Cons and Parents and Thunder, Oh My!

Bubonicon 41
So, then, the annual sci-fi con Bubonicon was two weeks ago, and 7000 BC was there (though — grrr — not in our usual spot … we fear change) to sell comics. Arrived in Albuquerque around the time the show opened on Saturday and got the table — set up the previous day by a few others — up and running for the day.



(More photos at the 7000 BC flickr stream.)

Jamie was on one side of us, our friends from Hadrosaur on the other, with Robert on the corner; other members joined us throughout the day, helping out at the table and leading some comics-making activities. Felt like traffic was lighter (even though Bubonicon notes record attendance), but our sales by the end of Saturday already topped last year's showing at the three-day event.

Dinner outing to Viet Taste for a little pho (!), and then back the con hotel (where we had a room), staying up way, way, way too late. Still managed to get up early enough on Sunday to get Robert out for a big Flying Star breakfast; stuck around a couple hours, then said our goodbyes and handed the table over to go home and collect our dog because …

M+D In Town
We actually saw them a bit on Saturday night; they arrived into ABQ on Friday and spent Saturday out at Acoma, then stopped in at the con for a bit. Sunday, we took our separate ways up to Santa Fe and met for dinner at J+J's, where M+D will be housesitting for the next couple weeks. Wonderful grilled fish dinner and, though our plans to eat outside were thwarted, some pretty amazing thunderstorms in the distance.



We caught up with them a bit over the course of the week, and then decided on a hike up to Aspen Vista on Saturday morning. Beautiful up there, though no leaves turning yet.



And just as we got to the point where we usually turn around — but were feeling like pushing on a bit more — there was a roll of thunder. And that was as far as Cheyenne would go. Back down the mountain, drove out side road to avoid all the goings-on at Fort Marcy Park, and lunch at Tarts Treats.

Monday, looking for a little outdoor activity, finally made it out to Audobon New Mexico.



Short loop trails in the actual center, but followed a well-used path that heads off into surrounding forested open space. Good for an hour-and-a-half or so out and then off to California Pastrami which was, inexplicably for the second time in as many weeks, closed. So, Tune-Up Cafe for a real local (in a good and bad way) lunch.

In there somewhere was my birthday dinner outing, an evening with an epic stack from True Believers and more of the conclusion of BSG, an interview and article about NMFF and then plenty of subsequent skipping of fencing (though there for the annual
repainting), and a couple lunches with M+D when they headed downtown to the museums. It may not seem like much all summed up, but it's been a pretty busy couple weekends. And we've got more to look forward to, with Marc's visit, the gathering of the greyhounds, Andy's visit, and a whole bunch of other activities taking us into October.