The sun is shining ... today!

The rain is slowly tapering off and (I hope) we are headed to spring.  Life is speeding up, gearing up for the end of school year and all that comes with it! We went on our first beach walk yesterday since DH's heart problem in December.  It was great being back on the beach!!

My DH is much better and back on the golf course.  He can even hit his woods and irons now.  Last weekend he golfed with his buddies and he was teased that he should be using the 'old man' tees since he was out-driven by them (very rare!)  But he's planning his revenge soon! 

When a family member expresses an interest in quilting - do you feel you have to 'hide the good stuff?'  Tee-hee!  A Lincoln Quilter's daughter was in mom's sewing room, came out and asked if she could use the plaids. Mom didn't get up and go see what she was asking about, and said yes.  It ended up her daughter cut the backs off all the plaid shirts in the ironing pile!!! Be careful!!!

Let's talk Retreats!   Always a favorite of mine from the beginning.  Oh, I like bus trips ... but shopping is too easy!  What I really enjoy is hours and hours of no responsibilities pulling at me.  Just me and my sewing machine, quilting friends around and no housework nagging me! Heaven on earth!

I run "Finishing School - a 5 day March retreat out here for 9 of us.  5 years ago I did research on where we could hold a retreat - the guild decided not to hold one, but 8 of us still were interested.  There's a pretty rustic 'retreat center' over the Bandon quilt shop and oh-boy, do we have fun.  A lot of shopping in our slippers!!  It's always been scheduled and filled for the next year before we leave each year. Here's the "Graduate Students" of Finishing School!

  

As you can see, the 3/4 inch finished log cabin blocks are still being worked on!!

It was my reward for finishing the Cancer donation quilt and some other 'at the last minute deadline work' during Finishing School!  But of course, this isn't finished yet - I need hundreds of blocks!!!!

The Brookings guild has a 4 day retreat in February up in Gold Beach at a Best Western.  We get hotel rooms(!) and take over the conference center.  We take turns making lunch and dinner using crock pots, etc.  

DH makes fun of us - we leave a town with two quilt shops to go to a town where there is none!  But he doesn't get it!!  It's just far enough away that we're 'out of touch' but some can come up for a day easily.  We had 35 this year.  Not bad for a guild of 60!!

We discovered the joys of command hooks!  The 'official project' was Blooming 9patch.  (I didn't do it of course!!! Some things don't change.) So the guild bought large packages of Command Hooks.  We fastened them to the walls (over vinyl wallpaper, doors, painted walls ...) and had design walls hung all over the room.  Worked out great - took them all down at the end and have the hooks to use again.  All you have to do is buy extra tape pads to hang them.  And then hang them right so you can pull them off!!!  Might be a good addition to to all retreats large and small!

My third retreat of the year is in April back in Bandon - both sides of a duplex right on the ocean.  Newport's "Bayshore Babes," a small group that I belonged to when I lived there. Two full kitchens, it sleeps 22. Alcoves for handwork; long dining tables for machine set up.  I've convinced them Brookings is a southern suburb of Newport (a mere 5 hours away!)  I get put on the waiting list so current members that meet weekly can get in.  But I usually make it - IF I promise to bring my lasagna!!!  That's coming up in April.

Meanwhile, I'm stressing out this spring. Our condo needs to have windows replaced by Summer.  I can't even get to the window in the sewing space!  And I really don't want to explain that room to a non-quilter.  I'll be on a Hoarders episode in a flash!! So, in an effort to get at the base of the problem, it's worse than ever!!!

AND I'm "honored guild member" at our Memorial Day Weekend show.  It used to be "featured quilter" but last year the hard-working guild member didn't really have any finished quilts!  She also didn't stay in her booth.  So - I figure that the pressure is lower than it was before!

What does it involve???  I have to be there all day for 2 days; have a "booth" display of me!  But still run the QOV presentation on Sunday - which is why I got the nomination.  A quilting friend I walk with wore me down to accept the nomination.  I was secretly hoping the other gal would win - I've never been an officer here and she had.  I had a small panic attack when they announced it.  And a bigger one at 2 am that night!!

I'd appreciate tips from those of you who have had this honor and lived through it to tell the tale!!  I already told the Finishing School crew they are my committee.  They have to check on me, make sure I'm drinking water, taking bathroom/stretch breaks and that no one has moved in to 'keep me company'??  Woolies is meeting here this month and I plan on them helping me decide what going into my space!  That will be fun - a one woman show at home - so to speak! 

Meanwhile, QOV is doing great here.  Last year we had our first presentation at the quilt show.  We presented quilts to 17 veterans.  This year I already have 24 nominees - and 20 quilts promised.  Since I only have 18 members ... hard to push for more quilts.  I've reached out to State QOV to get 4 more finished quilts.  But I'll be glad when that's not on my mind 24-7!  I want it settled ASAP - I've lived thru the nightmare that can happen for delivery to  our little 'end of the world' location!

Meanwhile, the progression of tops coming into my sewing space; being paired, mailed out to quilters, coming back and going back to their makers ... well, let's just say I haven't lost track of anything quite yet ... but I've come close!!  I now put a placard with the quilters name on the quilt top before measuring and taking a picture of the top.  And in a small condo - the only space to do that is on our king size bed.  I also have to clear the nightstand (a pile of books and a box of Puffs does nothing for the ambiance!) cover the bed with a flat sheet so I'm not left with animal hair and threads in my bed!!  Stand on a kitchen chair to take the picture ... it's a hobby all on its own!!!

A Nebraska friend said she'd like to come out in May for the show, but I told her she'd be in charge of bringing me water and rubbing my feet!  She then said she was expecting company that weekend!! I was kidding, but I hope I don't have company because I'm not good after 'I'm "on" all day!?'  

Do you know what I mean?  Being social all day - well, it takes a toll.  The evening usually involves a Mikes Hard Lemonade, no tv, OR an old favorite Rom-Com; laying on the couch, reading a book, covered by a quilt, bonbons optional!!  I can't see anyone agreeing to that!

Well, that's what has been keeping me from blogging!!  I'll end with just one of our winter sunsets!  Yep, that's what keeps us here!!!

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