Jay and I are in the process of selling our “Pond House” at Lake Fork in Alba, TX. We are taking a quick driving trip to Alba to pick up our personal items and furniture. We leave today, Friday, and return on Monday, Memorial Day. What we can’t fit here in CO and what the kids don’t want for their homes, will be sold at a garage sale later. This will be a sad trip, as we have really enjoyed the Pond House, but it will be better for the cabin to have a full time resident.

I had a very nice three days in the company of twelve Westcliffe quilters and fiber artists. You saw the snow we woke to on Thursday morning, May 15th. I drove my four wheel Tahoe to Sue’s house. We were driving to the retreat in her Honda civic! While it had all wheel drive, it would have been a difficult assent up  and back down our driveway. At her home, less than 4 miles away, there was only a very light dusting of snow. The vagaries of being in the Wet Mountains! Our drive to north Colorado Springs was uneventful, past the Hardscrabble Canyon the roads were dry and clear. We all met at PF Changs for an excellent lunch, then caravaned the 20 miles to the retreat. The Retreat, The Hideaway, is lovely. We had a large meeting room for our sewing and instruction, with a white board, and everyone got their own 6 foot table. Sue and I brought three irons between us and two ironing mats and one ironing board, which were all well used. The meals were excellent, the rooms lovely, with quilts on all of the beds, and the grounds were beautiful, with a terrific view of Pike’s Peak.

Our first instruction Thursday afternoon was to make Wacky blocks. Which were basically stacked 9 in blocks of fabric cut into various strips at an angle, to make different blocks with the fabrics rearranged. However, without the seam allowance, the blocks shrunk to 5 inches or less when squared up and did not go together into blocks without a struggle. Also, the fabric choices we brought were not always the best for this type of block due to an inadequate understanding of what we would be doing. But as Betty said, “I will never do this process again, but I have never laughed so hard, and laughter is a great medicine. I had a good time.” (paraphrased). I agree with Betty.

Friday, was a full day of instruction, with a pattern !, to make a three dimensional wall hanging with flowers and prairie points. This class was much more within everyone’s comfort level. We learned how to make continuous prairie points and three dimensional flowers. The pattern was designed for a Christmas wall hanging of poinsettias. Not everyone made red and green wall hangings. Since Sue and I are Jewish, we chose alternate colors, and Mary Lou, a beginning quilter but experienced and talented fiber artist, went a totally different route. She took the techniques and did her own thing, different type of flowers, borders, fabrics, etc. Most of the group followed a “quilt as you go” method. I however, do not trust my machine or my skills to do quilt as you go. So I made the top, and the flower petals, etc, separately, and I chose to hand quilt the top. I was able to finish the hand quilting of the center background on Friday night before bed and get one flower partially stitched and pinned on, before we left late morning on Saturday. So I still have much to finish, unlike Sue and Deloris and Lonnie, who have almost complete wallhangings, with only the bindings and any embellishments left to do.

Sue and I took our time coming home, stopping to shop and have lunch on the way. We were back in Westcliffe at Sue’s home by 5 pm. Sue and I also bowl on the Monday morning ladies league, and it was good to have the two plus hour drive each way to get to know each other better. I’m looking forward to the next quilt retreat already.

It has snowed twice this week, Tuesday and today. Fortunately, we got a propane delivery yesterday afternoon, between snows and the road was partly dried out. This spring snow doesn’t last long, but does leave the road slippery and muddy. Enjoy the snow pictures.

I am going to a two and a half day quilt retreat today with The Olde Schoolhouse Quilters, our guild here in Westcliffe. I will be back Saturday evening, hopefully with some pictures to post of our fun. We will be at a camp in Monument, CO. Got to dash!

I added the date, just in case I am still blogging next year at this time and wish to use the same heading, yet differentiate the blogs in a google search! Have you googled yourself? It’s amazing the information that can be found about you on the Net.

Ted has moved out and is sharing a house with his friend, Bobby. Ted, Bobby and another friend came on Friday evening with a van, loaded up his bed, computer & desk, chair, and clothing, etc. and Jay and I didn’t have to do anything. I gave Ted all of the misc. food that had been purchased for him and that Jay and I will never eat. Ted still has his new job, working as a dishwasher at Chili Bears. Watch this site for more news on Ted’s progress.

Last week, Jay was asked to be a replacement on a local team participating in the Colorado Men’s State Tournament this weekend in Denver. He agreed and yesterday morning we woke to snow as we packed for the overnight trip. It didn’t last long, and was all gone by 10 am. The doubles and singles games (3 each) were 2 pm Saturday at a bowling alley in Thornton, CO (a suburb community of Denver) and the team event was at 8:30 am Sunday at a different alley in Lakewood CO. This tournament is held over many weekends from March through May. I believe there is one more weekend of tournament play, and so far over 4,000 individuals have participated, and over 750 teams. Westcliffe had two teams of 5 bowlers, all of whom we have bowled against in local league competition. The team uniforms were Hawaiian shirts. Two of our group, John and Jeremy are so talented that they are currently, I think, in the number two spot for doubles, and Jeremy is in the top 17 of individual bowlers overall score! We had a good time, I clapped and cheered for everyone who made strikes, spares, and picked up splits! Fortunately, both teams were on the same sets of lanes and while it was hectic watching ten bowlers over 4 lanes at times, I didn’t have to get whiplash doing so. Jay had some really great games on Saturday, and did well today, but overall, it was just fun. Oh, and Nancy is the team captain for Jay’s team. Women can sanction to bowl in men’s tournaments, but men can’t bowl in women’s tournaments. Some people say that is sexist, do you have an opinion?

We stopped at Costco on the way home from Denver and I got new passport photos taken. It has been 10 years since my trip to Israel and my passport is up for renewal, and I will need it for our Sister’s cruise in October. Fortunately, I can renew it by mail, since it hasn’t expired and I can surrender the current one. I’m glad I followed my own advice to my sisters and checked now, instead of 3 weeks before the cruise is set to depart!

I’ve had nice visits on the phone with the kids and my mom (and two sisters, as I was tracking down my busy mom!). Ted joined us for dinner in town for Mother’s Day at a new restaurant that recently opened. Cel Dor Asado They cook over an open grill with wood not charcoal in the Uruguayan style. It was very good and our first time dining there. Jay particularly wanted me to mention that I ordered steak, when there was a chicken option on the menu. I can be radical at times.

Spring semester is over for Julia and summer school doesn’t start for several more weeks. Wallace and Jen are looking forward to their move to Austin in June. Matt has a trip to Philadelphia scheduled this month for a wedding of one of Molly’s friends from college. He will be Molly’s escort at the wedding. The Sister’s Trip 2008 is organized, we have our cruise tickets and hotel reservations in New Orleans, and those of us flying in have our airline tickets. Now all we need is time to speed by, and the older I get, the faster time flies.