Salt Lake Gaming Con 2016

I had a booth as Comic Con, but the booth was so expensive, I almost made back the cost of being there at all.

Salt Lake Gaming Con was better suited to Paint My Game. Lynell, Melo, and Matt all helped. I get anxious about it because I'm deaf. There's a curtain behind me with a booth behind that. I hear them really well. Often better than the people I'm having a conversation with in front of me. Like Comic Con, I made most of my money from the raffle. I raffled off the dragon. I'll be sure to paint something large for every event I do. These are so much fun! I love seeing the costumes, the bartering, the time with Lynell. The days off work ;) It's an adrenaline rush for me. So many people to talk to! It's easier for me to extrovert from behind a table for some reason.

I'm looking at a Bones miniature and giving these people a quote.

After the event, I had a bunch of paid jobs to work on. The convention is a great way to get work, more than selling pieces, unfortunately. I can't justify a bunch of purchases for the conventions anymore.

Day after, I caught my breath and got the "Con Crud". With so many people and so many germs around, I was what Matt and I call "feeling blah". Not sick enough to stay home from work because you can fake it, but you still don't feel good.

Cross Country Drive

Matt's cousin moved back to Utah from Pennsylvania and needed a driver for the U-haul. He flew out on the 28th of May and drove three days back. It was quality (and quantity!) time with the Saltas! Costa called him his buddy and liked his fighter pilot mask (c-pap). Matt said he needs to keep it on because he has really cool dreams. 

Photo posted by Heather Saltas on Facebook on their 

Here's his Facebook post from today:
I had no idea how much I consider this valley home. Anyone ever driven cross country and come down parleys to see those beautiful mountains after driving from the east coast? Does anyone else get that feeling of belonging when you re-enter the valley in which you've lived your entire life?

5 year anniversary!

5 Years ago I married my best friend. I love you Matt! I love hearing you talk about math even though I don't understand it. I love playing games with you. I love watching you play with your nieces and nephews. I love the sound of your voice, the gleam in your eyes, the hair on your face. To years to come!



💖

Matt's family took us to Longhorn Steakhouse!

She is so beautiful. 5 years of marriage. Wow. I'm looking forward to many more! I love this picture. She's the most wonderful woman in all the world. Happy anniversary Rebekkah!

Neff's Grove

We went to Neff's Grove today. It is where Matt's great-great-grandfather, John Neff, lived. His great-grandfather Benjamin Neff farmed there. It was also a popular stop for the Pony Express. We took Grandma Elaine Neff here, but I can't find a picture for it at the moment.

Yay for history lessons!

It's kinda hard to read, so here's the text:
During the pioneer era, Neff's Grove was used as a campground and a picnic site. This area was also called Dry Creek. It was later named Crescent because of the crescent shape of the mountains. The creek was a former outlet for Little Cottonwood Creek which had an abundance of good water available. The Milo Andrus family built the Hotel named The Half Way House around 1859. For a number of years, travelers, stage coach passengers, and Pony Express riders used this location as a rest area. It was situated midway between Travelers' Rest at 5200 South State Street and the Porter Rockwell Station at the Point of the Mountain. It became known as Neff's Station at Dry Creek after the Deseret Telegraph established an office in 1871. John B. Neff owned the property and farmed there in the 1880's. The Creek was an important source of irrigation and well water for local settlers and farmers.

Not technically in the grove, it's next to it, but it sure smelled perty!

A lovely place for a walk. 

Sidewalk Closed

Just walking home from the train and I encountered an obstacle! What to do!?

Matt ism of the day

I have to share this! There are many times when this wonderful man makes me laugh. He would make a great living as a stand-up comedian, I think. :D


Matt- Did you recently buy pistachios?

Me- ? no...

Matt- Smith's automatic recordings called. We bought some pistachio tainted with salmonella, actually it's only possibly contaminated. I think it was a long time ago. But they said we used our Smith's customer ID.

Me- .... ok. Well, it's nice to see the ID serving a useful purpose.

Matt- Yes. They let us know that the food we ate months ago might have killed us.

Working at the Rio Grande

I didn't know either until a few years ago. I'm sure in some places it's just bullies or something. I looked into it and while there are some places in the world where dangling shoes marks an occasion (like the end of the school year, or those weird shoe trees that seem to exist just ...because....), the shoes hanging around here let you know there's a dealer in the area. The color of the shoe, or the type of shoe can indicate what drug is being sold. I think eventually the shoes are cut down, but I've never seen someone take them down. They just disappear eventually.