Quickly Walking Into August

So here we are. Another week is winding down. I'm not sure if I have accomplished enough this week, but I have been going at it full bore because that clock is ticking and each day passing is one less day to make all of this work.

We're trying to keep to a strict schedule. If we actually
want to retire, we have to get it all to come together.
We've been in our current shop space since 1993, so
that's a lot of time for tools and materials to be
acquired. We've moving the stuff back into our
house, where we've been since the mid 1980's. Also
pretty stuffed full of things. What a mess! 

DH spent a rather frustrating day yesterday building shelving for the east side of the basement craft room. He's been measuring and remeasuring, cutting and fitting, and finally decided that he'll live with the height he has determined, but he wanted to remove the small cove molding at the bottom of the panel so that the shelves could fit flush against the wall. That turned into a serious OOPS when he discovered that that little strip of rounded molding was actually channeled and that once he pulled off a section, it was destroyed. He thought it was simple cove molding - easy to put up and easy to take off. It wasn't. Now we have a section of open, broken paneling. It will be covered by the shelf, but it's not what we wanted.

The molding looked like a simple half-round batten molding, but instead, it
actually had a channel into which the paneling would fit. What should have
been a simple job turned into a real mess and can't be easily fixed. 

I continued packing my soldering bench and surrounding area yesterday. Boxes of spray paints and primers, chemicals of various sorts, and things like my respirator are now boxed, these boxes are stuffed full, but the materials inside don't nestle as well resulting in wasted space and possible breakage. I've done my best, but I wasn't happy with yesterday's packing stint. I'll try to get the boxes home tonight, though. I need to keep this moving. Today I'll pack my larger soldering torch and hoses along with the fire bricks, soldering stand and miscellaneous items that I was keeping out just in case I needed to do a quick repair.

My indoor walking track at the YMCA I attend isn't quite this
nice, but it's close. It's the upper rank over the basketball
court, similar to this, but it's a bit closed in. Still, it's what
I need and it might be boring, but I have audio books to
listen to that help me pass the time. Along with my tempo
trainer, I'm getting faster every day and still walking, not
running. 

I'm exhausted, just reading about what I have planned for the day. Ooof! My mileage on the walking track at the gym is starting to look like a leisurely walk in the part - LOL. Well, I'm going to call this finished and get into gear. I've got a lot to do and need to organize my thoughts a bit. Have a wonderful Friday and I'll be back tomorrow.

Thinking About What to Pack and Schedules

I actually did bring my suitcases out from the storage closet and put them into the front room for staging. I get a gold star for that, right? LOL Of course, I haven't opened them yet, and I'm nowhere close to being packed and ready to go, but I still have a few days. DH will start to get grumpy soon - he hates it when I'm away for a few days. 

The totality of Radio Silence takes over my life when
I leave for my conference next week. It's a bit
annoying, but it's reality. It makes DH more
comfortable with my being away. 

I've always envied people who can keep close contact while one of the partners is away from the other. I'm sure you know some people who can do that - people who phone every night and have long conversations, or who email or text back and forth during breaks in the day. I'd love to be able to do that, but DH goes on radio silence. He says he misses me too much to want to chat or hear how my day went. He just wants to trudge through the times I'm gone until I'm finally back, then he'll listen to everything. It's like existing inside a submarine in total stealth mode while I'm away. 

Glass is such an amazing media. Here, hand-made glass
Murano canes are stacked next to each other and fused into
a larger tablet. Murano canes have been made in this
"millefiori" style for hundreds of years and with a
hole in the center of each individual cane, they have
been used as adornment for many centuries. 

He might hate it, but no choice. My long-time readers will know that I've been attending the annual Bead & Button Show convention since the mid-1990's, every year without fail. When I first started, it was a relatively small show and the attendees and vendors bonded together and forged bonds of friendship and respect that still, in many cases, still exist. I've been an attendee, and I've been a teacher. I've had short 3-hour classes, and I've had three-day intensive Master Classes. It's almost all been an incredibly positive experience, and the negatives are far outweighed by the good memories. 

I'm taking Andy Cooperman's "Innovative Captures" Master Class this
year. I'm bringing shell (abalone and capiz), different metal forms,
and of course that lens from the camera along with me. Who knows
what I'll come up with? 

I'll bring a small carry bag with me to the shop today. I'm hopeful that I can transfer the tools I want to take with me to the smaller bag - I'm not sure my arm is up for the strain of taking my usual portable studio back and forth. I will take some time this morning or afternoon and see if I can cull my bench tools down to a much smaller container for just this one time. Everything will be returned to my larger container when I return from the show. 

I have a small carry-along tool bag similar to this one that I'm
hoping my tools and materials will fit into. I'd rather not lug
my multi-drawer carry-along if I can avoid it. It's pretty
heavy and unwieldy. 

So, thoughts are swirling. As usual, I'm going to the show a little bit heavier than I want, but I still have a few days to drop the 2-4 pounds that I'd prefer. It's not out of the realm of possibility. Since I'll be eating hotel food for days, I'll be really fighting to maintain a reasonable weight. Vacations can be so hard! On that note, it's time for me to dive into my day. I hope your Thursday is fantastic. It's a Project Runway night, and we're down to five now, so tomorrow's post will be a review of tonight's episode. Have an excellent day and I'll be back on Friday with a Project Runway synopsis. 

I Should Probably Start to Pack

It's my day off and that works out well since it's supposed to be the rainy day of the work week. I can get my errands done without getting too wet, and spend the day at home getting things in line for next week's workshop and vacation. It's hard to believe that I'll be leaving to play with metal once again, and I haven't even pulled a suitcase out of the storage closet. 

I'm usually pretty good at packing for a trip, and this is a trip I've
gone on annually since the mid-1990's. I guess that counts
as experienced - LOL. 

In days/years past I would have my suitcases open on the living room couch and half-packed by this time, my supplies would be selected, and I would be planning my visit to Milwaukee (or other cities in which B&B Show has been held through its' long history). This year, although I'm attending a workshop that I've wanted to be in for many years, I'm a bit too laid back. That's not a good look on me - LOL. I think I have to light a fire. 

I had an old Logitech webcam similar to this, but
older (made to work with Win 98 computers). I was
going to donate it to my local Tech Dump, but
I decided to disassemble it instead. The lens
in the front turned into a really fun component.
It's coming along on my trip with me. 

Since the class is "Innovative Captures", working with metals to entrap unusual items or to use non-traditional settings, my focus has been centered around what I might want to capture. I've manage to collect a rather eccentric grouping of materials - everything from an old video lens to shell pieces to antlers and stones. But I'm still unsure about how to approach this, and that has me concerned. 

I'm very fond of abalone shell, and just had my
associate pack up misc weight bags of odd pieces
to put into the shop. I went through them and liberated
about 20 pieces in miscellaneous shapes before I handed
her the bag and told her to pack the rest. They're coming
to Milwaukee with me. 

Tomorrow I'll take time at the shop and go through my portable tool kit. It's a bit over-the-top right now, and weighs WAY too much. I drive to the show, so I'm not concerned about shipping weight, but I do have to lug the kit with me and lighter would be better with my arm. I'm quite sure I won't need all of the materials I usually have at hand in the drawers, so I'll pull things out for the show, then return them after I get back home. 

I have an assortment of Fretz hammers, but I really only
need to pack three of them - the two Revere-style hammers, and
one that has interchangeable tips. I probably have at least
six hammers in my portable kit. I don't need that many at
this workshop. 

I was good and got two appointments set up with my doctor - one for my arm and a general wellness physical - all happening within the next six weeks. Now my goal is to not increase the tendon damage before getting a chance to see her and get a treatment regime. Spending yesterday away from the pool and just working on the machines helped a lot, but *sigh* I really miss my swimming! 

I have a list of things I have to do today, though, so I'd better get cracking. Have a wonderful Wednesday, and I'll be back tomorrow. My busy day awaits - LOL. 

OMG It's Already Saturday!

My clock is ticking. Of course, everyone lives within the stream that is time, but considering that my suitcase(s) are still empty, and I leave early Tuesday morning, I guess I'd better shift into high gear. I did consolidate my class requirements for tools into a single master list, so I have that to work from. Today I'll make sure that all of the items are in my portable tool box. I have to take a quick trip to my local craft store for a few bottles of alcohol inks for one class, but I already own everything else.

I actually don't own any of these which surprised
me. I thought I had every basic crafting supply
that existed. The alcohol inks are actually pretty
fun. They might find their way onto my holiday
cards one of these days. 

It's a ridiculously long list - a variety of hammers, pliers, steel blocks for hammering, a jeweler's saw and blades, and a long variety of other things. It's when I pack that I envy the beaders attending the show. They have it pretty easy - beads, needles, thread, magnification and good task lighting. The minute I switched over to working with metals more than fifteen years ago, my carry-along materials grew exponentially. But there's something about playing with metal and flames that speaks to my soul.

Beading can be jewelry, but also larger pieces like this beaded tapestry. 

To put it into an elvish framework, beaders remind me of elves - practicing a delicate art, creating beauty by attaching small pieces of glass one bead at a time. But those who love working with metal and flame - they are the Noldarin elves. Specifically, they are walking in the footsteps of Feanor. I think about Feanor's forge every time I pick up my hammers or turn on my torch. I work with caustic acids, harsh files and a variety of polishing compounds. It's not a forge - I'm not making weaponry. But the basic structures are the same - that of heating and forming metal into new, functional shapes. So fun!

I would love to try working at a forge one of these days instead of just
working on smaller items. But there's something wonderful about
shaping metal whether it be rod iron or precious metal. 

So as I start to kick myself into high gear, I'm reminding you that Monday's post will be my last one for a week while I go off to pound and cut. Here's hoping you have a truly fabulous weekend. Enjoy!

Progress and Colored Pencils

I leave on Tuesday. It's Thursday now, so Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday and then I hit the door running (or driving, in this case). I actually did get my suitcases up from storage yesterday, so that's one step in the right direction. I looked for and gathered together a few of my more esoteric class supplies like my Prismacolor© pencils which I need for one specific class. I also grabbed my folder for this year's classes to double-check the class requirements. I can't get out there and not have an important item available at hand.

I've always been a bit jealous of plein-air painters - those who pick up
their easels and supplies, walk out into the wilderness or to the nearest
street corner, and paint what they are viewing - rain or shine. I'm not that
bold (or talented)  as to allow my art's creation to be a secondary exhibition. 

I always travel with art supplies of some sort - usually a travel set of watercolors, but at least a carryall of pencils and a small sketch pad. The Prismacolor© pencils are actually going to be used in one of my classes, and having done the technique before (more than ten years ago), that particular brand is actually very important.

The Crayola Crayons 64 box with the built-in sharpener was the
holy grail of art supplies while I was growing up. It was one of the
best gifts I could receive and I used some of the colors up until
they were small nubbins. 

Colored pencils are not all created equally. There are the little pencils you might have used when you were a kid. The basic colored pencils didn't come in a lot of colors, didn't have much coverage, and frankly, when compared to a box of 64 Crayola© crayons, they really lacked the fun factor. As I grew older, I used blue and red colored pencils for editing and for work. I was proofreading papers and larger documents as well as working for accountants where red and blue were key for communicating. Those pencils had better coverage, but were really limiting.

Prismacolor 24's aren't super expensive, they are mid-range,
but when you get into the full sets of 150 colors, then
you're talking money. I don't keep the little inserts that
keep the pencils organized. I have more than 24
pencils in my box along with blenders, erasers, and
other basic supplies. 

I'm trying to remember when I got my first set of really good colored pencils, but it's more than twenty years back, so a long time ago. I don't think they were Prismacolor©, but they weren't bad. I kept picking the more expensive brands up and looking at them, but I didn't cave ... yet. When I did, though, I found out the difference a fine pencil can make.

For this particular project, I'll be using Prismacolor© pencils in very light layers, then adding a chemical to melt and bind the layers together. It will be rinse and repeat and rinse and repeat again and again to build up a strong, highly colored image on metal which will then be framed with decorative wire work and turned into a suspended pendant. In other words, it'll be a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to taking my well-worn box of colored pencils on a journey.

Have a great Thursday, all. I'll start to hone my list for packing and making sure my clothing is clean. It looks like I'll have all sorts of weather - hot and sunny to cooler and rainy - so a more diverse wardrobe will be called for. Hmmm ....

Storms, Rains and Construction

Storms rolled through last night, but I think they are past us now and we'll have excellent weather for a few days. Why does this matter? Well, during the days (very early hours) it means that both the indoor and outdoor pool will be open so my indoor pool won't be crowded with lots of people. Overnight, it can rain all it wants to, but I like having both pools available. Right now, rain won't happen again until Saturday (according to the latest forecast). Of course, we all know what weather is like - it confounds the forecasters all the time.

I have strong memories of the spring winds that went down along
the front range when I still lived in Colorado. They were harsh and
you could quite literally lean into them and they would hold you up. 

I grew up in Colorado where we said the weather changed without warning all the time. I remember driving through a driving rain as I headed down Colorado Boulevard one afternoon, and suddenly the rain was behind me, as if a wall had been erected, and I was in bright sunlight. Weather along the Rocky Mountains can be bizarre and totally unpredictable with rain, snow, strong winds and lots of sun-bright days.

In the Great Plains, where there aren't a lot of trees in the way, you can
actually see the leading edge of thunderstorms. Here is a beautiful
example of a shelf cloud and it's corresponding dump of rain. 

Up here, in the Frozen Northlands, we tend to have even more unpredictable weather, but our seasons are a bit more defined. Our skies have more grey days because we're a more humid environment - it's the land of 10,000 lakes, after all. Today will be one of those sunny/cloudy days that we have so often, but I think last night's rain was all we'll see for a while.

I think our wood storage shed for our firewood will end up looking similar
to this. Our city actually has a little pamphlet with their rules and regulations -
size, height, number of inches off the ground, etc., that we have to build within. 

DH has started work on the woodshed. We need to get that completed and our woodpile moved over before we can start any serious work on the storage shed or the patio. He's planning how many palettes of patio pavers he'll need to buy already, though. Best estimate - 5 palettes at 486 pavers per palette, each palette weighing more than one ton. A lot of stone to move down to the patio area one wheelbarrow at a time. He did it last year for the stones for the walls, and he'll need to do it again later this summer for the patio. What a job!

He's looking at Holland Pavers that will look similar to this, although he
still is in the design stage. When it is complete, it'll be lovely, but we still
have a lot of work left to do. Lately he's been planting plants, ground
cover, and flowers along the curves of the castle wall. Now to work on the
wood shed, then we can start the patio area. 

So, as I pull my suitcases out of the closet to start thinking about packing for my trip next week, I'll also be thinking about work schedules, construction deadlines and goals, and how rainy days can throw wrenches into our summer plans. Here's hoping for overnight rains and sunny days. Hoping your Wednesday is fabulous, because we all deserve a fabulous day.

Thump!

It was back to reality with a "thump" today as my alarm went off at 3:15 am. Time to rejoin the real world after two days off. I ended up gaining three pounds over the holiday weekend (WAAAAY too much food) but I'll be in the pool in a little more than an hour, beginning to work that back off. We had mini steaks and burgers on Sunday and brats and cheese-stuffed hot dogs on Monday, not counting bunches of side dishes and desserts. It's no wonder I gained, but it could have been much worse.

The mini sirloin steaks DH bought were grilled perfectly! 

I leave for Bead & Button Show in a week so I supposed I'd better get my suitcases out of storage tomorrow and actually take a very careful look at what items I need to have along with me. I've had some years where I packed weeks early, and a few where it was packing on Sunday to leave on Monday. I'm a pretty accomplished packer, so it's not traumatic, but I still have to actually think about things. Silly me.

Rolls of sod are a quick and easy way to get grass going, but placing it so
that it doesn't have annoying seams can get tricky. We ended up using six
rolls of sod at the top of our stairs to help keep soil erosion during rainstorms
to a minimum. 

DH worked on the castle all weekend. On Sunday we started the day by stuffing Minion full of dead branches to take to the landfill, then we went to Home Depot for landscaping rocks and gardening stuff. We ended up with six rolls of sod too and he spent most of the rest of the afternoon getting the sod placed and planting the various plants he had purchased along the curves in the wall.

Saturday's swim in the outdoor pool resulted in this nice bruise
on my knuckle from hitting the lane rope. It seems totally healed
now, though, so even though it looked awful for a day or so, it
wasn't all that bad. 

On Saturday I had my first session in the 50-meter outdoor pool. I was very pleased that I managed to swim pretty well, but I'm much slower than most of the other swimmers. Fortunately the two people I was circling with were at a similar pace, but I guess that speed is one thing I will have to try and work on over the coming year. I'm a bit torn today about swimming indoors or out. Out is a lot of fun, and certainly does test my stamina, but the lanes are slightly less wide and I hit myself on the lane ropes more often. I'll play it by ear and go where it's less crowded.

Hope you have a great Tuesday. I'm going to enjoy the water one way or another today.

Yesterday Was Hectic

Yesterday was a hectic morning followed by a busy but more relaxing afternoon and topped by a lovely conversation with Aearwen in the late p.m. Frankly, it was just about perfect. Today, however, it's back to the grind for me with product to pack, things to get out onto the sales floor, customers to help, and the general stuff required to operate a business. I didn't get a chance to write at all yesterday, so I'll have to try and get some miracles going. I had one excellent day that got me at least half-way through my SWG challenge for the month, but time's ticking and I leave town in less than two weeks for the Bead & Button Show.

This photo, from a previous year, shows the crowded ballroom for the annual
"Meet the Teachers" event. Previously always held on a Wednesday night
before the show sales floor opened, this year it has been moved to
Friday night, right in the middle of the market days. It will change the
dynamics a bit for this event. 

I'll be taking my laptop along with me because it's mandatory - I have to have it just in case something comes up at the shop. Although I'll be in classes each day and will also have a peppering of evening events to attend, I will still be working on-line because I have stories that have to be worked on and possibly submitted while I'm in my hotel room, exhausted. It's not the best solution to my deadlines, but it may be my only choice. I'll try to roll with the punches.

I'm starting to look forward to my road trip. I really need the break
from the shop and customers, and I need some time to myself to
get my personal balance back. Plus - I love driving all around the
countryside. It's always a lot of fun for me. 

My car passed yesterday's appointment for oil change, recall work and general check-over with flying colors. That's a good thing because I don't want to be driving across states without a reliable car. It's the little things like "no mechanical issues" that I like to have happen when I'm going on a trip. Taking everything into consideration, things are starting to line up.

"No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted." - Aesop

So today it's back to normal in a world that seems to be quickly going insane and reaching its tipping point. I'm delighted to join my 5:00 am group while we wait for the YMCA doors to be unlocked. Have a wonderful Thursday, think positive thoughts, and as always, remember that one small deed of kindness can ripple farther than you might ever imagine.

Packing For a Car Trip

I remember the days when I could pack lightly. Those were when I was beading and attending classes to learn more techniques with small pieces of glass, needles and thread. I'm not playing with beads often any more, instead I play with metal, flame, and molten glass. Packing for classes dealing with fabrication requires much more intensive tools and a lot more space.

One of my classes will make something similar to
this, but the centerpiece will be textured and
colored copper and the top/bottom/back will be
sterling silver. It should be quite pretty and fun. 

Of course I could just borrow tools, but I've assembled a nice collection of tools over the years and I also have a very nice traveling box that allows me to bring multiple hammers, a saw and blades, a lot of other smaller supplies and some larger ones like solid blocks of steel called bench blocks. None of this is lightweight and it doesn't pack easily - thus my tool box.

I'll also be taking a class to make these - lovely
wave bangles taught by Robyn Cornelius. I'm super
looking forward to the class I'll be taking from her. 

I'm very grateful that I'm driving on this trip. I'll be on the road for the next eight days, so I'll leave you here and admonish or advise all of you to be good, be creative, be kind and have fun. I'll have my laptop, but won't be posting my daily blog. Happy weekend and week, I'll be back to daily posting on the 13th.

It's Almost Time For Another Adventure

DH is walking around the house looking like a depressed puppy. He hates it when I leave him. He's not a super demonstrative person, but having me around keeps him level and allows him a lot of freedom in his own life and goals. All of that hits the fan when I'm away because he can't sleep in (not that he really does very often), he must stick to a schedule, and since he works in my stead, he has to be at work for six days in a row. He's depressed.

He's wearing his sad puppy dog face. It's so sad, it's cute! 

That doesn't mean he doesn't support my going to the show and taking the classes I'm signed up to take. On the contrary, he knows that classes and workshops are what I adore and he supports me all the way. But he doesn't have anyone to talk to at night, nobody is around to share chocolate with while watching TV, and it's not as much fun watching the Stanley Cup Finals without someone to vent to. Yes, I'm only a phone call away, but talking to me only makes him more depressed.

Texting is how we stay in touch all day. We're back and
forth about product questions, reminders, and general
nonsense throughout the day. 

So this time we'll text a lot. He's really gotten into texting over the past two years since I first bought him a smart phone, and it's an easy way to keep in touch. I'll also be phoning him in the early mornings to waken him - a personal alarm clock, in essence. Those calls are short, though. He's not a person who awakens bright, alert and cheery.

I do believe it's time for another adventure. 

Today I'm taking a critical last look to see what I still need to pack, checking out that I have enough money set aside to pay for this and that (and meals and hotel, etc, etc) and trying to find those last minute things I need to stick into my luggage like a beading mat and my favorite lipstick color. There's always something I forget, and I would like to keep it minimal.

Happy Friday to all. I'll be posting tomorrow and then I'll be silent for a week while I play with metal and fire.

Packing and Phones - My Wednesday

My suitcase is going to weigh a ton, it's a good thing I'm driving, not flying. I packed clothing, exercise clothing, projects to work on and sundry things like bottled water and protein bars yesterday. It was rather fun to pull some things out of my closet that I hadn't worn forever and have them fit and look good, while others will have to go to the Goodwill after my return because they're WAY too big now. What fun!

I have three different Goodwill Store locations that I pass by
on a daily basis. It's really easy for me to drop things off, and
I get a donation deduction for my taxes at the end of the year. 

The day started out rather rocky, though. Even though I rely on my cellphone for almost everything, we have a land line as a backup. I was phoning DH yesterday for his morning wake-up call when the phone died. I heard non-stop ringing on my end, he had a click and then nothing on his end. A call into CenturyLink (grrrrrrrr) caused a repair ticket to be issued. The tech was supposed to arrive anytime between 10:30 am and 7:30 pm. Oy!!! One more good reason why I was home all day - packing notwithstanding.

I've checked all of our phones, and they are all
affected - wired and wireless. Everything on our end
seems to be functioning correctly, so it's the line. 

A call in to CenturyLink for an update late in the afternoon resulted in a new time frame - between 5:33 pm and 6:37 pm. Then a phone call (to my cellphone) from the tech assigned, pulled the entire mess over once more and now he will arrive between 8:30 am and 9:00 am TODAY. *sigh*

I want this dog and pony show to get going,
already. CenturyLink is abysmal in terms of
a swift repair. We're seriously thinking about
switching to a digital phone instead of a wired one. 

I'll be packing my tools up today while I'm at the shop, so getting the line fixed will be DH's dog and pony show, not mine. What a wasted day in some respects, but an excellent one in others. We do need our phone line fixed, though. Hopefully it can be resolved quickly and with minimal (read NO) extra expense.

The suitcase will be very full, but I think I got everything packed
except the little bit of laundry I'll do on Saturday night before
I leave. I'm starting to really look forward to the trip! 

Here's hoping you have a tremendous Thursday. I'm starting to get psyched about my vacation next week, and DH is already in a funk because I won't be here - he hates it when I'm not around to keep him company. He'll live.

Sleepless in Minnesota

For the second night in the last four, I had a very restless and sleepless night. I should have just given up on sleep at 1:30 am and caught up on my emails, but I tried to get that extra 1-3/4 hours instead. It was almost worthless, but I felt I had to try.

I can't stop my thoughts from whirling around just now. Hopefully,
by the end of the day I will have accomplished enough to set them
to rest again for a while. 

Today I'm trying to wrap up a lot of things before I leave on Sunday morning. I will be packing, organizing, making sure I have all of my paperwork and scheduling set, and accessing cash because I don't want to be paying for smaller items on my credit card while on the road. Thoughts about all of that, as well as what I need to have complete before I leave town, are whirling in my brain - thus, no sleep.

Maybe in all of those whirling thoughts, I'll come up with
a bright idea or two (or even three!). 

A short post today, though. My thoughts won't let me settle down enough for a reasonable post here either. Tomorrow will be better ... I will at least have accomplished something today. Have a great Wednesday and I'll be back, hopefully rested, tomorrow.

Travel - The Good, The Bad and The Unfriendly Skies

I leave on my annual trip in a little over a week. I suppose I should actually take my suitcase from the closet and start to think about what to pack. Maybe? or maybe procrastination is kicking in. How about I just use the Scarlett O'Hara tome - "I'll think about it tomorrow."

Scarlett O'Hara was famous for looking at the worst and
saying that she would think about how to make it all
work "tomorrow". It's not a bad way to conquer fears. 

I'm looking forward to the trip itself - most specifically because I drive out there so I don't have to deal with long lines at the airport, TSA security screening fiascoes, and packing my tools and equipment in a manner that will actually allow them to arrive at my destination in one piece.

It's hard to believe an airline could have successfully used
this tag line in advertising. The friendly skies are a thing
of the past. 

Travel has become unfriendly. I remember commercials about "Fly the Friendly Skies" when I was a child, but the skies are anything but friendly now. Not only are we screened and scrutinized to within an inch, we get to have our luggage examined by complete strangers, and there's always the joy of sharing the flight with a rude, drunken person or a crying child. Admittedly, the child is usually pretty innocent, just can't help it. But the drunk is another matter.

The lines for pre-screening are huge, even if you're a 'preferred'
pre-appproved person. One of my friends from the gym was flying
to Florida yesterday. She anticipated a 2-hour line, and she is
pre-approved. Ick! 

I think, if I was taking workshops across the country now, I'd be shipping my tools and materials ahead of me and have them waiting for my at my hotel or at the location where the workshop would be held. There's something intimidating about tools used for jewelry making. It's not your simple needles and thread used for beadwork. It's files, drills, chemicals and torches, hammers and stakes, and lots of other things that can cause harm to yourself and others. After all, you're moving metal and fabricating this sturdy, reluctantly malleable material into something of beauty. But to do that, you're using heat, pressure, and sharp blows of tools to construct the finished piece. Yeah - I'll send my tools ahead if I ever return to a longer distance venue.

Jewelry tools come in many shapes and types, but all are
used to move and manipulate metal. Screeners don't like
tools like this - they look like a security risk. 

So here's hoping your Friday is wonderful and if you're a US citizen, have a wonderful Memorial Day holiday.

Traveling and Packing

Yesterday DH and I celebrated my birthday a few days late. We had a great day - good breakfast, a good movie - "Captain America: Civil War" (excellent, BTW!!!), a wonderful early dinner at Red Lobster and ended the day by sharing a very decadent mini "Death by Chocolate" cake while watching "Map of Hell". We sneaked in a quick trip to Home Depot to look at paving blocks for a retaining wall that DH wants to build, and we bought a rake since our other one had died over the fall. The weather was perfect, the movie was REALLY GOOD! and we had a wonderful time.

My annual trip to Milwaukee is coming up.
I guess I'd better start thinking about what
to pack, and get my toolkit in order. 

Today I'm fully settling back in my normal life once more, but I glanced at the calendar and realized that I am leaving for Bead & Button Show in less than a month. Oy!!! I have to get my act together, get my tools packed and get ready for the trip. I'm no superhero - I can't travel with weapons, a skin suit, and nothing else.

So, she's got a plane and he flies. She can
probably store a change of clothes in her plane,
but what about Superman. Those muscles
aren't going to be easily hidden in an
off-the-rack suit. 

Don't you wonder, sometimes, about how superheros manage to travel the way that they do? Sure, Wonder Woman owns her own plane, and it's even invisible. Superman can fly anywhere in the blink of an eye, but somehow he manages to pack along a suit, tie, button-down, underwear and even dress shoes - all that while wearing a onesie with a cape. Where do his clothes hide?

I was always a huge Green Lantern fan, but where
did his clothes go when he wasn't fighting in
alien worlds? Were they shrunk down and
stored in the ring? 

What about heroes who are more down-to-earth? Batman has his gadgets, the Bat Car, the Bat Cave, and of course, a butler. Oy - a butler! Green Arrow just goes around looking like a Robin Hood knock-off in green, Green Lantern is another onesie guy, and Spiderman just stuffs his uniform in the corner of his closet or, in the case of the newest incarnation, above the dropped ceiling.

Although "Hunger Games" caused a resurgence in archery interest,
I was interested from childhood because I really liked
Green Arrow. The "Arrow" TV series was pretty horrid, though. 

I can't seem to travel that lightly, and I'd make a guess that most of you also can't. I need to have my identification, car keys, and phone (a very important thing!!!). I often have a change of clothes in the back of my car since I'm traveling back and forth from the gym. If I'm on a trip, I have several changes of clothing along with grooming items - toothbrush and paste, hair conditioner and shampoo, and a comb. I can't seem to travel for a trip of several days duration without at least one suitcase, and if I'm doing workshops and classes, there's usually a second carry-along involved that carries my tools and supplies. I can't pack super light.

I travel quite a bit lighter than Nicole Kidman in this scene from "Australia" .

But I'm not the woman from the old movies with a car full of luggage, either. I've learned to pack light and lean. I'm not superhero light, but I'm not Joan Collins heavy. I'm somewhere in between in my packing style, and I guess that's OK. Do you travel? When you do, do you pack lightly or are you experienced in packing just the minimum for the trip? Do you have any trips planned for later in the year? Maybe you need to start shopping now! LOL. Have a great Monday.