Bonkers.

I really wanted to see the Plague Mask Players' production of "Alice" but how to accomplish it with the holiday and my upcoming vacation?  The only answer was to daytrip.

I'd looked into Southwest flights, but the last one out on Saturday is at 3:00pm, not an option with a 2:00pm matinee, and I didn't want to spend my whole next-to-last weekend before vacation traveling, especially as we have plants to get into dirt.  My parents were hosting a dinner party on Friday, so I couldn't go then.  Thursday?  No, the Saturday matinee would work if I flew American.  So I did.

Storms in the morning delayed my flight, but luckily I had a good cushion and the pilots made up some time, so I had a couple hours to fill before curtain.  I decided to go to the big Half Price Books and took the "Children of Time" trilogy that my Science Fiction Book Club had read.  I knew I couldn't get what I paid for them, but also that they are popular and might bring a decent enough price.

After checking the books into the buy area, I wandered a bit to see if there was a book or two I'd buy with the proceeds, especially as I have one of the discount coupons from their calendar in my wallet.  (Spoiler: I ended up not buying anything, and realized after I left that I should have given the coupon to somebody with a pile of books in their arms.)  Then, as I wandered, I noticed people with yarn:

Linus blanket - we all agreed some child will
love receiving it.  The gentleman is quite fast.

Turns out a group of the Dallas Hand Knitters Guild meets there on Saturdays.  I sat in an empty chair, and was greeted by the people who knew me, and chatted generally.  I worked on the Tour Eiffel shawl and decided I didn't like how it was coming out. It didn't match the photos and also looked quite messy, and I don't know whether it's a fault of the original pattern or the translation into English - yes, I checked for errata but they don't address it.  I realized I should have taken a couple photos before I frogged it, since you cannot quite see how it looks in last week's picture but I did and restarted.

I also admired the Lego® version of the store which is next to the community room doors:

The group ends at 1:00pm-ish which was perfect for me to get to the theatre on time, even after some wrap-up chatting and then parking snafus at the arts complex.

I really, really enjoyed the production, and it was definitely worth the time and cost to see it.  I wished I could go again, and sit on the other side and get that view.  Or just to see it again!

After a brief chat post-show it was time to get back to the airport for my return flight.  I had plenty of time to do a lap of the terminal to get in some steps before an uneventful flight home.