Discworld countdown and other Vitally Important Things

Terry Pratchett in roughly 6 days!!!! Yes sirrie, Madison, Wisconsin here I come!

What? You didn't know that Madison was the vacation hotspot of 2011? Missed the memo, eh? Sorry about that. I'll have fun on your behalf. Dear friends, next Thursday I leave for Madison (I think I do anyway, I haven't checked when I made my flights for) for a lovely extended weekend of Terry Pratchett-affiliated happiness. There will be dressing up, quaffing, and general good times. If you haven't experienced the Discworld series of novels--- then go do so. Don't do it in public though because you won't be able to control the need to laugh out loud (seriously) and the outbursts might frighten people walking by.

Now you know me. You know that this impending adventure means there was to be packing plans. Sure, clothes, shoes, shampoo, blah, blah, blah. But more importantly -- what books are coming and what stitching will make the trip? Oh the choices!!!! All I can say on books is that a couple Pratchetts, 2-3 Baxters (that's Stephen Baxter who is attending as he's working on a series with Terry currently), and possibly a couple Esther Freisners will hit the case. But the stitching oportunities are so difficult to wrangle.

What to take, what to take? I could try finishing some things that are pretty darn close like --
Tilogy's "Gathering of Hearts"

or Sampler Girl's "Hope Perches"

or this little bookmark

or SB's Joy in the Journey

or even Quaker a la Six Mains


But then they are the things I really want to take like --
my sand dollar--

or GOS' "Jeanne d'Arc"

or A Mind Independent and Free

or Martina Dey's Tsunami Sampler

or good ole Beatrix

or Lanarte's Arabian Woman (which I have made such immense progress on-- snort)

or the red house (Ewe and Eye, I think)

or The Golden Gate

or my quail



If I could pack anything irrespective of reality what would come would be:
1. Beatrix (can't go becuase those dang beads end up weighing a lot)
2. the Tsunami piece (might go despite being huge and therfore hard to work on on my lap in a convention room)
3. Arabian Woman (too complx to balance not only the stitching and pattern but also to hold the highlighter for each and every stitch)
4. the quail (too big)
5. The red house (too big as well)
6. The Golden Gate Bridge (needs to be on a stand for neat stitching)

At the moment I think what's making the cut is:
1. the sand dollar (it's a small enough needlepoint and it doesn't require the use of my stand, but it is sometimes to balance it with 3 needles of varied threads in process at all times)
2-5. some of the surprise pieces
6. F&S Round 25 (hi Elaine!)
7. the Tsunami sampler -- because I love it so much right now
8. some Christmas ornies

But maybe, gentle reader I should start a couple whole new pieces in hour of the adventure? After all, you'd hate me to to bored, right?

Happy 4th (and Canadian national day) to all --