I just wondered what the duck ever did to her.

That gigantic dust storm that hit the Phoenix area? We were smack in the middle of that.  It still hasn’t settled, and it’s humid here now, making for total grossness upon walking out the door.  And my pool, my beautiful pool, has been absolutely trashed.  I mean, it rained mud! I have it on good authority that flying in over the city right after the storm hit resembled shots of Dave Lynch’s <i>Dune</i>.  Every dog in town has on little cinnabar booties.  OK, that last one is kind of cute, but the poor pool.  It went from blue and sparkling to green and murky in less than an hour.  I wouldn’t be so upset if this wasn’t prime pool season and the weather otherwise making a swim sound all the more delightful.

And since it had just rained, all of that dust in the air came with free Valley Fever spores.  In a week, a notable percentage of the population here may well be sick out of their minds.  So glad I’ve already had that.  Note: it’s Valley Fever isn’t dangerous except in the immunocompromised.  It does however suck mucho ass.  Imagine bronchitis with a side of poison ivy.

On Tuesday, I brought in the display board I made for the kits and worked on making things to hang on it, so it wouldn’t be hanging out empty.  Nothing sadder than an empty display board.  Anyway, while I was working, someone mentioned that they thought they saw my design in one of the major beading magazines.  Cue my freaking out.  I couldn’t see anything from the website promos, but I did look.  Oh, did I look.  And I finally got to help the lady I taught to peyote stitch finish her bracelet.  I actually ran into her last Friday wen we went out for sushi (again), but I didn’t recognize her and this was quite embarrassing.  She seemed more happy to have a handmade bracelet of her own than miffed at me.

I think I forgot to mention: last Thursday, we had a very professional kit meeting with voting and spreadsheets and everything.  And that sushi the next day? Well, it was good quality stuff, but I very much got the impression the person in charge of slicing hadn’t exactly graduated sushi school with honors.  That is totally NOT how you slice sea bass.  

This Wednesday- yesterday and all -I went over to one of the beady lady’s houses.  The one with the dogs and Publisher.  The dogs remembered me.  Oh, did they.  That’s why she now has a photo on her iPhone of them sitting on me.  I think I am a cat person, deep down.  This does not mean however that I dislike dogs, especially cinnabar bootied hunting dogs with kooky dispositions.  Since this was right after the haboob and all.  I don’t think we could have done much more with the day in question.  I mentioned what I’d heard about someone else possibly getting to this particular use for Tila beads before us, which lead to a certain mad charge, mailbow-wise for the latest issue of Bead and Button, given that I’d already checked out Beadwork.  

Her: Hey, this doesn’t look anything like our design.

Me: Yeah, ours is much more convoluted.

…

Her: Fuck a duck.

But, we got a lot done, despite ducks and haboobs.  In fact, we kind of decided “haboobed” now means “suffering from massive brain block”.

Four deer sauntered across the driveway in front of my car this morning as I headed out.  They were so beautiful and calming to watch.  I accepted that I would be late rather than shoo them away.  We had another very professional meeting thing which absolutely did not involve dancing and cute pet stories.  We have some editing, printing, sorting and ordering to do.  I’m not sure how long it takes bead wholesalers to ship, but my previous estimates of a week or two may be overly optimistic.  This thing is HAPPENING.  Just as soon as I get the order sussed out, since that’s my job.  Payment has been in love, hugs, and foods, but I would have done it anyway.  It’s a fun project! Trying at times, but fun nonetheless.  You know, just like writing.

I’m down to two more scenes for my current project.  My iron broke the other day and a kangaroo rat got into Dad’s car, where it devoured several relatively important wires before hopping off on it’s way.  He’s fine, but  the owls aren’t doing their part around here.