Gettin’ Old Ain’t Fer Sissies

Phew – I was away for a week at MQX and Cape Cod and I think it really wore me out.  I got home Sunday and took Monday off to recoup from the slight jet lag, but it wasn’t till Tuesday when I felt really TIRED.  Each night, when I got home from work, I’d turn the news on the TV and immediately fall asleep on the couch.  Geez!  I’m only 55.  I can’t believe a little flight across the country could really wear me down like that.  Well, anyway, it’s going to be a lovely weekend here in Oregon, and the sad looking little pup leaning on my arm here has just responded in the affirmative when asked if we want to visit the “doggie park.”  We’ll be back after a good ball toss.  Hopefully, with some pictures!  I’ve been fighting an extreme battle with my wonderful camera (with less than stellar digital camera software) and I think I’ve figured out a patched-up solution for now.  I did get someone at Pentax to promise to send me a new disc yesterday, so perhaps I will be back to posting nice photos before too long.

He missed me!

I need to get this darn camera software working.  Ozzie wore himself out welcoming me home!  I was certain he wouldn’t even have noticed that I was gone for a week, but he was so excited to see me — I got several face washings, he jumped and wiggled and wouldn’t leave me alone, and finally he passed out under the coffee table.  It’s 8:00 p.m. Pacific time and I’ve been up since the equivalent of 2:00 a.m. (5:00 a.m. Eastern).  I think it may be time to hit the hay.  MQX was great, but I’m so glad to be home.

MQX Rocks, as usual

Well, we’re in a new and unfamiliar land, but MQX is still a great show.  The quilts were gorgeous, lots of different vendors this year, and as usual, old friends to hug and new friends to meet.  I had a great time with one exception.  That headache I had when I arrived only continued to grow through Tuesday night and Wednesday.  I made it through my first class just fine, as I was quilting and blabbering away in my usual manner and felt right at home.  By my afternoon class, however, the lights seemed to be flashing in my eyes and I lost the connection between my brain and my mouth.  Not to mention that the third page of my handout didn’t get attached to the packet, and the whiteboard that should have been in class wasn’t there, but even when I tried to draw on paper I had trouble understanding myself nevermind asking my students to understand me.  It was a bad nightmare.  Luckily, my students were mostly understanding and cut me a lot of slack in my evaluations, but I have taken a lot of email addresses and will mail that third page, plus the photos and illustrations that didn’t make it in.  One of the students suggested that I turn the class into a Powerpoint presentation, which I think is a GREAT idea.  Anyway, I think I gave them the idea of how to best make quilted garments to insure that they will fit, come together without lumps, etc.  I normally do a much better job, but teaching with a migraine is a hard thing to do.  I even forgot, in both classes, that I had hauled door prizes with me.  Perhaps I’ll save them for next year, if Janet-Lee and Mary will have me back, and I will be sure my suitcase contains a couple of doses of migraine meds.  OY!  If you happened to be in that class, please accept my condolences and do make sure I get your email address so I can send you more details.  I did actually have someone thank me for the class today and tell me that she learned a lot.  I’m surprised and grateful.

So, it was great to see friends, I was sorry I didn’t get to stay as long as I would have liked, but the show was well-oiled and fun (as much as it can be with a migraine) as usual.  Oh – by the way – another verification that quilters are the very best.  One of my students supplied me with some Excedrin, and two chocolate truffles.  After class I headed back to my room, drew the curtains, and laid down on the bed.  I was OUT.  I felt so much better when I finally got up again.  To that student – THANK YOU so much.  You really saved me.

I’ll post pics when I get home and can get the camera to play nice with the computer.  I actually did get a Windows computer set up before I left, and should now be able to convert from RAW to JPEG without the program shutting down on me.  At least I hope so!

I’m at MQX!

I flew into Logan at 5:00 p.m. last night, grabbed my suitcase and hopped on the Silver Line bus which took me to South Station, lickedy split.  Then I went up some stairs (dragging my bag) and got a ticket for the T to Providence.  Waited ten minutes, hopped the train, and was in Providence by 7:15.  Just had to roll my bag a few short blocks down the street and arrived at the Westin.  Couldn’t have been easier, plus it only cost me a total of $9.50 to get from Logan to the Westin!  Two bucks for the bus, and $7.50 for the train.  I made it to the ice cream social last night, managed to catch one of the MQX t-shirts after it hit me in the face, and then had a lobster roll (minus the roll) and mixed greens for dinner, then headed straight to bed.  I’m tired and still have the fierce headache I arrived with, but I’m sitting in my room drinking the hotel-provided Starbucks and will hop in the shower and head off to get the lay of the land.  Wish you were all here!