We're Back!!!!!

Yes we returned from our Moss Creek Retreat rested and ready for our C.A. Wells Memorial Weekend Retreat. I'm telling you though, 3 retreats in one month is about to do me in. Anyway, I have to tell you about our week away. We left early Wednesday morning (Oct. 21) and got through Virginia without a cap coming off (last year I was testing the sugar free caramels and my cap came off), or Sara being pulled over (she was speeding through and of course, got caught)...so we thought we were sailing under a bright sky. However, after talking to Vernon to make sure he met Michael at the bus, Sara was informed that Michael was a bit upset so Vernon thought he'd take him to the new boat (Vernon purchased a new boat with more speed a few weeks ago) and let him play around. Before leaving he tossed Michael's school bookbag on the ground in front of the elevator to their apartment (it's an outside elevator)...what an idiot! Anyway, when they returned from the boat, the bookbag was missing....Gee what a surprise. So of course, Michael was hysterical since it contained his special lunch box, his homework, 3 library books, and the list goes on. Sara, of course, was cursing like a sailor and calling Vernon various names we don't need to repeat here and I was the calm in the storm..."Sara, everything can be replaced...let it go..and please don't let it ruin our week in Hilton Head." While she agreed to it, all this did was make her determined not to return home until Wednesday instead of Monday like last year. Of course, I'm all for that (forgetting I was suppose to work on Wednesday...but that was a small technicality). Anyway, we arrived at the Marriott and settled in. It's just gorgeous on Hilton Head...they really planned their communities and the spread of malls etc. well, covering everything in trees and plants. You see little of the commercial aspect of a resort town because it is behind the greenery and that makes it all the more beautiful. Anyway, arriving a day early gave us shopping opportunities...which we all know we took advantage of, saving our big money for the trunk shows at the retreat however. Now, on Thursday when Sara called to make sure Vernon met Michael he told her that Michael's bookbag had been returned to the school, along with everything that was inside. No one knows where it came from, just that it appeared in the office. So we have no idea what went on, just that we had an angel on our shoulder and he looked after our Michael for us. So no harm no foul. We stayed on anyway after the retreat just to have a day to relax from the hubbub of the retreat, which was wonderful yet again this year. We had Jackie Duplessis first and her project was a darling sailboat etui. Since the teachers asked that we not put the items on the web I won't show it but when I get it completed I'll have it in the shop...hell, if I ever get it done I'll encase it in glass and put spotlights surrounding it so you won't be able to miss it. Anyway, it was really a lecture class as she was teaching how to put this together using a sewing machine. However, this could just as easily be done by hand...I probably should not have said easily, just that this could be done by hand. In fact when she is here with us next Jamboree her project will be finished by hand. I also requested that the project not be sea related since it's been asked that not everything revolve around the sea and beach here. (I listen...I sometimes ignore, but I listen and try to bend to your will stitchers). Next we had Marcy Pumphret and the scrimshaw class. I didn't look forward to this class because I just knew I'd have to be able to draw. And while that might be correct, the piece you do is so small and it really doesn't require much drawing, so once again I was amazed to find that I was able to do it. Jackie's sailboat had a little scrim with an anchor on it hanging off the back, so of course I felt I needed that on mine and drew it. Sara did a little sailboat and used a lot more imagination that I did. But hey, it's not important who did what, just the fact that we did it. The girl sitting next to Sara did a basket of fruit and did a beautiful job, I might add, obviously an artist. It was really intimidating to Sara, I on the other hand didn't give a crap. I love my little anchor and will be trying this again, in my own house taking the time I think it requires, also where I can copy someone elses ideas (naturally we purchased the ivory keys so we could do it at home). And the third class was Rae Iverson's and it was fabulous. A fish etui...unbelievable...simply unbelievable. I can't wait to stitch it (I plan to start right after Christmas). Anyway, we had a marvelous time and Rae and Ron are wonderful hosts. And this year, you could hear a pin drop in our classrooms. I spoke about a group last year who talked during many of the classes so I wanted everyone to know that isn't the norm. And of course we had a ball at the trunk shows. Money just flew out of our wallets...and we didn't even care. This year we had a couple of our stitchers at this retreat...Bernadette Mathews and Beverly Ludy attended and I believe I saw Bernadette carrying the goodie bag from Jamboree into the Halloween banquette. Glad it got some use. Bernadette is use to stitching pictures so I'm sure a weekend of "smalls" was an interesting turn of events for her. Sara noticed her Jane Timmer piece during the Sunday brunch on display with the other items people brought in for show and tell. Good for you Bernadette. I hope they loved the weekend as much as Sara and I did. I had a couple of stitchers remind me to ask questions first regarding lobster for dinner, but I have to tell you...I ordered the lobster dinner from a restaurant with the "market price" where price usually is and after ordering it the waiter bent down and sort of whispered in my ear, "the price of the lobster will be $62.00 tonight" and stitchers, that's the way the waiter in Nashville should have informed me of the $272 price last year. While I will pay $62.00 I swear I will never pay $272 again. I might be over the Nashville fiasco by now except Peggy and Pat from Fern Ridge brought me a precious lobster pin at Jamboree with a little price sticker hanging from it that said, $272, so I can now never forget what I paid for that dinner. Anyway, lovely time was had by all and we almost got home without incident. As we were driving home, Sara used my credit card for gas and handed the card back to me. Of course by the time we hit Ocean City, and Sara was filling up for the final time, I couldn't find the credit card. I really was certain that she had returned it, but I just couldn't come up with the card so thought perhaps it had dropped outside. I was in quite a state and swearing I was canceling the card the minute I got in the house. So, when I arrived home I first went to the bathroom and while in there moved in a way that allowed me to feel something hard in my bra and low and behold there was the missing credit card. Of course, then I remembered I put it in there because bending over to get my wallet while in the car was just too difficult and I needed to know it was safe....once in my bra vault believe me it's safe. Anyway, credit card mystery solved...trip completed...time to get back on track.