Blind Faith

Chicken will never forgive me for this picture.
Her teeth are whiter than this--the light just
SUCKED!  But she bought one of those
bunny clip things for her, and one for Squish.

So when I was at yaoi-con this year, someone (who has no children or spouse) said, trying to make a joke, "So, why aren't you going straight from here to GRL?  Afraid your husband will let the house disintegrate and the kids run wild without you?"

Chicken was about to leave at that point, and it was hitting me that she was not going home with me as most of my molecular structure assumed she should have been, and I was not in the mood for joking.

"My husband is actually terrifyingly competent and really awesome with the kids," I said flatly.  "I'm going home because I need to see my family."

This person didn't understand (I didn't expect her to) but I know that most of you will, even if your family is all four footed, furry, and has an insane fascination for what you do in the bathroom.  (Yes, Steve missed me too, can you tell?)

Just looking at him makes my chest hurt.
And he was SUCH a total sweetheart!

I had a wonderful time at Yaoi-Con.  The people were first rate, I was there with my person and my daughter who was having a very good time, and other friends like Rhys Ford and Nessa Warrin and Shira Anthony and Venona Keyes who made every day a joy.  The fans were amazing--I'm always warmed by the kindness and humor and awesomeness of Dreamspinner fans and this time was no different.  Kat and Roget (and Roget's lovely and shy friend on the phone) I'm talking to you guys and others, and to the two guys who stopped by at the very end and bought something because you'd been dying to do that all day.  I'm talking to the fans who walked by mine and Mary's table saying, "Oh no--we have all of these on e-book already!" and then went to the other table, the one with the pretty sci-fi/fantasy covers and bought the place out, because they were willing to try other authors and do it with humor and enthusiasm.  I'm talking to the sweet (and heart-achingly beautiful) guy who modeled for Joan Chen and helped her with sales, and who kept coming over to our corner so his iPad could get signal, and who was so very accommodating about bending over just so because he knew we liked the view.  (The view was VERRA nice.  Saying.) It may have been in Long Beach (which was, in Mary's words, a perfectly adorable town!) but Yaoi-Con was just as amazing and fun and wonderful as it has been in past years.  *waves hi to everyone I met over the weekend*  It was awesome!  Can't wait to do it again next year.

Squish and I made pompom monsters last
night before spaghetti for dinner.  Can you
tell how proud she is?

And now?  Now I'm on to a terrifying new thing (I am both an eager traveller and a frightened one--it's a very uncomfortable combination) and Mate is taking the kids out of school tomorrow to drop me off at the airport in San Jose.  (It's a two-three hour drive.)  I'm pitifully grateful for this.  The last two hours in the car aren't going to be pleasant, but they are going to be with my family, and I haven't spent enough time here to leave again.  Just haven't.

And GRL promises to be... breathless and thrilling?  Exciting?  Frantic?  There is a schedule on an ap called "Bloodhound" that is apparently like having a fairy godmother on your phone.  Except it's on your IPHONE, which I don't have--my phone is fairy godmother PROOF, and I've got a sheaf of papers that I'm highlighting so I don't miss my stuff.  *shudder*  The idea of missing something makes a nasty little pit in my stomach.  Hates it, my peoples... hates it!!!

So it's three nights in my own bed, two days getting the kids to school, and then back on a plane to another world.  The other world is going to be a lot of fun, but I have to admit to you, I'm not quite ready to leave this one.  That's why the sad song at the end.  I'm going to enjoy my trip, but I'm really looking forward to finding my way home.