My First Quilt Retreat!

I still cannot believe how the events described below came to pass!

Maybe you will recall that on October 8, 2016, one of my quilting buddies and I took my DIL with us to the quilt show at Stephenville, Texas.   We had a wonderful time seeing all those beautiful quilts and digging through the vendors' booths.

One of the vendors had a gallon jar on a table, and she invited us to register for a free week-end quilters' retreat.  Well, who wouldn't sign up for that?!!  The only information the entry form called for was an e-mail address and a phone number, not even a name or town.  Well, that was easy enough!  We all three put our entries in the jar and walked on, but none of us really expected to hear from that again, much less win a free retreat.

I think it was on October 26, my friend called and asked if I had been getting an unidentified call from Area Code 254, and at the very moment I was saying I had not gotten such a call, just such a call  beeped in on my phone.  When I told her, she said to answer it, and she hung up on me.

I did answer, having no idea what it was about.  The sweetest voice said my entry had been drawn for a free quilters' retreat at Stephenville!  Really?....yes, really!  I wrote down the information, still not really believing it, and at the same time wondering how my friend knew I should take that call.  So I asked the lady if there would be anyone there I knew.  Her answer was:  "I have no idea whether you will know anyone or not.  I don't know you, or anyone you know as far as I know.  All I know about you is your e-mail address and your phone number.  You registered for this at the Stephenville quilt show, and my husband drew your name from the jar last night.  In fact, I don't know any of the ladies whose names were drawn, but I hope you can arrange to be here."   Are you kidding?  You can bet I'd make arrangements for that!

Then I immediately called my friend back to tell her.  She was so excited she could hardly talk; her name had been drawn too!  Now how often would that happen?  I was stunned!  I don't know how many had entered, but I'm guessing at least 150 or more probably.

Then my friend suggested maybe I should call my DIL to tell her to answer any such call, so I did call her.  Indeed, she said there was a message from that Area Code, but she had not returned the call yet.  Just as I told her to make the return call, she got another call from there!  She answered, and yes, her name had also been drawn!  Is that not just incredible?

The lady who had called described the place, and the room arrangements:  One room with one twin bed, several with two twin beds, and one with three twin beds.  I called her back the next night and said we just could not believe that I, my quilting buddy, AND my DIL were all being invited!  We were so excited since none of us had been on a quilt retreat before.  You will recall that my DIL had only expressed interest in quilting since the Weatherford show September 24.  I asked if we three could have the room with three beds, and the nice lady said she would put my name on it right then.

In a few days we all received an e-mail with all the needed information, and telling us we could check in at 9 AM on Friday, November 11, and the retreat would close at 11 AM on Sunday, November 13!  Everything needed would be furnished --- linens, towels, soap, shampoo, blow dryers, cutting tables and boards, irons and ironing boards, design wall, a 60" x 30" table for each person, and even the meals, except Saturday lunch when we could go into town and visit the local quilt store if we wanted to.  All we had to take was our clothes and personal items, our machines, and projects to work on!  What a re-TREAT!

In all, there were eleven quilters there from points unknown, plus the owner and her sister who also quilts.  I never did learn where all of them were from, but I know one had a 3-hour drive to get there and back home!  Everyone was so nice and cordial, but then, have you ever met a quilter who was not?  I haven't!

Some stayed with their sewing more than I did.  Oh, I sewed a lot, but I also enjoyed talking to all of them a bit.  One was the class clown who kept us laughing all the time.  We all had a blast!  I haven't laughed as much since high school many, many years ago!  That week-end was the first time I've slept away from my home in 3-4 years, except when in the hospital!  What fun I had!

I promised I would not post pictures of the ladies there, and my pictures of the place really are not the best, but I'll post a few of the place.  I wish I had done better.  I can't believe I didn't get pictures of the beautifully appointed sitting rooms, bedrooms and baths, all of which were beautifully furnished! The name of the place is "The Cottage at Wooded Oaks", on US Hwy. 377, about three miles north of Stephenville.  If you ever have the opportunity to go there, don't miss it!  It was a perfect week-end with gorgeous weather!  We all agreed we want to get back together next year, and of course, we will pay our way then.  We did take up a surprise "love offering" for her and got her a gift certificate at the quilt shop in town.

Here's the few pictures I can share; wish I could show the people, but I promised not to do that.  All the pictures of the work tables had people in them, so I can't show them.  I think maybe you can see more of the place on Facebook, not sure; somehow there's been a mixup on her website and until she gets it fixed, it won't open right now.

"Thank You!' just  is so very inadequate to express my feelings for such a fun and relaxing weekend at at beautiful place, with such wonderful people!  I can hardly wait until we can go back again, and I hope the whole group can arrange to be there too!  By then, I'll be needing  some more laughs!  Hey, it would be wonderful if some of my bloggin' buddies could join us there!

Probably some of you have been on many fabulous quilting retreats, and maybe you are wondering why I was so excited.  Well, this was my first quilting retreat, but I'm hoping it won't be my last!

I have just one small project for a gift exchange to finish before Christmas, and that's it until after Christmas.  I'm really dreading Christmas this year.  I'm really not able to get everything cleaned and decorated as usual which bothers me sorely.  I'll do what I can, and it will just have to do.  A high school classmate's wife, who is aware of my plight, called and suggested we move that big party to their place this year.  I've enjoyed doing that for ten years, and I told her I wasn't ready to give up yet.  After talking to my son, I called her back and said I guess it's time for me to let it go, this year anyway.  So that's a big physical burden off of me.  The church quilters will have our party here on Dec. 15; they won't care if the house is scrubbed or not; they are quilters and understand.  I hope to schedule a couple of small parties maybe, sometime later in December, but that may not happen.

I've always had the house spit polished by now, and decorated by Thanksgiving, but just cannot get in the mood.  Why go to all that trouble if I can't have all my friends here as usual?  Makes me really sad!  But.....I guess I'll get through it somehow, but it surely won't be the same, for me anyway.

I'll spend Thanksgiving with my DIL and her family.  Unfortunately, my son works in retail and has to work Thanksgiving and close that night.  Then he has to be back at work at 4:30 AM for Black Friday!  That makes me sad too!  I'm sure it will make him very tired!  Oh well, that's the way of the world now, isn't it?

Hope all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving with family and friends!  

---"Love"