Thursday, November 09, 2023

11.9.2023 The final final

 I have one lovely (or as lovely as I will have) of me in my dress.  


My covid is exceedingly mild.  Monday, I felt a little achy, but since I had been slinging suitcases around the day before, I would have just chalked it up to that and continued with my normal life.  As it is I am still quarantining because i'm stilled. 

This is the last of this trip.  À bientôt

Monday, November 06, 2023

11/5/2023 The curtain closes

 With an extra hour, I had lots of time to pack.  Our checkout time was 11- the conference ended at 12 at the other side of this very  large hotel.  Being the pre planner that I am, I had requested an extension.  I had also arranged to share a ride to the airport with Judy from Arizona.  She asked if she could park her suitcase in my room, so she would be out in time.

The morning meeting was also a brunch.  Quite a tasty selection of savory and sweet.  Part of the final morning is honoring all of the workers who spent the last 3 years of their lives getting ready for this.  Then the final speaker was the author, Stephanie Barron.  She writes murder mysteries with Jane as the detective.  She was making the point at in this era young women did not have much opportunity to find out about a possible spouse except for the very superficial.  Thus Wickham makes a much better impression than Darcy.  A woman had to be a detective to be able to make good choices.  

The end of the meeting had presentations from the hosts of 2024 (Cleveland) and 2025 (Baltimore.)

Judy and I trudged back to pick up our luggage and get our Lyft.  We separated at the airport and I found a quiet spot to read.  

THEN,BAD NEWS.  Liz had tested positive for Covid.  Unfortunately, I did too when I got home.  I’m taking Paxlovid and quarantining, but aside from a runny nose feel fine.  Keeping my fingers crossed that it stays that way.

More pictures of people in costume:





I am waiting to see if there is a really nice picture of me - if there is,I will post it later.


Saturday, November 04, 2023

11/4/2023 The Banquet, Promanade & Ball

 Another really full day.  A breakfast, then a really important speaker who really put the study of woman authors in motion.  Then more breakout sessions.  One on Gossip, another on early performances of P & P (known as B C or before Colin Firth) and the last on the idiolect or individualized speech patterns of JA’s characters.

My roommate has been feel really sick made worse by the altitude and dryness, so she went home tonight.

I went on to the cocktail party where we all mingled and took pictures.

This was a mother daughter duo who were helping run the conference.  They had different lovely dresses everyday.


The lady in pink (an homage to Barbi) is the president of our chapter

The gentleman was wearing a banyan, which is essentially a bathrobe.


I asked the Scot if he had his knife (sgian dubh skian doo).  He proudly showed it to me stuck in his sock on the inside of his leg. I told him he needed to put it in the sock but on the outside of his leg.  He then mentioned that that made more sense when you wanted to pull it out to stab someone.  The way he had it, there was a good chance he would do himself some serious damage.

After dinner (salad, beef tenderloin, chocolate ganache cake) all the people in costume paraded around the room.  At least half the people were promenading.





Then we went to the ball.  I had taken the dance class so was pretty prepared.  I danced 4 sets, which took about 1 1/2 hours and then bailed.  My toes were cramping when I got back to the room.  But  I had a really good time.  

I am glad that the clock turns back tonight.  I think I will need it.






Friday, November 03, 2023

11/3/23 Pride and Predjudice: A Rocky Romance

 I always over schedule the first time I go to a conference.  Today I started at 8:30.

Embroider The World of Jane Austen

The was a great class. We each received a kit and then a separate piece to learn with.












Talks I went to, no pictures:

The opening of the AGM Annual General Meeting.  

The keynote speaker “Austen Escape - Dr.Claudia Johnson

Old money, new money, no money:  The Role of Carriages in P & P - Deborah Paquin

The Bennet Female Agency - Catherine Sweeting

Liz and I ate in the Cantina.  I had a small chicken taco and the fruit with chili salt and lime.  (A wonderful side effect of high altitude is that I’m not hungry)

Last on my schedule today was the Young Filmmakers Contest finalists.  This is done by my Southwest Chapter.  The contest is open to high school and college students and some of their work is truly wonderful.

Then our chapter got together for a picture. I took many wonderful pictures of people in Regency Dress

Jane is president of my chapter.  She sews and has a huge wardrobe of costumes.



You haven’t lived until you are walking through the lobby of your hotel and see this coming toward you:


Tomorrow, I will be in costume too.  Good night 



 

Thursday, November 02, 2023

11/2 Jane Austen The Fun Begins

 Up and out. We are off to the Gaylord.  The Aloft had a serious problem because the only way that a Lyft could drop us off was by going through an alley.  We were waiting on the street when I got a call from Larry.  Do you have a white cap on?  Nooo, I have white hair.  Turn around, I’m in the alley.

Our room was ready so we moved in and then I rushed off to register and get to my first class.  (Designing Lydia Bennet’s Bonnet.)  The teacher showed us one she had made from a 99 cent store straw sun hat.


Then we made flat ones using trimmings that she provided.


I was starving after my class.  Met Liz in the Mountain View restaurant and had a burger.  Ate it too fast to take its picture.

P & P potpourri was 6 short presentations about various facets of the JA body of related knowledge.

Then off to Country dance. In an hour and 1/2 we learned and practiced 4 dances.  I was pretty proud of myself that I was able to do it all.  The difference between sea level and mile high is pretty great when you are dancing.  It did strike me that if an older gentleman was looking to meet educated interesting women, this conference would be a really good bet.

Grabbed a small snack on the way to the room and am now going to put my feet up and rest.

Wednesday, November 01, 2023

11/1 Exploring Denver

 Since once we get to the Jane Austen conference, we will probably never go outside until Sunday, Liz and I decided to walk around Denver.  (We took a 3.4 mile walk one way and Lyft back. Resting now until it is time to go to tea at the Brown Palace Hotel.

First Stop:The State Capitol building.  It looks a lot like the Sacramento Capitol and it turns out they both used the same design.



Their chambers were prettier than ours - turns out they had just been redone.

Next: The Colorado History Museum.


There was a wonderful exhibit about the Sand Creek Massacre created by descendants of the Cheyenne and Arapaho who survived.  This was a little girl’s dress from time.

We walked on to Trader Joe’s so that Liz could get a souvenir TJ’s bag and some bananas  Really tired we Lyfted home!

Resting in the room

Tea Time Now we get to FOOD!

The loveliness of the Brown Palace atrium:


Liz and I with our goodies


Sandwiches (they brought seconds)


Cucumber, curried egg salad & salmon salad

Scones 1 savory and 1 sweet



Desserts  The little layer cake with the flower was the best.  The jam was lychee & pomegranate 



Since we only had a very light breakfast we ate it all without guilt.

Now we are digesting and getting packed to move to the conference hotel tomorrow.





Tuesday, October 31, 2023

10/31 Denver

 The excitement begins. I am creating this on my new iPad with my pink keyboard.  Whoo Hoo.

The day started with some excitement.  My roof has been leaking for awhile.  It comes straight through the light and fan in my bedroom and with all of the rain we had last winter, it progressed from dripping to pouring.  Today, just before Alec took me to the airport, his contractor and roofer came to visit too.  The roofer says that it is an easy fix and will be back later in the week.  Of course, I won’t be there, but I was never joining him on the roof to supervise anyway.

Next, I get an email from Amazon.  The package that was supposed to be delivered after Thanksgiving is arriving today.  I AM LEAVING IN 5 MINUTES.  Luckily, I have fantastic neighbors.  Robin, picked it up immediately and texted me while I was on the plane.

The airport was very busy with Halloween activities:




Interesting trick or treaters.









Denver still has some snow.


We are staying in the Aloft Downtown Denver for two nights before the Jane Austen conference starts.  On the drive in we went through neighborhoods of small houses and several nice parks.  Then suddenly we hit high rises and seem to be near the convention center.  My Lyft driver cut though an alley and dropped me at the end of the drive through which was one way the wrong way so he couldn’t take me to the door.


Dinner across the street by myself because Liz is arriving later

Fish and chips - not as good as John O’Groats


Liz arriving soon, so bye for now.