California Trip--Home again, thank goodness!

I will be doing a number of blogs about my recent trip to CA (San Diego and San Jose), since there is too much info to cover in just one. And, like, there are pictures.

For now, I would just like to say:
1) I am really happy to be home.
B) It was a great trip--everything I could have hoped for, on both legs of it.
And 2 and 3/4ths) OMG, I hate flying.

Addendums:

1A) Except for the snow, of course.
B+) No, really. It was fabulous.
And 3 and 4/5ths) Big kudos to Southwest for getting me (and everyone else) home and safe, even with unexpected plane changes, and multiple delays.

As they said in my favorite movie, The Princess Bride:
"I will esplain...no--it too much, I will sum up."

The trip in general went well. As most of you know, I was already planning to fly out to CA to visit with the family in San Diego, then fly on to San Jose for Pantheacon (the biggest Pagan convention in the country) and to see my step-daughter Jenn. Of course, then came the news that my beloved grandmother (Germambie) was dying, and things got--shall we say--more complicated.

Alas, I didn't make it out to SD in time to say my goodbyes while my grandmother was still alive. In fact, I missed her by THREE DAYS. She died on the 14th and I flew out on the 18th. But I was able to say my goodbyes in other ways, thanks to my mother, who kindly arranged for me to be able to visit my grandmother's body before she was cremated. This sounds a bit ghoulish, I know, but she looked as beautiful in death as she had in life, and only as if she was sleeping. I got to say the things I needed to say. Then the family--including my sister and fabulous brother in-law, who had flown out with me--got to spent two days together, which was very healing for us all. More on that tomorrow.

Then I flew out to PCon (more on that later as well), which was also wonderful.

And then I spent 150 years on a plane. No? Okay, maybe it just felt like it. But I left the hotel at 8:45 AM PST, got on the plane in San Jose for a trip that started at 10:10 AM, and got in at the airport at Albany at midnight, EST. In between, there were two unscheduled plane changes, a number of delays, and one cross-airport sprint. All of which was followed by the drive home (which I didn't have to do, thanks to my amazing pal JC) and an arrival at home at 2 AM.

And at that, I still feel lucky, since my Llewellyn editor and other folks had their flights cancelled, and may or may not have gotten home at all. So I'm recuperating from the trip, catching up with my 200+ emails, sucking up to the cats, and generally feeling grateful to be home.

It was wonderful to see everyone, and I promise a more detailed report on the rest of the trip tomorrow and the next day...when my brain has figured out what time zone I'm in...

Oh, and I finally got to meet my CP (critique partner) Lisa DiDio in person...and she ROCKS. Just sayin'.

Renaissance Faire Trip--Report Part Deux (Family)

Family is a wonderful thing (mostly). You have the family you are born to, and the family you choose. Here are a few pics of my extended Blue Moon Circle family, enjoying our time together, camping out and having fun. Love you guys!

Sophie and I catch up on some reading. (In case you can't make it out, I was rereading one of my favorite books, DOGS AND GODDESSES, by Jennifer Crusie, Anne Stuart, and Lani Diane Rich--perfect summer fun reading!)

Nate caught his first fish.

Sharing laughter.

Cooking together over the fire. It doesn't get much better than this.

Tomorrow--Fabulous First Friday in Downtown Oneonta, and then a trip to Saratoga to spend a few days with my other family, the one's who've been stuck with me since I was born!

Ren Faire Report, Part One

I took a rare break this last weekend and went away for three days with some friends--specifically, pals Chris and hubby Charlie, Robin and hubby George and my goddess-children (the ever adorable) Sophia and Nate, and Ellen and Bobbie.

We took three days and went camping, hung out at the Fair Haven State Park beach, and spent the Saturday (most of us, anyway) at the Sterling Renaissance Faire.

No internet. No computer. No TV. No writing. (Gasp!) Just hanging out with friends and having a great time. Pretty close to heaven, if you ask me.

One of the highlights of the weekend was our visit to the Ren Faire. We've been before as a group, and it is always a blast. The Sterling Ren Faire (http://www.sterlingfestival.com/ ) runs each weekend for a couple of months during the summer, and is full of pagentry, wonderful items for sale, and fun shows. The weekend we went happened to be the Highland Fling theme, which was even more fun. I even made a couple of friends, as you can see!

Of course, now I have to get back to work, and reality...but it was nice to take a break from it all. Next blog, I'll share a few pics from around the campfire.

Pantheacon plans

In about 10 days, I will be flying (by plane, not broomstick) out to California. This rare cross-country trip has two purposes: visit my family in San Diego, and go to Pantheacon.

Pantheacon, for those of you not familiar with it, is one of the biggest Pagan conventions in the country [maybe the biggest indoor one]. It is held every year around the time of Presidents' weekend in February. This year, that means Feb. 12-15. Pantheacon takes place in San Jose at the fabulous Doubletree Hotel (although I think the location is changing as of next year). The convention itself is quite inexpensive; $75 for 4 days of workshops, rituals, and fun, fun, fun. If you live in the area and have any interest in any aspect of Paganism, you should definitely go check it out.

I will only be there for part of the long weekend, since I am combining my visit with a journey to San Diego to see family (6 days is the outside of my comfort zone for being away from home and kitties). I'll be getting in at around noon on Thursday the 11th, and leaving around 3 PM on Saturday. If you're going to be there, I hope you'll come looking for me!

The easiest way to find me will be to come to one or both of the workshops I'm giving. [When I went to my first Pcon 2 years ago, after only having one book out, I had over 60 people come to the workshop I gave. Man, did that rock!] The workshops are as follows:
"Witchcraft on a Shoestring: Practicing the Craft without Breaking the Bank" Friday at noon, in the Silicon Valley room (2nd floor)
"Crafting and Casting the Perfect Spell" Saturday at 9 AM in the Santa Clara room (1st floor)
I hope you'll come join me! Both workshops are based in part on the books I have coming out this year, and I'll be giving away coupons for those books, and even a few free prizes! You can also get a copy of one of my current books, signed by me!

On Friday night, I will enjoy one of the highlights of the trip--having dinner and hanging out with my wonderful Llewellyn editor, Elysia Gallo. After dinner, we have "sekret" plans... I'll have to report about that after I get back. I've also promised to write up a report for pal Rebecca at The Magical Buffet.

One of the best parts of this trips--besides hanging out with cool witchy folks, buying cool witchy stuff, and generally having a great time--will be spending some time with my step-daughter, Jenn. Jenn went with me the last time, and we had a blast together. Now she is living in Miami, but she'll be flying out to join me for the Panthecon leg of the trip!

More on the trip later...I hope to see some of you there!