Sunday, April 30, 2006

1,300 MILES AND 3 HOURS

Whew, I'm home. What a trip. We had a busy, great time. Note to Karoda.. I lost the paper with your phone number after I got to Paducah. I'm sorry that we ddn't link up. I hope that you had a good time. I roomed with 5 of my guild friends and my two friends from the internet. Gail won 2nd in the mixed media category with her quilt "Idling in Neutral". She was surprised and happy. That crown I got her almost didn't fit!! :) Her friend Becky was delightful. I could take a week with her, she was happy and laughing all of the time. Really nice lady. I am happy that I got the opportunity to meet them. When Gail is there with next year's quilt, which is, in my opinion, more striking than this year's quilt, I will get to see them again.

We left a day early. I was just so tired, one of my friends was on her last leg with back problems, and I just think she couldn't make it another day. I know she was happy to go home. My other friend was going to give up an opportunity to see her visiting daughter, so now she will be able to visit. And I missed my dog..

God must have intended me to leave when I did, because when I got home, my poor Sam was very sick and we had to rush him to the emergency vet. We spent 3 hours sitting there. So I wasn't in the house 5 minutes, before we were out the door again. Poor little guy has huge bladderstones and has degenerative disc disease in a disc in his back which put him in so much pain, he was shaking and crying. My husband isn't as in sync with Sam as I am, so he doesn't read the clues Sam gives when he is not well. The vet gave him some Morphine and anti-inflammatory and Sam is feeling better this morning. I will have to take him to my vet on Monday to arrange to have the bladder stones removed. Poor little guy.

And I wasn't going to tell the world, but I got my first speeding ticket on the way home. I never go more than 4 miles over the speed limit. I set my cruise to insure it. So I go into this construction zone being closely followed by a truck, and passed by cars, but I forget to take off my cruise right away. I got nailed. He asked if I knew what I did and I said "I was speeding". What? Should I have tried to get out of it? I have a hard time begging for anything. And I am big on accepting responsibility. Although, I WAS hoping my charm would get me out of it.. THAT didn't work.. My friends told me that it was the end of the month and he needed to meet his quota, and a person in an out of state car wouldn't bother to contest it.. which I won't.. eight hours away. So, so much for me limiting my purchases so I would bring money home...

I got a good night's sleep, and I didn't unpack the car. I just wanted you all to know that I was home, and that I am in good company with others that have won ribbons in Paducah in the past, but didn't this year.. Zena Thorpe, Linda Roy, Gabrielle Swain, Emily Parsons, Robbie Eklow, and many others that I can't think of. There were many beautiful quilts that have won in other big shows that didn't get anything in Paducah. I am satisfied with just being there. There were quilters standing by their quilts answering questions. I just couldn't bring myself to do that. Maybe if it had a ribbon, it would have been different. But I am just enough of an introvert, I don't want to be noticed that much.. The only negative thing that I have to talk about is Caryl Fallert's 3rd place in the Miniature category. I heard a lot of sour grapes about it. What she did was print a photo of one of her large quilts out onto fabric. Then she quilted it. I guess that you could look at it as quilting a whole cloth. But everyone who didn't look at it closely, or didn't have the knowledge of what it was, thought that she pieced those little spires and geese. There were a couple of other quilts in that case that WERE pieced with tiny spires that should have got a ribbon. There was this mariner's compas that was wonderful. Jane Holihan got first with her appliqued rose quilt. The quilt is beautiful, and she is sweet. I met her while standing in line at the NQA show last summer. She and her husband travel together to the shows. They are both very nice to talk to.

Well, I have to upload my pictures, so stay tuned. My 1gig card didn't work.. so I have to find the box and return it. I have lots to do.. talk to you later!!

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