Classes, Snappers, and Sending Thoughts to a Friend

Today is my "day off", and as usual, I have a hundred things to accomplish. I'm in the process of trying to determine if DH's Target credit card is defective. He tried to use it yesterday and it wouldn't scan properly at the checkout point. He ended up using a different card and was quite unhappy. I can order a new card for him, but we want to check it out once more before doing that, just to make sure the card doesn't scan. If I have to order a new card for him, it will take 8-10 days for the new card to arrive. It's frustrating. 

I'm a LOT poorer today after taking advantage of
early registration for Andy Cooperman's Master Class -
"Imaginative Captures" at next year's Bead &
Button Show. I'll be paying this off for a year.
It's worth it. 

Yesterday was the early registration for next year's Bead & Button Show Master Classes. I believe I had mentioned earlier that I dearly wanted to attend Andy Cooperman's class, "Imaginative Captures". Andy is innovative and thinks outside the box - just what I need. I have been wanting to take a class from him for more than a decade, we just haven't managed to link up. DH said he'd contribute over half of the cost, and I'd already saved the other half, so I went on-line when registration opened yesterday. I'm now a LOT poorer and I guess I'll be in Milwaukee in June, 2019, playing with torches and other jewelry making equipment. Fun! Now to continue to work down this HUGE amount of debt that I've just placed on my poor Discover card. 

The nest of snapping turtle eggs is really nothing much
to look at. DH framed it in with broken piping and
we haven't done any work directly on top of the
nest (thus no black dirt on top of the normal soil). 

A couple of you have asked for more information on my snapping turtle nest, including a photo of the nest itself. I have to admit that we would have no idea there were turtles buried in my backyard if DH hadn't seen the female dig the nest and deposit the eggs. That was on May 29th, and according to our research, the eggs (if they were viable) should be hatching within the next couple of weeks. We can hardly wait because we've been working around that small spot for months now and it hasn't been easy! 

We wouldn't even know snapping turtle eggs were in the nest except
DH saw the female laying her eggs on May 29th and sent me a
photo. As you can tell, we've done a lot of work on the backyard,
but we haven't disturbed the little turtles. I'm hoping they all
hatch and are healthy little snappers. 

I'm hoping for my weekly conversation with Aearwen today, although that may not come through. Her husband is extremely ill and she may either be with him or just not feel like talking. I'll text her to find out if she wants to chat and, of course, she and her family are in my thoughts. She's a good friend and it's always hard to see a friend go through hard times, especially with a loved one and life partner. *hugs and love from many states away*

Aearwen and I have been friends for years now, although we've never
met in person. We talk every week for an hour, except those rare
times when schedules get messed up. I consider her a close friend,
almost a sister from a different mother. So I'm sending love and
strength across the country to her. 

Have a great Wednesday. I'm hoping for smooth sailing through my errands and chores today, but no guarantees on that. I have a LOT on my plate to do today, so I'd better plug in my pictures and get cracking. I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully with a sense of accomplishment about today's list of chores.