I'm rested and ready....

That's right folks, I've rested up after back to back retreats, and boy did we need a rest. But what fun we had. I've already talked about the Delaware Valley retreat so today it's about the Jamboree, where 55 stitchers converged for a weekend of classes, fellowship, food and laughs. The stitchers began arriving on Wednesday prior to the event with teachers arriving on Thursday to give us time to get the trunk shows in place. Roger and Ann barely got through the door when I sprang into action. I called the stitchers and told them Roger was about to unveil his hand carved pinkeeps, rulers, etc., and we needed to grab what we wanted. I was thrilled to have grabbed his mermaid ruler, mermaid pinkeep, the cutest little squirrel pinkeep, oh, my it just goes on. The stitchers, Sara and I managed to put a dent in his inventory before he had time to get a display of them up, and he had plenty. And Catherine Jordan's trunk show was extraordinary. She had her hand dyed fabrics, her mini cards, journals, paints, it was fabulous I tell you. And then we also had the Olde Colonial trunk show. It was a wonderful display of new and old. And then there was Fern Ridge. I was so use to seeing their peyote stitch needle fobs, I forgot they also did needlebooks which were done in cross stitch. I'm going to stitch the needlebooks and Sara's doing the fobs. Here again the stitchers went nuts for Fern Ridge. Pat and Peggy were so much fun you were carried away with their enthusiam. They also refused to leave anyone behind so during class they were very hands on to each and every stitcher. The same was true of Cathern Jordan who make sure each stitcher was given help. Several of the stitchers completed their peyote fob while here and Phyllis Y. finished her fob and the Catherine Jordan painting on linen project before she left (she was here until Wednesday after the retreat). This was a first for most of the stitchers. Usually stitching is done but nothing complete to take home. Perhaps that is why I was told by several stitchers that this was the best Jamboree ever! New techniques are always enjoyed whether you intend to use them again or not. Of course, Sara spent days cooking for the event, and I got my Lasagna here on time and Mary made the potato salad and pasta salad so we were right on track. As always, the stitchers surprised us with their own homemade goodies as well as wonderful items they purchased. Nelsa K. brought 5 bottles of wine which was so wonderful as we have wine at the event each night as the stitchers work on their projects (could explain why some of the stitchers spend the next morning tearing out stitches put in the night before). Pat E. brought her rice crispy cake and pumpkin bread, which was enjoyed by the other stitchers as well as by me (I am the official taster here at the hotel...explains so much doesn't it.) Cynthia Radley brought her cranberry & pumpkin breads. I just love these breads in the morning with butter on them (of course I'd want butter on them...couldn't eat them plain...oh, no, I never met a stick of butter I didn't love). Barbara C. left us a bottle of wine as she was leaving and Jodi K. brought her honeybun cake and sour cream walnut coffee cake (yummo). Kay O. brought us 3 loaves of sourdough bread. There again, I haven't met a bread I didn't enjoy and this bread was enjoyed by the family. So I thank all the stitchers who attended the event...we couldn't do it without you...thank you, thank you, thank you. I also thank those who brought the food and wine for others to enjoy, Nelsa, Pat, Cynthia, Jodi, Barbara, and Kay. Also a thank you to Cynthia R. And Crystal S. for my gift certificate to Sunset Grille, one of my favorite places to eat in Ocean City...delicious...and Ellen S. for the Jon Vodoo Doll she made me. I'm going to get a picture up as soon as Sara loans me her camera. It was too funny. She'll be taking orders I'm sure. It was gratefully accepted by us and enjoyed by all. You help make this event so successful. I did fail to hand out the evaluation sheets...sorry about that. I realize now that was a mistake as I got an e-mail from Catherine Jordan who ran into some of the stitchers at Jubilee and was told by someone that some of the stitchers didn't like her class. She was understandibly disturbed by this news and wrote me to apologize. I was floored that anyone said such a thing to her and astounded since Sara and I were told by many of the stitchers that this was the best one ever, because of the new techniques they learned. So for those who didn't enjoy the classes, we are sorry you didn't like them and I'm sorry I didn't give you evaluation forms to express yourself. I'll do better next time. I was thrilled to get the shop closed by 9:30 each night so I thought things were going smoothly. That and the weather that cooperated. While storms, rain and snow, were pounding the surrounding states, we sat dry and the sun was out for the weekend for us. We were surprised and thrilled that we missed that, although last week we made up for it with back to back Northeasters'. I'm telling you I've never seen Ocean City so bleak for so many days in a row (I'm sure that is an exaggeration, but I'm making a point). But this morning the sun came out again, the streets are dried up...I swear to God yesterday traffic was backed up so badly that Pat W. ran home to get me something and it took her 20 minutes to go to 6th street (2 blocks people) and back. And I know she didn't go anywhere else because when I went out it was still backed up from the bridge to 24th street. Apparently the bay backed up to Philadelphia Ave. in many spots and it was so bad around the bridge they had only one lane open...and the Route 90 bridge is closed so there was only one bridge open for everyone in town, and it was downtown. I felt like I was on the beltway going to D.C. But today the water has receded and the streets are dry and we are once again in control...although it is a chilly 44 degrees..at least when I left home. But the weather man promises we are going back to 70 soon. About the time I leave for the Moss Creek Retreat, Wednesday or Thursday, depending on Sara. I've spent the last week getting ready to leave...paying bills, getting things straight in the office and the shops, and cleaning my house. All I can say about that is after back to back storms my front windows don't look like they've been touched by water...crap...I didn't like doing them the first time and now I have to do them again? Double Crap! But my dining room is completely done, from ceiling to floor, cleaned, dusted, mopped and every piece of polish pottery washed. I even had the fruit bowl filled, except Solomon grabs a piece each night before he goes home so now I'm down to 3 apples...but that's O.K. This morning before leaving for work I started tackling the living room. Oh, My, I'm embarrassed to say it was dusty and messy. I have put many of the stitching totes away this summer, but once again I find numerous tote bags stuffed to the gills with projects...when the hell am I ever going to have the time to finish this stuff? So tonight I move them all back to my stitching room. Although I've been working diligently on the Christmas Quaker piece, I did something I never thought I'd do. Yes, folks, I finally knit a stocking. I started a stocking to wear 2 summers ago...it's not finished and I believe I finally undid what I had stitched and wound it back into the ball again. We've been getting more and more yarns in and I saw a pattern for a Christmas stocking (sample for the store since every member in the family has a Shepherd's Bush stocking)..done in Magnum yarn which is a bulky bulky yarn. It's big and done in Green and Maroon it is perfect for Christmas. I stitched the main part with no problem sitting in the shop one day last week, however, I couldn't find Size 15 double point needles and that created a whole other boondoggle for me. But last night I knit my last stitch ( no easy chore since I didn't have #15 double points and had to use single needles and keep transferring stitches) and today it's hanging in the shop. I'm proud to have finally done a stocking and now I must rest. Of course now I feel ready to tackle even the most difficult project (isn't this where I went wrong before?) So it's hunt, hunt, hunt for a pattern I'm sure I'll regret picking. Tonight I shall start my Christmas stitching. I'd love to stitch everyone on my list a gift, but we know that is not going to happen, but I figure if I get started now perhaps I can get a few done in time. Well, I've got work to get done...bills to pay....banks to avoid...taxes to be mailed...in other words I've got about 6 more hours before I can go home so I'll sign off for now and will talk to you later. Have a great day.