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Albuquerque & the first day of MM
After work on Wednesday, ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mr_kurt dropped me at the airport and I flew to Albuquerque without difficulty... most unlike my attempted flight in January. I still intend to avoid America West but I must say this was just a normal flight.
I took a taxi to Wendy's house and we sat up talking for awhile before I went to sleep in "the Pirate's Cove" which is Wendy's daughter's room featuring pirate flags for curtains. It was totally cool! Who knew flags would make such good curtains. *laugh* There was a spiral of holiday lights on the ceiling but I didn't turn them on. I imagine they'd light up the flags and be really cool. A great room for a teenager! Much cooler than I ever had.
Wendy cooked a great omelette for breakfast featuring various things - tomatoes, basil, chives - from her garden. We had a lovely visit and I'm really glad that the MM folks were confused about my reservations such that I had a chance to stay over. I hope to have more hangout time when I'm back for Balloon Fiesta.
Then I caught a shuttle out to Sunrise Springs. I arrived about 11am and decided not to go to the last bit of morning session of the leadership institute but to check out my room and get settled. There was no sign of the promised "roll away" and I headed back to registration and requested it. Luckily they were out and had to put a real twin bed into our room. It is hard as a rock but at least doesn't have metal edges and wire underpinnings like most roll aways.
Then it was time for lunch. The food was lovely - tilapia, salad, grilled veggies and a lovely mixed berry cold soup. Yum! I connected with various friends and asked Scott if I could crash the afternoon part of Ardantane's LI program. It was on communication, always a good topic. Evidently the morning had been more experiential; the afternoon was mostly discussion of principles. It was very well thought out, having elements of NVC and other similar techniques but cast into a Pagan context. I'm looking forward to finding time to read all the handouts!
At the end of the day I was getting a terrible headache and went back to the room to take meds and close my eyes. About then Elvis showed up saying they had assigned him and Jeff to the room too. I said, nope, I'm expecting Don & Anna and I have a headache. He left his luggage and went off to sort things out. D&A arrived soon thereafter and Elvis & Jeff were settled elsewhere. Luckily the meds had started working because there was no rest to be had.
I dressed and headed over to Gail & Rick's handfasting. It was truly lovely, very Celtic traditional with pipers, the exchanging of the tartan sash, etc. along with many Wiccan elements. Kathryn & Daryl officiated with the help of the whole CoG Board as Elemental Guardians and Sylvia as Guide. The bride's gown was truly stunning, one of those with a corset top and a traditional skirt with train. It has maroon embroidery and marooon corset ties at side and back that set off beautifully the white satin. Yum!
There was a reception afterward at the terrace below the restaurant with hors d'oevres and cakes (white, chocolate and cheese). And wine and beer which I couldn't drink because of the lamisil. Diet coke was $1.50 for a small glass. *pout* I guess it is a good thing to notice how often I drink wine in my normal life but three months of being a teetotaler is going to be quite wearing. It just occurred to me as I write this that it means I can't drink cider whilst I'm in England. *wah*
After the reception Rayna & Canu and I wandered over their room to pick up an Ogum tool necklace and bracelet Rayna brought me from a Miami botanica. They are very cool. The most defined tool on each of them is a bow and arrow like Oxossi carries. I may have to take one for him. Ogum may make it but it is Oxossi's symbol. Then on to Baldr's casita where there was much tasting of Absinthe and Damiana liquer. I didn't mind skipping that as much. *grin* There were shot sof the hurricane in south Florida on the news and it was going right over Rayna & Canu's home. Their kids were with the folks and they have been getting periodic updates. Their house is fine, the kids are a bit freaked and there is no electricity but it is basically okay. Scary though to be so far away! After a good bit of visiting, D&A and I headed off to bed.
mr_kurt dropped me at the airport and I flew to Albuquerque without difficulty... most unlike my attempted flight in January. I still intend to avoid America West but I must say this was just a normal flight. I took a taxi to Wendy's house and we sat up talking for awhile before I went to sleep in "the Pirate's Cove" which is Wendy's daughter's room featuring pirate flags for curtains. It was totally cool! Who knew flags would make such good curtains. *laugh* There was a spiral of holiday lights on the ceiling but I didn't turn them on. I imagine they'd light up the flags and be really cool. A great room for a teenager! Much cooler than I ever had.
Wendy cooked a great omelette for breakfast featuring various things - tomatoes, basil, chives - from her garden. We had a lovely visit and I'm really glad that the MM folks were confused about my reservations such that I had a chance to stay over. I hope to have more hangout time when I'm back for Balloon Fiesta.
Then I caught a shuttle out to Sunrise Springs. I arrived about 11am and decided not to go to the last bit of morning session of the leadership institute but to check out my room and get settled. There was no sign of the promised "roll away" and I headed back to registration and requested it. Luckily they were out and had to put a real twin bed into our room. It is hard as a rock but at least doesn't have metal edges and wire underpinnings like most roll aways.
Then it was time for lunch. The food was lovely - tilapia, salad, grilled veggies and a lovely mixed berry cold soup. Yum! I connected with various friends and asked Scott if I could crash the afternoon part of Ardantane's LI program. It was on communication, always a good topic. Evidently the morning had been more experiential; the afternoon was mostly discussion of principles. It was very well thought out, having elements of NVC and other similar techniques but cast into a Pagan context. I'm looking forward to finding time to read all the handouts!
At the end of the day I was getting a terrible headache and went back to the room to take meds and close my eyes. About then Elvis showed up saying they had assigned him and Jeff to the room too. I said, nope, I'm expecting Don & Anna and I have a headache. He left his luggage and went off to sort things out. D&A arrived soon thereafter and Elvis & Jeff were settled elsewhere. Luckily the meds had started working because there was no rest to be had.
I dressed and headed over to Gail & Rick's handfasting. It was truly lovely, very Celtic traditional with pipers, the exchanging of the tartan sash, etc. along with many Wiccan elements. Kathryn & Daryl officiated with the help of the whole CoG Board as Elemental Guardians and Sylvia as Guide. The bride's gown was truly stunning, one of those with a corset top and a traditional skirt with train. It has maroon embroidery and marooon corset ties at side and back that set off beautifully the white satin. Yum!
There was a reception afterward at the terrace below the restaurant with hors d'oevres and cakes (white, chocolate and cheese). And wine and beer which I couldn't drink because of the lamisil. Diet coke was $1.50 for a small glass. *pout* I guess it is a good thing to notice how often I drink wine in my normal life but three months of being a teetotaler is going to be quite wearing. It just occurred to me as I write this that it means I can't drink cider whilst I'm in England. *wah*
After the reception Rayna & Canu and I wandered over their room to pick up an Ogum tool necklace and bracelet Rayna brought me from a Miami botanica. They are very cool. The most defined tool on each of them is a bow and arrow like Oxossi carries. I may have to take one for him. Ogum may make it but it is Oxossi's symbol. Then on to Baldr's casita where there was much tasting of Absinthe and Damiana liquer. I didn't mind skipping that as much. *grin* There were shot sof the hurricane in south Florida on the news and it was going right over Rayna & Canu's home. Their kids were with the folks and they have been getting periodic updates. Their house is fine, the kids are a bit freaked and there is no electricity but it is basically okay. Scary though to be so far away! After a good bit of visiting, D&A and I headed off to bed.