The 2011 Heart of Ohio Quilters Guild Retreat is over. Once again, it was an incredible weekend with 70+ women. Thank you to everyone in Coshocton for making our weekend the best. As always, there were a huge number of highlights and a few lowlights. So indulge me for a moment, if you will, as I review the weekend for you.
The Good
#1. The Coshocton Village Inn and Suites. The staff at the hotel was amazing. Every year they let us overtake their hotel. If you have ever spent 3 days with a hotel full of women, you know what I'm talking about! This year's theme was Mardi Gras. The staff allowed us decorate the entire hotel. They wore beads and dressed accordingly. They played canned jazz music all weekend! They catered to our every need. They even tracked down a member at the local fabric store to get a message to her from her frantic husband! Thanks folks, you rock!
#2. Mercantile on Main. Heaven in Coshocton! It is the local quilt shop owned by Denise Guthrie, also known as Thing #1. She made sure we were pampered and treated well. Her new store was gorgeous and representative of her personality. Thanks for the discounts, free gifts, business coupons, laughs, and memories. You always spoil us.
#3. Alternative Therapies and Massages. All I can say is a "puddle of liquid." That is howI feel after one of Kristy's massages! This is the second year that I've scheduled a full body massage at the beginning of my retreat. It is heavenly and one of the bright spots of the weekend! Then Kristy and her posse of two come to the hotel on Saturday night for chair massages. Everyone looks forward to Saturday night. You should see these women swarm the sign up sheet on Saturday morning! Thanks Kristy and friends.
#4. Meeting up with old friends. Being from Coshocton, I always look forward to seeing old buddies from high school. The top two are Kelly and Denise (Thing #1). Kelly, a fellow quilter, and I have been friends since the 6th grade. Can you imagine being my friend for almost 40 years? That takes patience, understanding and forgiveness. We always get together for lunch or dinner and shoot the breeze. Then there is Thing #1. She is just a crazy as I am. I think it's because we both have 7 siblings. We have too much in common. We had dinner and laughed our butts off. We were loud and obnoxious. You know when you both are laughing so hard that you keep snorting, you are annoying those around you.
#5. The Uncorked. It is a great wine and coffee bar in Roscoe Village. Love it....a little something for everyone. And to Lori the owner and a friend....sorry you had to sit beside Thing #1 and Thing #2 at dinner! You only wanted a quiet dinner with your man and instead you had to put up with us! I'm sure we sounded like a bunch of barnyards animals with the snorting and cackling.
#6. My Guild Sisters. It was wonderful to spend a whole weekend with 70+ women you have one common goal: to share their love of needle and cloth. This is a wonderful group of cackling hens to be surrounded by. Their knowledge, talents and wisdom is inspiring. A special thanks to Becky, Tonda, and Diane for planning a great retreat. As a past retreat co-chair, I know how hard it is to plan such a huge event. It's not easy pleasing so many women at one time! But you succeeded. To my own personal quilt posse, I loved every moment of it. You are the best. And to Jen my table mate, I'll share my space with you anytime.
The Bad
Unfortunately, every gathering has its blemishes. There is always that one person who is loud and obnoxious. You always hope she won't show up, but she always does. You spend your weekend rolling your eyes at her and wishing she would shut up! You just want to tape her mouth with duct tape. All I can say is I'm sorry everyone. It is hard to keep me under wraps. I get wound up tighter than the energizer bunny and can't stop. The only solution is to wear ear plugs or sign up for a table on the other side of the room next year! Just know that I appreciate your friendship and tolerance! I promise to work on my inside voice for next year.
The Ugly
#1. Driving in the sleet on the way home!
#2. Dodging the 11+ dead skunks on the road while driving in the sleet on the way home.
#3. Listening to the Buckeyes lose to Purdue while dodging the 11+ dead skunks on the road while driving in the sleet on the way home.
#4. Walking into a dirty house after listening to the Buckeyes lose to Purdue while dodging the 11+ skunks on the road while driving in the sleet on the way home.
The pay off for walking into a dirty house after listening to the Buckeyes lose to Purdue while dodging the 11+ skunks on the road while driving in the sleet on the way home.....the greeting I get from Sophie, Stormy and Rick. It's good to be home!
Want to know the funny part of my yearly sojourn to Coshocton? I spent all of my teens and most of my twenties trying to get out of that town. Now I count down the days until I get to go back. Only 364 days until next year's retreat. I can't wait!
Make Every Day Count....
Denise
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