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| Mending doesn't always work, fabric was so thin the needle just made more holes |
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| Tatting without a pattern, in theory it will be a bookmark |
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| Sign you might be in the rural SE |
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| The women's room was out of order so I had to use the men's (gas station) |
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| Tatted edging wip |
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| Visible mending project |
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| I didn't know they stacked them |
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| mullein blossoms |
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| mullein plants are tall |
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| Starting mending project |
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| visible mending patch done |
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| I love magnolias |
The train ride was lovely. Although there were 2 gents (I use the term loosely) who were apparently unacquainted with the existence of headphones. I mean, when the phone conversation directly in front of me is less intrusive than videos that are 3-4 seats away? Really?
Dad has some more of the pen rings for me, but couldn't find them. He'd also gotten me a six pack of Cheerwine zero 16 oz bottles, and some pistachio nuts. After I got home, I found the rings, under the bag of nuts.
I finished writing up the pattern for Solar Flare. I just need to submit it & my teacher application to Palmetto Tat Days by Friday.
Transferring photos to my new laptop. I have 81k pictures. I might need to cull some. Or at least organize them better.
Making progress on my pocket scarf. I really need to figure out how much yarn I used for the 1st pocket to make sure I still have yarn for the 2nd. I only have 1 ball of this yarn so it would be difficult (but not impossible) to get more to finish.
One of our tatting friends is downsizing her book collection so a mutual friend brought a stack of tatting (and knitting) books to the most recent Tri-Tatters meeting. I picked up some to fill gaps in my own collection. I need to take photos of all my books and keep an album of the photos and make a pinterest board of the covers, so I don't lose track of what I already have. If they all had ISBNs I could use one of those library apps.
I'm going to see my parents tomorrow (yay Amtrak). After driving a couple weeks ago, I am so glad to take the train again.
It was shorter today, but shooter alert again.
I am making progress on my bun cover trial (my 1st doily, turned covering for my bun). I tatted the original in 1998 so I have had to count stitches. Since this is a trial, to make sure I counted right, and to see if I can climb out of the rounds (eliminating cutting and tying).
I went to see my parents on Saturday (yay train). Dad was available to give me a ride, which makes the train viable. And the weather was so dark and stormy, I was glad I wasn't driving.
I'm starting this one the 25th of August. It's going to be long, so I don't know when I'll actually publish it. I may break it down into topics and do a different post for each topic.
Today's topic: family
My dad wanted to come see me and asked that I check the Amtrak site to see if it's possible to take a train for the trip. I found out there are two trains that stop in my hometown and in the large town near him, The Carolinian and The Piedmont. The stops are part of longer routes and they go both ways. So he could take the train to see me and then take it back and with his discounts, it was $18 round trip.
I took the day off (yay accrued vacation), got him at the train station (on a day when both bathrooms were out, alas). I got there early, because 'how long will this take, will I get lost, etc.' And his train was late. By that point, I was pretty desperate to use the bathroom.
We headed for the local museum, where they have a butterfly house, which dad wanted to visit. However, the main parking lot was full so we drove to breakfast, to give the early arrivals time to finish their visit and leave.
We had a lovely tour of the butterfly house and looked at the insect exhibits. I wish I'd gotten more butterfly pictures but they move. And when they are still, they're often far enough back, I'd have to shove into the greenery to reach them.
After that, we headed for lunch. Which we both needed, except it took us off my route so I got lost looking for the Woodcraft store. Finally found it, with enough time for Dad to have a look around, although not a leisurely one. He found some things he wanted and the clerk showed him an attachment (blade?) for his lathe that's really good for turning acrylics.
Back to the train station, in plenty of time for Dad to catch the train home.
Some good news, Mom's not in Hospice any more. However, that means the hospital bed they provided is removed. Mom's old bed was broken (and we thought she'd never need it again) so it was thrown away. The facility was loaning her a bed (about a step up from a cot) and I contacted a furniture company to deliver a new bed (and mattress, and box spring). Except, they'd had trouble with fraudulent purchases and needed for me to come into the store to make the payment.
Since I wanted Mom to have a good bed ASAP, I got the time off from my boss and accepted my Dad's offer of being my chauffeur if I took the train to see him or Mom. He was available and I bought a round trip train ticket. I ended up taking a later train because the earlier one was already reserved (possibly by people going to the Beyonce concert, my train was half full of such attendees, lucky people).
side note: that turned out to have a silver lining. As I was taking a later train, I worked remotely for a couple hours and one of my co-workers had a time sensitive task.
Train ride was nice, Dad was there to greet me, and off to the furniture store. Paid for the whole shebang and the guy promised it would be delivered the next day (it was, and they put it together).
Dad and I had lunch and he drove me to see Mom. He kindly offered to go to the grocery store and get me a 6-pack of 16oz Cheerwine Zero while I visited. I gave Mom her birthday present (a colorful scarf) as it was only a few days until her birthday.
Dad drove me back to the train station and home I came.
Much easier than the 2 and a half hours or so of fighting traffic.
