Best Laid Plans

 

You know what they say about our best laid plans … I’m hoping that the old saying is NOT going to be true in my case.    You see, I’ve got big plans for the next few days. 

 

I mentioned back in January that I’d signed up for a retreat being hosted by a new (to me) quilt shop.  I love going to quilt retreats.  While it’s true that thanks to my sweet hubby, I could “retreat” here at home and quilt/sew away my day (and frequently do), there’s just something special about spending a day or two stitching with fellow quilters … so I was really looking forward to this retreat. 

 

And even more so now since earlier this week, it was beginning to look like I wasn’t going to be able to go after all.  DD had an appointment, and she needed me to watch the kiddos Friday.  AND I hadn’t heard anything (like directions to the retreat center, what will be provided, etc. – and how to pay the balance due!) from the quilt shop, even though I had contacted them as recently the 19th.  But yesterday, in the matter of about an hour, DD had told me that the appointment was Thursday not Friday as she’d previously thought … and the quilt shop contacted me, apologizing for their inability to respond sooner (the gal in charge of the retreat’s computer had a virus … no explanation why she didn’t have someone else contact us or call us, but I so wanted to go to retreat, that I let it slide) and offering to cut the cost to make up for her inability to get back to us sooner.  So the retreat is back on.  Woo hoo! 

 

And if that isn’t exciting enough, there’s a nice quilt show in a town about an hour further up the road.  Since I’ll be about halfway there, I was hoping to be able to get up there to spend a couple of hours at the show before heading to retreat.  Since I will be at DD’s this afternoon and evening, I wasn’t sure if I’d have time to get everything caught up, packed and ready for me to hit the road by 8:00 tomorrow to be able to get in a nice chunk of time at the show.  But the rain this morning meant that Lois and I wouldn’t get in our walk, so that gave me the extra time I need in order to accomplish all I want to get done today. 

 

Everything’s falling into place nicely. 

 

 

In other news, I got a phone call inviting me to join DD and the Ts for an outing yesterday.  They’re currently studying China, and the Magic House in St. Louis is hosting an exhibit called Children’s China.  DD thought that a stop for Chinese for lunch and the exhibit afterward would be a fun way to reinforce what they’re learning in school.  The top left picture is of me with T#3 and T#4 in the “Panda Nursery”, and the bottom left is T#3 carrying the dragon during the dragon parade.  The middle picture is the 4 Ts before heading into the exhibit.  The top right is T#4 eating ice cream with her chop sticks, and the bottom right is all four in the “Panda Nursery”.  It was a long and fairly exhausting afternoon/evening, but I loved absolutely every single moment!  These kinds of afternoons are why I didn’t hesitate for a moment when offered the opportunity to retire early … these memories far outweigh whatever little extra pension benefit I might have earned while working longer.

 

I hope that whatever you have planned for today includes a little something that brings you joy ... have a great day!
Kathy