Retreat - Friday night

The post that you have all been waiting for!! Well, this won't be everything from the Retreat, just Friday night.

The evening started out uneventfully. I had gone to bed on Thursday with just about everything in a huge pile in my living room so that I wouldn't forget anything. (Well, we all know how that turned out!) I went to work on Friday and my stomach was still acting up and I felt like sitting in the bathroom all day. Once I finally got the work done that absolutely needed to be done, I went home. I left work at probably right around 4. I raced home (not really) and loaded the car to Max whining hysterically because he didn't want to be left behind. (Now, I am going to blame him for things that I left at home.) I got the dogs in the car after too much excitement and ran to the vet's office. While I was waiting for them to take the dogs back, Maisy pooped in the waiting room. Thank you so much! I was waiting for her or Max to trample back through it. The guy finally came up and got them from me and not a moment too soon. I was ready to let them have it with the whining and pooping!

Ok, so the dogs finally got dropped off and then I had to get on the highway. I was going to take back roads to get on 75 a little farther north than Fairfield, but then I decided that I should just get on the road because I was going to hit traffic anyway. I get about 10 exits north on 75 (about 35 minutes away from the house) and realize that I left my digital camera on the printer dock in the family room. A lot of good it's going to do me there! I consider going back for it for a split second and then text Jen about how much of a dope I am! While I am waiting for agreement, I decide that I will just stop at WalMart and buy a cheap camera now. I mean, I have had my camera for a few years and I should be able to get a camera with more functionality for a better price now. Then, Jen texts me that same thing and it sealed the deal. I start looking for a WalMart, Circuit City or Best Buy to stop and get a replacement for the weekend.

I had talked to Brenda just after I had dropped the dogs off and told her about what time to expect me and that they could go ahead and grab a plate of dinner for me. In the past, the Center has had no problem letting us get a plate for whoever was going to be showing up late, but Brenda had mentioned that there were some additional rules with the new Director who took over in October. Sure enough, she called me just after 6:15 and told me that they wouldn't be able to get a plate for me and I should stop somewhere.

About this time, I had gotten off of the highway because I knew that there was a store to the south of the highway I was on. I also knew that I was getting close to the Center and that there was a WalMart within 30 minutes of the Center and I thought it might just be at that exit. It was Meijer. I did not want to buy a camera from them. I crossed back over the highway and drove north for a few minutes and didn't see a WalMart that way either. This was when I got the call from Brenda and so I stopped at a Bob Evans and got myself a bowl of potato soup and rolls. If anything else, this would help with my stomach issues that I had been having. I jumped back on the highway.

The next exit that I came to was the exit that I needed. As I am sitting on the exit ramp, I notice the great big sign all lit up like a beacon... WALMART!! Yahoo!! I whip in there and find the camera section and see that there are 2 Kodak Easy Share cameras. Perfect since what I have is an easy share and I have the printing dock so that I can print pictures when/if I need them. I pick the one that is red. I also asked the girl about memory sticks (thanks, Jen!!!) and additional batteries. Walmart didn't sell batteries and the only way to charge the camera is with a USB cable to plug into a computer. Of course, I didn't bring the laptop along with me. I decided that the USB would work similarly to the plug that I use to charge my iPod at work and I ran over to elecronics and grabbed one of these. Then, I was on my way.

I remembered that the Center is still quite a ways from the highway, but it seemed like I drove forever on back country roads. I also had taken a wrong turn out of WalMart and didn't end up on the state route that I needed, but I was able to finagle myself to go the right way without turning around. This was the 4rth time that I have been to the Center and I have taken a different route each time. How strange is that? Anyway, after all of this, I got there in about 2 hours and 45 minutes.

Once I arrived, I said Hi to everyone and started to eat my dinner. Then, I decided that I wanted to bring everything in from the car while the car was still a little warm. Once everything was settled, I continued eating and opened up the camera. I started taking pictures. I said that the camera was so adorable and easy to use and that it just had to be a female and I needed a name. Mary said that it should be Ruby, so Ruby it is. Meet Ruby:




Now this was taken with the old camera so it isn't the best picture. Just make do!

I sat across from Mary so this is what I saw all weekend when I looked up!



I took a few pictures of all the ladies who were from our little group. There were 6 of us.
Carol

Brenda

Kathi and Carol

Once I got unpacked and got my stuff situated, we all got to work. I made my January 2 Buck a Block BOM from Best Friends.



Then, I attached the binding to my Halloween Table runner. I figured that this would give me a chance to work on stitching the binding down when I am at Guild meetings or somewhere that I can't have a machine with me.



After that, I started working on the cat placemats a little, but I was tired and it was after 1 AM so Mary and I got ready and went to bed. Before I went to bed, I took pictures of the area that we sewed in. We sew in the Gymnasium of this building that is a converted schoolhouse. We used the stage for our irons since it was at a great height. And once someone finishes something, they throw it on the seats where the audience would sit. All of the things up there in these pictures are what was done mostly before I got there. They were all busy!! The first picture is from where the little kitchenette and a single bathroom are. The second picture is taken from the top of the stairs and behind the seats.





These next 2 pictures are of the bedrooms. There are 6 beds in a room and there are bunk beds. The comforters are nice and thick down comforters and they are so warm! I wrapped myself up, put a heated rice bag on my lower back and didn't move for almost 6 hours!! Heavenly!

Ok, that is it on Friday. I have to get some sewing done for this weekend, but I figured that this would tide you all over for a day or so. Next, you will hear about Saturday! And I will only put up some key pictures and then I will put a slideshow in the Sunday post so that you can see all of the pictures that I took. I got a little crazy with Ruby and we were shooting everything! :)