A Tale of a retreat

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times...

I was so excited to go to this retreat. I planned I packed I prepared, and I proceeded ( I was thinking of my former Pastor who's points on his message outline all started with the same letter).

I joined a group of 14 women who wanted to make a swap quilt where each person makes 14 of a block of their choice, then at the retreat we swap and we all have 14 different blocks. We all have a year to get these blocks done. Now knowing that we have a year to get these blocks made what do you think I did? I waited until the week before! Typical! And Typical everything that can go wrong when you have a deadline did go wrong. Mostly my son was sick and my husband was unexpectedly out of town. Normally this would not create a problem for me, I would sew through it. This time however I was tripped up by it and wasn't able to get to the sewing room but in shirt spurts. Then I had to drag the pattern out and reacquaint myself with the directions and invariably I would get 3 seams sewn and the phone would ring (husband calling), the sick son who swore he was dieing would call, or a salesman would call. UGH!

Ok so I arrive at the retreat, which by the way is a really really great retreat, put on by a group of ladies who really know how to put on a retreat! More on that later.

I arrive at the retreat and I get all set up and start to sew. I am working as hard and fast as I can to get these blocks made that I have had a year to get made. I am reminded I have had a year by each one of the other ladies who come by my seat just about every 15 minutes to ask me if I am not finished yet. I won't go through the whole ordeal but I will tell you I did finish the blocks that I had a year to finish and I gave each person her block, I apologized to those I was short tempered with and went outside to sit on a wonderful porch and deep breath and get my blood pressure down.

With the help of calmer minds I was able to deep breath, eat a Tums (stress creates acid) laugh off the previous hours and get my mind on what I was there for.

Then the fun started! I talked, I laughed, I sewed, I went on the most fun scavenger hunt and me and my partner even got everything on the list, even if we had to get creative with our finds. :^)

I hope I get this right, but I believe it is 5 ladies who partner up to plan the weekend. You walk in and are greeted with a welcome goodie bag.

We had patterns, a magazine, our annual t-shirt, a snowman card holder, a ruler and post it notes, and we must not forget the shower cap! We all love getting our bags and digging through. It sounds like little kids on Christmas morning.

Doesn't she look like Cindy Lou Who? :^)

The head ladies are so kind and generous with their energy that I am never sure thank you is enough for all they do. They host a country store, which if you don't know, is like a garage sale but of our quilt stuff. You can find awesome deals and I did ! We have a mystery and a block challenge, and pedicures and massages, and the absolute best facilities. I could really go on and on..
Some of the ladies show up and are so organized, they are serious about their retreats!

We had new gadgets to try

(this is a beard groomer used as a seam ripper and it is great!

Help to give

and quilts to be basted

Normally you go home on Sunday after lunch, but I went home Saturday night so I could spend a little time with my husband before he left again on another week long trip. I got home and completely surprised him since he didn't expect me until Sunday afternoon.

Retreats are always fun and exciting, I can't wait until next year, but I didn't join the block swap again! :^)

Later,

Diane