I Didn't Know They Did That in Alabama

Someone is off helping PJ at some Alabama Ren Fest for the weekend.

Can they even spell "Ren Fest" in 'Bama??

I was supposed to do some sewing for PJ this week, but managed to do almost nothing useful instead, for two main reasons - first, because Monday evening something crawled into my respiratory system and began to wreak havoc (and is still doing so), and second because my sewing machine decided that nylon lined pleather is hateful and refused to sew any of it. In the machine's defense, it's used to lovely cotton fabrics and I can't blame it for finding that synthetic crap material to be less than ideal fodder.

Sigh.

I did cut pieces for a number of small belt pouches...but couldn't stitch 'em together here at Casa de Crazy.

We went down Thursday afternoon to help PJ load up the van and so I could drop Someone off (so he wouldn't have to leave a truck parked at PJ's all weekend), so I brought the pieces of fabric with me and finished 'em there...but not after we had the chance to compare notes about our respective days.

I can sum it up with this: Our vocabulary list for Thursday has two words on it - "cluster" and "fuck". Can you use them in a sentence, boys and girls?? I knew you could.

Whew.

Let me give you a sampling of the day: We were to meet PJ at K's house to pick up K's van. trailer, and whatever she was sending to the Fest (she isn't going, but PJ agreed to take her merchandise). I tried to sew pouches until the last minute while Someone packed. We would have left on time, but we kept forgetting things and having t run back into the house.

When we got to K's, she told us that she couldn't find the trailer keys so PJ would have to cut the locks off and buy new ones. Meanwhile, I called PJ for an ETA and was informed that she just discovered that her basement had been flooding for several hours thanks to an overzealous toilet. She was up to her ankles in water and was a mite busy.

K sent us on to PJ's, sans her van and trailer because PJ was going to pick them up later. I wondered why we didn't just take them right then, but figured there must be a reason. Next time I'm asking, because...

We got to PJ's and learned from her mother that she'd just left with D to pick up the van. We asked why we didn't just bring it and were told it was because they thought we were in two vehicle and they didn't want us having to leave one behind. Umm...huh...whoopsie...

I started sewing.

PJ got to K's, collected van and trailer, and returned to her house. En route, K called her and reported that E (K's husband) had a spare set of trailer keys, which was a good thing because the locks on the trailer? Bulletproof, apparently, and un-cutable. Without keys, they were going to have to leave the trailer behind or use a can opener to get into it via the roof! K would bring them right over.

A few minutes later, K called PJ and let her know that E had taken the kids in K's car, leaving his truck (and the trailer keys) with K. The truck is a stick shift, though, and K only drives automatic. Aww, dang. Out PJ went to collect the erstwhile trailer keys.

Meanwhile J was sewing buttons on belt pouches as fast as she could, but her hands were paining her, so I offered to finish sewing 'em and then do the buttons. I had to cut off all the ones she'd done, though, because she hadn't done them the way PJ wanted 'em. Poor J...all that work for naught.

While PJ was off fetching keys (and pizza for dinner because by this time it was getting late and we were all a mite peckish), Someone was hauling equipment to the driveway to stage it for loading. I kept sewing buttons.

PJ got home, and luckily the trailer keys worked. I got the belt pouches done. PJ's basement may never be dry again, but at least they stemmed the tide.

I got home late and despite nearly running out of fuel.

And Someone? Looks damn good in my old black RenFest boots - I extracted a promise from PJ that she would photograph him all dressed up in Renny garb...whew...look out, 'Bama...