Hat on Top, Coat Below
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So Much for the Sleigh Ride
March 28, 2012
Last weekend I traveled to Wisconsin for Weetacon, a traditional winter event for me, except this year winter was not really much in evidence. That was fine by me, since I got plenty of winter in Idaho this year, and also I’d decided to drive rather than fly, what with baggage fees and security theater and such, and it was so nice to not have to worry about lake effect snow on my journey. Taking the car meant I could take as much stuff as I wanted, so I ended up packing a silly number of bags (one was entirely filled with shoes). By the time I got everything in the car and headed out, it was nearly noon on Thursday. Good thing I hadn’t signed up for the early bird dinner! I did managed to get to Green Bay in time to grab a hard cider at the hotel bar and hang out in our gathering room and try my hand at making a friendship bracelet (I got a few inches done, perhaps I’ll finish in time to wear it to next year’s con).
[Nail look #1: lots of layers.]
Friday was a full day. After breakfast, Andrea and I made a quick shopping run (I’d brought many, many things, but my manicure clean up brush was not among them), arriving back at the hotel just a minute or two after opening ceremonies had started. There were games and lunch and then it was onto the bus for “gym class”, which turned out to be roller skating. I hadn’t been on skates since junior high, which for me was a long, long time ago. It’s not like riding a bicycle—I never got to the point where I could do the crossover turns of my youth, though going straight did get easier as the session went on. I managed to stay upright with the exception of one hard fall which gave my right elbow a bruise to rival the one my left elbow had gotten from the ski lift earlier this year. After skating, it was off to the ranch where the scheduled sleigh ride turned into a slightly soggy hay ride, and we feasted on Wisconsin specialties (and I discovered I really like blue raspberry vodka). Then it was back to the hotel for karaoke, which I only caught the first part of due to having stayed up too late the night before (I can take days off work, sure, but I can’t always not work on those days—thank goodness for VPN technology that lets me do most of my job remotely if I have to).
[Nail look #2: China Glaze magnetic.]
There were events on Saturday morning, but I skipped them in favor of lingering in bed and then lingering over breakfast, finishing up about twenty minutes before I was supposed to meet up to leave for lunch. The lunch group I joined up with was stymied by finding our restaurant of choice closed, but we found an alternate source of sustenance that proved quite satisfactory. When we got back to the hotel, it was time for the charity raffle. Thanks to having driven, I could put tickets in for all sorts of things I wouldn’t normally be able to, like hand crafted flavored vodkas, and I ended up winning quite a few items. The Igigi fashion show came next—I’ll have another entry about that once I get the right photos—then it was off to dinner at a grill your own steak place, where I decided just salad and starches were plenty for me I’d had such a big lunch. We got back to the hotel just about the time the 80s night party was scheduled to start down the street, but I needed to change my nail color and embiggen my hair so I got over there rather late. I didn’t go all out with a costume like I did for last year’s Tarts & Vicars theme; I just popped on my 80s vintage Hypercolor tee over jeans.
[Nail look #3: Nabi magnetic.]
[Nail look #4: Neon pink for 80s night.]
At Sunday’s closing ceremonies, I was awarded a shiny pony to add to my raffle prizes (the “I Went to Weetcon and All I Got Was Everything” award). Then it was time to say my goodbyes and head south to Illinois, where I hung out with my mom. Even though I’d eaten so much over the weekend, I found room for pizza from the place my family has ordered from since I was a kid (so glad they’re still in business). Mom was having trouble getting started knitting some socks she wanted to make, so I cast on for her and did the first several rounds so she could see how two at a time on Magic Loop worked. She thought I looked tired so kept telling me I didn’t have to do the socks just then and maybe I should go to bed—once a mom, always a mom. I did eventually go to bed and slept in a bit on Monday before we went out for brunch. Then I hopped on the tollway and headed home. The weather was so gorgeous I took a break to wander a cemetery just off I-94 that I’d never been to before. I got home in time to have dinner with Mr. Karen and regale him with tales of Weetacon.
[Nail look #5: Holographic violet.]
Now I am working through the traditional post-Weetcon letdown, self-medicating with the last of the goodies I bought at the bake sale. It’s not like coming back from any other con, because at those, people do not hug me and tell me I’m pretty and care about what’s going on in my life. My Weetacon tribe does all those things and more. Love you all!
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2 Comments
March 29th, 2012 at 10:04 am
Oh, I need a photo of your “embiggened” hair, LOL
March 29th, 2012 at 2:20 pm
It was awesome to see you again, Karen! You’re very pretty! Hugs!