Fibermania

AWAY IN A NUNNERY!

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Don't I ever stay home? I guess not. Today and tomorrow I am in Racine WI at the annual retreat with the other members of PAQA. (The Professional Art Quilt Alliance). I am with Frieda and Tommy and lots of other wonderful artists and we are of course having a wonderful time together. Veddy slurp and burp. I am writing to you from the computer in the library at the Siena Retreat Center, a real convent, right on majestic Lake Michigan. There is a bit of snow on the ground and the air is brisk. We will be sightseeing and shopping and yarn store browsing, and art gallery viewing. Too much fun.

I am often asked if I like the traveling that my job entails. I do and I don't. I like the fact that I sometimes get to stay in wonderful homes with glorious decorating, artwork, swimming pools and such. I like hotels sometimes too, if the beds are wonderful, like the Marriot for example which has a fluffy featherbed liner on the mattress. I don't like beds without fitted sheets, or sheets that are too short.

O and I really like the fact that I am cleaned up after in hotels. Who wouldn't like returning to your bed, all freshened up and neat, or the bathroom with folded towels every day?

What I don't like is the hotel heaters or blowers that make so much noise and dry up the air and make me cough or get a sore throat. But I like having a coffee maker handy, but wish they gave us more cream things instead of powders which are icky.

I love eating out, if there are good restaurants, but so often the place is overpriced in the hotel, and I am stuck without transportation. You know all this stuff.

Airplane rides are usually fun if I have knitting or a good book, and my mp3 player handy. I hate airports however and wish I could just pop onto the plane be wisked away.

When I travel I am " on" and prepared to be the teacher/ speaker and conscious of my dress, language, hair and makeup. Not at all like at home.

I miss my husband and my own bed.

When I go home from here, I will be emptying the refrigerator of February foods which may cause serious illnesses if consumed. Very glamourous work. Much as I love Gladware containers, I think they will all be tossed and replaced with new. It will be grand to be doing the everyday stuff that makes me feel at home...