Road Trip

I’ve had a good four days of road-tripping. It was great to have my quilting friend with me (Fri/Sat) and then her bestie join us (Sat). At the end of Saturday they peeled of inviting me to join them. I thanked them and retreated to my VRBO, which turned out to be so perfect that I’ve booked it again for our friends’ wedding in July. It was a respite. Yesterday I had brunch with the soon-to-be newlyweds. Touring their garden twice, once with each of them, was really inspiring. I saw different things each time. I hit another quilt shop (very eclectic) and then visited with other friends who I’ve known (her) since we were really little. Another Camp connection. She and and her husband toured me though their garden too! And sent me on my way with 12 starts of a native penstemon! 

It is interesting to watch how the arch of conversational changes over the years. With both couples (we all know each other), we now talk about aging parents who are struggling, or struggled, with dementia… 

I had a stunning drive today. The sky was like a master’s painting. This meant is alternated between heavy, fast windshield wiper, rain, and sun backlighting the deciduous trees as I drove through the State Forest. The road signs did not screw around! Rough Road Ahead! Dang, I had to both slow down, and for the first time since owning this car (13-years, it’s a 2004) push the button that stiffens up the suspension 😳.Way mo’ better. ‘Seeing’ the shapes of the mountain tops via the tree line was lovely, the intermittent shear un-treed rock faces made the occasional stunning contrast to the forest. And then, of course, the road itself. Give me swoops to drive, and I am a happy camper.

Oh, then there’s the fabric… 😏 I have found many treasures and much inspiration. And it turns out our cat has found time to be a model for more than one fabric designer! We don’t know how he manages this between telling us he’s never been fed, and prowling for mice and moths, but dude has a side gig going 🐈‍⬛! 😂 

It was a delight to do the self-guided tour of one of our regional cheese factory’s. I asked if they could ship. The guy grinned and directed me to the website while adding they couldn’t ship ice cream 🤣. I laughed and said I was only interested in cheese. ‘Two days to your door,’ was the reply. There are flavors that are not sold in the grocery.

I’m on the coast tonight at a mansion (in 100-year old vocabulary) that’s been converted into about 5-rooms. It’s interesting, to me, to look around the room and observe what they’ve had to do to make it a commercial lodging while hanging onto the character. They’ve done a good job. When I arrived, the radiator was on. The room was toasty. The fellow running the front desk assured me I wasn’t missing how to turn it down, and went to turn the whole system down. Windows open and it’s quite pleasant. There’s the faintest whiff of campfire from the beach. Appropriate. 

I’m 30ish minutes away from my next destination to see another Camp friend (and quilt shop 😏), but not until early afternoon when his NOAA research vessel come into port. I will be close to Camp, but am not going to stop by as it will add too much drive time. We’ll be there in August, which will be here before we know it.

This trip has been really good for me, and my fabric collection 🙃.