So, it did snow, and the daffodils floundered in the cold.

But we were not daunted, and had a vaguely bizarre night of bowling with Sara and several of her friends. Either we are cool parents, or particularly dweeby ones.  It would have been a little more normal if the kids were 12 or 14, but with them being mostly 18 and capable of driving themselves around to their own amusements, it felt as if we'd slipped into some sort of time warp.  Of course, just being in a bowling alley may have been a contributing factor....

For those of you who couldn't find me at Medieval Fair this cold, blustery weekend, it's because I wasn't there.  Just didn't have the heart, way back in December, to send in the funds and application, let alone purchase a new canopy after the destruction of mine last year.  It's probably safe to say a certain era has come to an end, and I'm not mourning it.  Instead of slogging down to Norman for three days, I stayed closer to home, kept up with the massage clients, was able to answer the call to face paint for a last-minute birthday party, work a little on the first of three massive market umbrellas to be painted for a wedding. 

 It's like having a parachute spread on the table, and rather tedious work, what with having to allow each piece to dry before moving onto the next.  Oh, and that thing about cats wanting to walk/sleep/play on the table.

The other thing I was able to do, having put Med. Fair decidedly in my rear view mirror, was attend IAO's Biting the Apple, erotic art show and party.  I'd entered a piece, so was happy to mingle with the crowd, meet many friends, and see the assorted artistic offerings and entertainments.  Last year was our first time to attend, and I'd come away with the impression it was a rather lame affair.  This time, however, was quite a bit more festive.  Tony and I ended up going both nights. The second night had a theme of 'circus/fetish ball', and as the evening drew on, some odd costumes certainly showed up.  We left the wild looks to the (mostly) younger crowd, and wore tamer apparel.  I did have a woman ask me if I was Zelda, and another tell me I was Dorothy Parker.  

Some photos are safer to show than others.....

A matter of perspective

Yes, my new Canon Rebel is gone, along with my computer filled with years' worth of photos and a lot of music. Yes, the car we just bought for Sara requires over $700 in repairs to be roadworthy, so yes, I could sit in the corner, in a nasty, bitter mood.
Or, I could look on the bright side of things.
Saturday night, instead of moaning about the sudden storms that brought rain and lightning, throwing a spanner into some July 4th celebration plans (not mine), I delighted in the cool downpour that's been too long in coming. I also popped down the street, where our pals Stephen and Christina were throwing an 8-track party, no doubt inspired by the hijinx Tony and I sometimes get up to on long weekend nights. Little did I know, the 8-track thing was just a ruse, a lure to ensure my attendance. It turns out a collection of my friends, old and new, near and far, had cleverly conspired to bring me to tears with the presentation of a laptop of my very own! Amazing. So here I sit connected to world again. Friends are priceless.
I have no photos to share, but if you wander around Facebook you just might see a few from the party.
Now, a cool-ish, bearable day is beckoning, so I think I'll contemplate the mysteries of life in the dangly chair, with a good book.