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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

At St Michael’s College!

Being on a college campus reminds me so much of the short time that I lived away from home – I only experienced college housing for one short summer term ---we had 6 girls and 3 bedrooms in our dorm “apartment” and it was a constant struggle for plug in space in the bathroom, or place to put groceries in the fridge that didn’t infringe upon anyone else’s shelf space or “we ate your cheese, we knew you wouldn’t mind!”.

Boy was that an experience. I’m sure glad I am past that age right now, but being here in a college dorm brings it all back!

Welcome to my Home Sweet Cell Dorm Room! I’m staying in Hodson “Suites” which means there are 4 bed cells rooms in each quad with a shared living area, bathroom and kitchen.

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Ahhhh dorm living!

We were issued a shrink wrapped bundle that included two flat sheets and a pillow case ((I HATE FLAT SHEETS ON THE BOTTOM! they never stay tucked in…sigh)) A very worn blanket of dubious origin and fiber content---that quickly became the “mattress pad” to keep the bottom flat sheet from sliding all over the vinyl waterproof mattress, one bath towel, one washcloth and one hand towel.

College life indeed! But we will make the best of it! I will be sleeping under the quilts I’m using as class samples!

In fact, I was so tired that after lunch I turned out the lights and slept for over 2 hours. It was raining outside ---perfect for a blissful nap and I feel so much better.

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I’ve set up my featherweight! There is wifi, and I’ve got my kindle fire and my panda speaker, so there will be sewing and netflix tonight in the cell room!

I was a bit worried that the String Fling books I ordered shipped to Vermont might not make it, but they showed up this afternoon and my class room is all set up for morning!

I’m so excited to actually be teaching at the Vermont Quilt Festival. This is a dream for me because it is such a Mecca.

Now if I can only find out WHERE a girl needs to go to get a Diet Dr Pepper around here!

24 comments:

  1. Your cell, er I mean room, looks so much cozier with the quilts on the bed.

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  2. Can't wait to here about your class!!

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  3. Oh, the room is awful - I have never stayed at the college (staying in a Residence Inn Friday night). But the college itself is beautiful. As far as the Diet Dr Pepper - I think you will need to go off-campus to a convenience store for that!

    Are you selling your books at the show at all? I wish I could take a class with you, but by the time I had the money to sign up, your classes when I will be there were sold out :(

    Looking forward to seeing your work in person in Teacher's Row!

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    1. oh and my email address is vjm413@gmail.com if you want to reply to my question about if you are selling your books at the show :)

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  4. The bad news is ... many college (and high school, and middle school, and elementary school) campuses no longer have any vending machines that sell the dreaded Junk Food. Even if Junk Food is manna to you! So you probably will have to go off-campus to get it. I never lived in a college dorm room, but I did live 4 years in a high school dorm -- it's not nearly as bad as most people think! -- and I still have some great friends from that time, almost 50 years ago. Enjoy the VQF. We were lucky enough to attend last year, and it was wonderful. The people who will be in ANY of the classes are so lucky!
    Maureen in Portland

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  5. I love that you have your quilts for the bed! Is that a mattress under them or a board? I spent 2+ years in a college apartment (not a dorm, but just barely a step above). It is an interesting sociological study!
    Wish you well at VQF!

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  6. *lol* @ Janet O's "sociological study"


    So glad you have quilts for you bed... makes the room look so much nicer!

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  7. Anonymous8:05 PM EDT

    Bonnie,

    I didn't know you were going to the VQF! I'm heading there myself tomorrow with some friends. We will be at the show on Friday and Saturday morning. I hope you enjoy your time there. I would love to run into you! I realize that it's very unlikely but I'll keep my eyes open.:-)

    I have been following your blog for a couple of years and really enjoy it.

    Marie-Claude, Quebec City
    gorlaj@yahoo.fr

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  8. I am heading for California State Stanislas tomorrow for our guild's 4 day retreat. So glad you posted pics of that dorm room. Now I know what to expect. I like the idea of using the blanket for a mattress pad and bringing my own sleep under quilt. Also bringing my own pillow. But who is complaining? The price is right and the quilt friends time exceptional.

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  9. Hey Bonnie - If you were an Easy Angle Ruler, where would you hide? Not with your companion, because I found her! Wah, wah, wah....I can't keep going without my ruler! Well, I could, but then I'd have to figure out how :-)

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    1. Anonymous3:38 PM EDT

      Go buy a new one and open it up. Magically, the old one will show up! But, if you get a different size, you will be able to use both! :) Bev

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  10. wow, what a depressing room! i think the only solution to keeping your spirits up during this visit is to stay OUT of the room as much as possible! normally, you have a nice cozy space all set up, but that room looks like a lost cause. keep your spirits up and good luck finding the soda! might as well get some junk food for your netflix night while you are at it. at least there should be some nice areas to walk around the campus.

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  11. Bonnie was is to the right of your machine? Is that some kind of iron? Can you tell us about it? I love seeing what you take with you! Have a wonderful time!

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    1. Anonymous4:49 PM EDT

      It's a Dritz iron..I know they sell them at JoAnn's in the quilt notions area

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  12. Anonymous10:59 PM EDT

    I have attended classes at quilt festivals and roomed in dorms. I always wondered how students manage to get an education living in such quarters. I would say that you have made the best of your room/cell with your beautiful quilt and your machine ready to stitch. The best part for me was that we hardly spent any time in the rooms, the shows and events took up most of the time. Enjoy, wish I was there. Anne G.

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  13. Anonymous11:19 PM EDT

    I know it is late but there is a convenience store within walking distance from you. I think it is called Cumberland Farms . Just wish I could remember where your dorm was located to send you in the right direction.But it is very close.
    Oh how I am missing not being there this year........Have fun Bonnie!
    Angee

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  14. Bonnie, What a contrast from some of the lovely places you have been lately, like the cabin last weekend or the B&B a few weeks ago!! Both of my kiddos are in college right now and it amazes me how they make do by bringing some of their creature comforts from home!! Those plastic mattresses are the pits!! We put a feather bed on top and a very plush padded mattress pad, luxury sheets and of course a mama made quilt! Good sheets are one of the very few things that I splurge on always!!

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  15. Anonymous1:21 AM EDT

    Tie the corners of the bottom flat sheet into knots. They will stay tucked in better. :) Nyla-Jean, Kingston, Ontario

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  16. Oh my, that takes me back to boarding school in the 60's, 5 girls to dorm room iron filled mattresses and cardboard pillows, scratchy towels and sheets starched within an inch of their lives.

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  17. Okay Bonnie, I have been wavering on whether to go or not but now I must say I will be at the Vermont show!!! I love your addition to your cell/dorm. Your featherweight is so adorable. One of those is definitely on my want list too.

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  18. Anonymous8:28 AM EDT

    Man, I saw those quilts on the dorm bed and thought.... she knows how to make things NICE.... I bet that desk will see more action in the time you are there than it does in a full semester. LOL.

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  19. Anonymous3:44 PM EDT

    When I was in college the first time (right out of high school), my roommates and I made new curtains and bed covers for our cube. Still can't stand the old rib-cord bed covers to this day. Also would swap out my lumpy mattress for an innerspring one that they put in rooms for homecoming! Had a tricky back even waaay back then! So, I didn't mind what color the concrete block walls were painted-I had my stamp all over the place! Bev (kwiltpharm @aol.com)

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  20. Anonymous7:46 PM EDT

    This dorm room looks very inviting compared to the retreat I go on. It is at a camp and it has ten to twelve bunks to a room, electricity and indoor plumbing but that is it. We have a blast & only are in our rooms for sleep.

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  21. HA! My husband Steve LaFond graduated from St. Mike's. That's where we met a long time ago. We loved it. Of course, back then it was a men's school so the dorms could be pretty raunchy!

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