February: Progress without fruition, MGA Vi & Va sighting, Chinese and Japanese festivals,and new girls

My theme for February was "good intentions skid to a halt -- or, on occasion, plunge off a cliff."

Fianna, Daisy, Lauren, and Fairuza say hi!

That there are newcomers when the Polar Bear Club is not yet clothed is evidence of this.

Also, it rained a lot. It's raining now.

Tucsonia!

Spoils of my Tucson trip have caused some consternation among the Permanent Residents.

Miss Hanzo: "This bag has such style."
Shira: "Yes, and don't you think it's more nearly my style?"

This past Saturday, I went to Tucson, largely to ride the "modern streetcar" that started running last July. I'd put off going then because walking around in summer heat did not appeal -- but what I didn't know is that Tucson-by-streetcar is a carefully curated, walkable, funky, small-scale urban Tucson, not the enthusiastic sprawl I'd encountered on car trips. In the rain, it strongly resembled downtown Ithaca, except with tile roofs  and palm trees.

Here comes the streetcar at Main Gate Square.

Though I found a surprising quantity of accessories for the gals (which will be shown off as we go), nobody got to come along for a photoshoot because I was worried about damage from the weather. It rained for the entire day. Sometimes it drizzled. Sometimes it poured. This is novel enough in Arizona that it was enjoyable, but I was very glad to get out of wet boots and socks when I got home.