Traveling Adventures in the Outer Universe (aka On the Road with Missy)

Yes, I know.  I'm bad.  We shall stipulate that and move on.  Much has been going on that has kept me from you convivial society, but maybe today I can start to make inroads back into the fold.

First I was sort of not stitching, and yet sometimes stitching.  Frankly we have been through some weeks of it being too hot to contemplate threads.  But on my most recent adventure to Worldcon in Spokane (yay, Spokane!) I was invigorated by air conditioning and accomplished quite a bit.

Apparently there was a PS deer theme in my life for a bit.  Here's PS' Two-by-Two Deer (nope, not in the threads called for)--

... and PS' Christmas Eve Deer (also not as called for)

And a little Danji ornament to commemorate all the Sea World/San Diego vacation weekends my mom and I took -- I still clearly remember the stuffed dolphin I got at Sea World... and my annoyance, since I was my mother's daughter, that they put the grey fur on one side going from tail to nose so the nap was backwards when you petted it. In honor of the fur faux pas, I did the grey in Very Velvet.

Now, as for that traveling, as I said I headed off to Worldcon in Spokane, the nicest city I have ever convened in!   If you want to feel welcomed some where you need to go to Spokane.   Missy and I had a blast.

Let me explain Missy the polar bear.  A few years ago my sister and I took her oldest grandson (then aged 7) on a trip through SoCal-- Legoland, Seaworld, and the San Diego Zoo.  At the Zoo he bought a pair of polar bears and gave me one (how cute is that!?!).  He named his bear Matthew and my bear Missy.  Ever since then, Missy goes adventuring with me.  One trip she took with me was to the first North American Discworld Convention in Tempe where she got to meet Sir Terry Pratchett and she collected that fetching set of gold beads she proudly wears at the Seamstresses Guild Ball.

So off we go -- breakfast at the airport.....

a befuddlingly loud and sparkly layover in Las Vegas (no, she was not a winner).  For the record, you get some odd looks taking pictures of a stuffed bear in beads on a slot machine.

Spokane was obviously my kind of town.....

Missy and I could have hosted a small floatilla of friends in our hotel room.....

She especially liked the mod chair, which was surprisingly comfy

We dropped our stuff and went exploring and found.......

Wildlife

Art in the river (the Spokane River runs right next to the convention center where we spent the week)

Many flowers and bridges and a nice bell tower.

The famous (apparently so according to all the local maps which just say "the red wagon") Red Wagon which just makes me smile.  I mean how cool is that?????

There was a pretty (smoke induced) sunset sparkling on a cool fountain.

And there was the traditional convention center welcome.  I knew I had made it to my "family" reunion.

Back again soon....   happy stitching to all, and happy New Year to those celebrating today.