

Until tomorrow…

A.