First Trip to the Lazy E

First trip to the Cabin and it was perfect sweatshirt weather.  We had a fire and roasted marshmallows.  We BBQed burgers, we pushed the kids in the swings, road up and down the road on the 4 wheeler and we even went to the lake.  AND of course there are projects everywhere you look.  Zach and Jerry moved a trailer load of cinderblock and then Jerry's back was done. 

   

 Then Jerry just had to play and sing, only to stop now and then to fill up on treats!  Yes, we brought a candy bucket.  We thought about not doing it because of Caid's diabetes, but then the store had sugar free, whoopee!  We all had lots, too much. It was what you do at the cabin, eat too much.  Plenty of chips, cabin breakfast of ham, scrambled eggs and cheese, hashbrowns and onions, OJ, ummm-m-m, doesn't it make you wish you were there now?!

So, thanks Michelle and Zach for coming to play and bringing the girls to entertain us.

HONORARY MENTION

I entered my quilts in HMQS(Home Machine Quilting Show).  I knew the boat quilt wouldn't win anything because your quilt has to be absolutely perfect AND over the top to get a ribbon.  I know where I made my mistakes on that one, but I believe in supporting the local show so I took 2 quilts over.  I got a call the day before they announced the judging, and they said I should be at the awards ceremony.  It just so turned out that Mom and Dad were here.  He has been having trouble with his eye ever since his cataract surgery in February, they brought him up to the VA. So they came over to see the show, what I do AND apparently win a sewing machine!

Mom got seats early...at the front...on the aisle...and saved a few for my "people", my friends I work with.  The first thing they announced was the door prize winner.  "Look under your seat.  $3500 Baby Lock Sewing machine is going  to the LUCKY person... "  We are all checking our chairs and the extra chairs we were saving, I look over and Mom is holding this paper that says BABY LOCK Machine.  She hasn't said a thing or held it up.  I of course start screaming, "Mom, You WON!" Cameras start flashing and people are cheering and clapping...Dad is more excited and proud because HE was "sitting right next to the winner."

Next comes the Honorary Mention.  They might have explained it, but I missed it.  They were giving out those ribbons for EVERY division first.  They start announcing all of these National Teachers who have quilts in the show and who won but none of them are going up to get their ribbons BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL IN TEACHING CLASSES. Finally, they call my name.  None of the others have gone up on stage, but I am at the front and they motion to me to come up.

The ribbon isn't very big and it was kind of weird how they gave them out for Honorary Mention, but I was very proud to be selected.  I was super excited when I got the judges sheet.  I got an Excellent in every category they judge, didn't get marked down on one thing. The Judge's comment..."WOW!" So when you have 4 perfect quilts you award 1st, 2nd and 3rd by ... Wows?!  That's all that's left.

Eureka! Skydeck at 88 stories.

This is the tallest residential building.  We went up 88 stories in less than 30 seconds.   You didn't even feel like an elevator bump.  When we got off the elevator and walked into the top floor of all windows it was unbelievably beautiful.  In every direction there was an incredible view. 

Doing the Town...

Or the Clampett's come to the city.  My boss, the CEO set us up at the Marriott downtown for the last 2 nights. He gave us cab money and said, "Don't waste your days off waiting for the shuttle, take a cab first thing in the morning, and go out to dinner to a really nice restaurant and expense it on the company."  Just the hotel was pretty swanky.  We had to figure out how to get the elevator to work...insert room key.  Then we couldn't turn on any lights or TV in our room... insert room key. The bed was deluxe...

There were ROBES!

 The bathroom was even deluxe.  And the closet had lights that went on when you opened the door. We were living the high life.  For real, we were up about 3 floors, then up to the 9th floor for "Tea" and breakfast and "Canapes" or dessert, and to use the internet.  It was extra to have internet access in our room.  Our room already cost $289.00 a night! I have no complaints, we were treated very well. My boss took very good care of us.  He made all of our travel arrangements and hotels and paid for great dinners when we all went out.

Jerry took me to see all the sights, the city, the river, the docklands, malls, old buildings, new and tall.  Really tall...

Tea Time is a Good Tradition

We  moved to a new hotel where Handi Quilter Dealers came for training and lots of food.  Tea Time is great.  Better than lunch and breakfast.  It was warm ham and cheese croissants one morning and all kinds of cupcakes for afternoon tea...red velvet, carrot cake, chocolate with cream cheese frosting. YUM!  And of course beverages. Dinners here were fantastic too.  One night was a buffet with prawns, lamb, steak... more than I can remember.

This was right outside our room. Palm trees.  This is where we saw all of the cocatus.  It was fall and the leaves were turning and falling off the trees but these palm trees and pool were very inviting.

But I ended up spending most of MY time with these guys.  Some old friends, some new.  We had a great time working with them and lots of laughs after hours with them.

This is Glen and Kathi Salter, she used to be an educator and trained me when I first started renting and learning to quilt. Glen is her husband  works there still. She and he taught some classes and also helped in my classes. 

Jerry doing the town

Our hotel was on Lygon street, a street known for all of the sidewalk cafes.  Every night we strolled the sidewalk and searched the menues for what sounded good.   We  tried lamb, salmon, and prawns and souvlaki. Food was expensive and different.  We had a breakfast buffet in every place we stayed.
My only complaint was runny scramled eggs and not so good sausage. And they love vegemite on toast but us?  Not so much!

Jerry spent some time at the docks.  He had a great time talking with the locals.... partly just to hear their accent. Partly just to pass time and he likes to talk to people.

These guys were using real long poles with no reels. They'd just swing their pole onto the dock.

Lots happening on the river too.

 There were free tourist shuttles that went all around the city to about 15 top spots.  You could get on and off all over.  This trolley car also went through the city making stops a lot closer.

Federation Square had thousands of people. It was the train station.

Quilt Show, Old Friends, New Friends

The quilt show was in this amazing exhibition hall.  It was a beautiful building.

The quilt show was pretty much just like our quilt shows... and I did have to work. 

Michelle is a store rep from Perth.  She came to the states last year and we had a great time teasing each other about how we talk. She's the one who talked Jerry into the Kangaroo steak.  She gave me lots of advice and encouragment for the classes I had to teach.

This is Helen Godden.  An amazing Australian quilter that we met there and spent the week having a great time with.  She and Michelle together  make for a lot of laughs.

This is Helen's quilt, Seasonal Sisters tht she made with a couple of other quilters.

This bird was her entry in the Best of Australia.  She was chosen Best of State for this quilt and we all went to the big Formal Celebration where the winner was announced to cheer for her , but a more traditional quilt won.