Aidan Rhiannon

Looks like we're probably going to be moving very soon. We've been keeping an eye out for a while for a larger apartment, and today we found a good one. Various paperwork has to happen, but as the same property management company owns both places we may not even have to give 30 days notice, in which case we may be moving very soon.

This shouldn't affect any deadlines for plush/costumes, but I'll keep you guys posted if it does.

I am high as a kite right now, but it is not for a good reason. Well, I guess maybe being high on pain pills because you are in pain is better than being high because you are an addict. Anyhow, what happened was that I got a huge glob of hot glue on the tip of my finger, and as is usually the best course, I pulled it off immediately to keep it fom burning more, but it took the skin under it off with it. So there is a spot just smaller than a dime on the tip of my left ring finger with no skin on it, which has also been burned. It hurts like HELL, just washing it with saline literally made me cry, but now I have happy fun pills, so everything is good.

Needless to say, as I can't do much work one-handed, things are going to be delayed for a little while, but hopefully I'll be at least able to do something in a day or two.

Today I got my nose pierced accidentally.

How is that possible? I'll explain!

It started while I was cleaning the vulture enclosure at the Raptor Center. (I think any story that starts that way is going to be a pretty interesting story!) I bent over to pick up something, and one of the vultures, who is very fond of people, decided it would be fun to fly down and land on my back. I straightened up, thinking the bird would be sensible and jump off. Instead she scrambled up my back and tried to cling to my shoulder. At this point if I'd held still we probably would have both been okay, though with her you never know, she gives love bites, apparently. But I didn't hold still, I instinctively tried to brush her off. And she decided to steady herself and keep from falling by means of grabbing my nose. Lacking hands she grabbed it with her beak.

So here I am, flailing about, with a vulture biting my nose, trying to cling to my shoulder, while I'm trying to pry her off. I bet it was pretty hilarious to watch. I managed to get one hand on her head and the other hand between her beak and pry the halves apart, and at that point she gave up and sort of flopped to the ground. And was apparently untraumatized enough to attempt to follow me out of the enclosure, nibbling my pants legs the way she normally does. :P

I put my sweater sleeve over my profusely bleeding nose (thankfully I never wear clothes I care about to the Center, I got eagle crap all over my pants today, which is the usual reason why) and headed down to the bird hospital area, where the director was happy enough to break into the supplies and patch me up. Apparently a vulture's beak is cleaner than a cat's claws or teeth, so there's very little concern about infection. :) The senior staff were all a bit worried, I think they thought I might be so traumatized by this that I'd up and quit, and they need every hand they can get. (I was the only volunteer there today, which is another story entirely.) But I pretty much expected to get bitten when I started here. Bitten, clawed, and heaven knows what else. Though I'll admit I didn't expect to be bit on the nose by a vulture. XD That was a bit surprising.

Anyhow, here I am, still feeling a bit of that shaky post-adrenaline-rush feeling, and somewhat perforated, but otherwise quite fine. It doesn't hurt much or anything. And it's a great story. I could get drinks on a story like this!

Oh, and apparently the hole doesn't quite go all the way through, or I'd honestly be tempted to put some jewelry in it and keep it. But I never did like nose piercings anyway, I always find myself picturing the snot that must be stuck to the back side of the things. :P

The trip was awesome. :D

Not going to give the blow by blow, honestly they're boring to write and boring to read too, at least when nearly two whole weeks of stuff go into one. I'll just say it was awesome and leave it at that.

For anxious customers wanting Halloween stuff, I'm answering e-mails again if you want to send one. I'll put up some official post or other probably tomorrow, and start trying to whip my commissions queue into shape.

Tl:dr version, all commissions are closed until October 1st. Getting hitched!

So the wedding is next week, holy crap! This weekend there are a lot of things to do to prepare, and on Tuesday our out of town guests start arriving, so I'm going to be far too busy to be able to get any sewing done. Then there's the honeymoon, when I definitely won't be working, so the next time I'll have a chance to sew is after we get back, on October 1st.

All new commissions, small and large, are closed until that time. Sorry! If you want to get something for Halloween, do *please* contact me on October 1st, or as soon after that date as you can, past October 7th I won't be able to take any Halloween commissions at all, so you only have one week to place Halloween orders.

All large commissions for Halloween are full, so this is just for ears, tails, Loonakits, and other small items. I will be taking down payments on new large commissions in October, for completion in early 2010, if you're interested in a full suit, head, large plush, etc. More info about how my commissions process works can be found here: http://www.sparkcostumes.com/comission.html

Thanks everyone!

And a *huge* thank you to my current customers, who have been very patient with my taking forever, being late, and general pre-wedding flailing about. You guys are great.