I’ve had something sneaky in the works for the past couple of weeks.
It was all a matter of “Would the dates work out?!”
And yes, since my extended add on trip to Arizona fell through, I WOULD be home!
And then the planning began in earnest.
I’m crashing a retreat! I’m really CRASHING a retreat! Hehehe!
And then snowmageddon 2018 happened and I was snowed into my driveway – could I get out?
I am so grateful to son Jeff who shoveled and shoveled that uphill driveway and got the van to the top by 4pm – I could drop mail at the post office (Since they couldn’t pick up from me, all about the driveway!) and head on over to Kernersville, about an 8 mile drive from the post office. It was slow going – roads in the rural areas are not plowed, and there was packed snow, ice ruts and all.
Meet Prudence and her lovely daughters – instigators all!
The retreat was being held at Prudence’s house with friends gathering from as far away as Virginia Beach, VA and Charlotte, NC. Could we surprise them?
Check out this quicky video filmed by one of Prudence’s girls as I descended the stairs unbeknownst to most below! Click to play -
Oh my goodness! What a welcome!
Sorry the audio is so bad.
It plays more clearly if you click to view it on my instagram page.
Sorry the audio is so bad.
It plays more clearly if you click to view it on my instagram page.
On Ringo Lake on the design wall!
Celebrating a first block completion!
Show and Share all around!
Prudence and her Easy Street from MORE Adventures with Leaders & Enders!
Cathy with her completed On Ringo Lake Top! Whoowhoo!
Click to play:
This was the most “at home” fun I’ve had in a while!
The ladies were so gracious that they invited me to stay for dinner. Boy, can Prudence cook!
And she remembered my birthday is Tuesday!
I love the snowman pitcher, it’s going to the cabin.
And she sent me home with a birthday CHEESECAKE!
Since Jeff was born on January 25th, 1990, our birthdays being 2 days apart, I have always shared HIS birthday cake since there was no need for 2 cakes. I didn’t mind.
This year he is sharing MY birthday cheesecake with me, and he says THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I had a great time meeting these ladies, having met just 2 of them before. I have a feeling I’ll be seeing more of them as I scale back my schedule over the next couple of years to make more time for home time.
It hit me recently, that I have lived in this house for 10 years next month – and other than a handful of quilter friends and the gals at the post office, I really don’t have much of a community of folks in my every day life. It’s time to scale back and “be normal.” Not just a phantom who comes and goes based on her work-away schedule.
Yesterday’s #quiltvilleoftheday
Zuckerwatte (Cotton Candy) from String Fling!
I love pulling color families together from a myriad of scraps, and mixing string blocks with traditional patchwork elements like half Square triangles. This one's got it all!
Today’s plan includes getting the rest of the mail order to the post office since Jeff shoveled the “hill” and I can get there where they can’t get down to me.
And then I’m headed up to the cabin for birthday weekend! Best present of all? I get my TOOTH on MONDAY! Hooray!
Our Quiltmaker Mar/April Bundle gift-away winner will be drawn on Monday evening. Did you enter to win ON THAT POST? Entries are coming in from all over!
Quiltville Quote of the Day!
Vintage crazy quilt found in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.
I made some huge mistakes this week, but thanks to weather delays and a text message from a friend I was able to correct it before a bunch of duplicate orders shipped out at my expense.
We all make mistakes, and the mistakes I make help me to be more understanding of others and not beat myself up in the process!
Have a wonderful Friday, everyone -
21 comments:
Happy, Happy Birthday Weekend! ! Glad you caught the ladies at the RETREAT in action. I love seeing all the colors. Enjoy cabin time and your family!! It's the best times of your life!
Happy Birthday it looks like you had fun at the retreat and it was a special treat to the ladies for sure - hope the driveway to the cabin is clear!! or you will have one long walk through the snow -- I think it is great that over the next couple years you will back off of your schedule - you are so busy you don't have enough time to just enjoy your surroundings.
Your quilt quote is so true. One week I washed my cell phone in the washing machine (full cycle), caught my hot chocolate on fire, made a uturn on a busy street, got lost in a very familiar neighborhood. So I had a serious talk to myself. At 77 I didn't want to be old so I now think more before I act
Happy almost birthday, Bonnie. Have a fantastic weekend!!
That was a wonderful surprise. Big smile for today, thank you. I hope you and Jeff have wonderful birthdays!!!
Happy Birthday, Bonnie! You are one of the most generous and genuine people I know. Have a great weekend!
Deb C. In Illinois
Crashing the quilt retreat sure did look like fun for everyone. Its so nice to meet the neighbours and build more friendships. It was nice your son could shovel you out of the driveway. As you slow down your schedule I hope you have many happy hours with your family and friends. Thank you for sharing the fun. Have a very enjoyable week end and safe travels.
Happy Birthday on Tuesday. Thanks for sharing video of the retreat chase! I can only guess how excited everyone really was because my heart raced and my faced smiled at the happiness! What a great thing to do.
I have been having fun sewing the strips, easy! My friend from Kalama turned me on to you and all. I like modern machines, but am enjoying your treadle.1
Are you lucky that have such a wonderful son? Glad the gate crashing retreat went well. Pleased that you intend to cut back in your schedule. Life passes too quickly ( I know!) so spend time with family and friends as MUCH as you can.
Happy Birthday Bonnie! Have a wonderful time at the cabin
Happy happy birthday Bonnie. Enjoy your weekend at the cabin.
Bonnie, I have been celebrating the birthday MONTH for a number of years. My DH (darling husband) has teased me about it for quite awhile. He says that I am "MILKING" the birthday thing but I can't help if my friends each have a different day that they want to celebrate my birthday with me! A couple of years ago I had approx 15 birthday lunches in my birthday month. It was sure fun.
It looked like the ladies at the retreat were VERY excited to have you show up. What a wonderful thing to do. May this be the best birthday month you have ever had. Would love to spend a day with you and just birthday down!!!
Thanks for all the wonderful special things you do: free patterns, new block ideas, the Mystery Quilt time, the leader and ender challenges. Thanks for your generosity! You are the best!!! Quilted Drummer, Cindy
What a lucky bunch of quilters and a fun way to spend a portion of your birthday week!!
Happy birthday Bonnie. Glad you were able to go out and enjoy a new friends day at the retreat/ They sound like a fine group of quilt friends.
Circling you with birthday blessings this weekend! So happy you got to be 'one of the girls' at the retreat. I'm sure it's demanding being in front of the class all the time..........just nice to be the leader! Enjoy your weekend!
It was supposed to say "nice NOT to be the leader"
Happy Birthday, Bonnie!!
Wishing you a very happy Birthday Bonnie . Many happy returns!
Happy Quilting, Yoka Bazilewich
Happy Birthday Bonnie and wishing you a wonderful day 🎊🎁🎈🎉🍦🎂🍦
Happy Birthday Bonnie!
Crashing the retreat looked like so much fun, for you and the ladies at the retreat.
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