Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Up, Up, and Away Brazos Retreat

Retreat Season is BACK!!!  October is my favorite month and one of the best parts is that we get to start spending time with friends again.  Love, love, love.  We are still in the COVID crap, but life is going on and we are going to make the best of it out in the countryside.  I'm packed and ready to depart.

Blogger has once again changed the way the interface works and I can no longer moved pictures AT ALL!!!  You will be stuck with centered pics and how boring is that?  At any rate, a beautiful drive down, unloading stuff and I'm ready for the day.  Everyone else is setting up space as well and I make a pit stop by Mindy's and find that she has technology everywhere.  She has a photo album scrolling through her quilt pics and a moving banner that lights up as well as her phone ready to go.  Wow.


A walk down to the river is always good for the soul.



Stephannie, Stephanie, Brenda and Bobbi are along, but only three of us make it down the steps for a chat.


 

Well, I moved a few pics but it took forever and doesn't line up right.  I think I'm going to be on a very large learning curve AGAIN.


Since we are still not posting pics in the album on Facebook (due to those who feel the need to criticize the rest of us), I am not taking as many pics while at retreat.  I'm sorry, but I am hitting the highlights and a few others.  What this means is that the blog post is a bit picture heavy as it's the only spot for the pics, but there are still less than what would have been in the album.  It is what it is.

Val starts off the TA-DA's


Some scenes from the room.





Brenda W. has several TA-DA's


Friday night is our usual "Game Night" and with our Up, Up, and Away theme, the ideas have really come to life.  It's a bird, it's a plane - nope, it's our Val.  (Ooooh, I figured out how to do side by side pics.)


Brenda and Janet - 


Stephanie and Stephannie - 


Samantha and Bobbi - 


Leanne 


Kelly - 


Ms. Paula and Gwen


I do not wish to leave anyone out -- so here come the double shots -- Frieda and Debi


Kelly and Janet


Paula and Tracey


Betsy and Stephanie


Stephannie and Mindy


Samantha and Terry


Val and Gwen


Bobbi and Leanne


And yours truly and Brenda --- that's all of us.  Whew.


There is a standing joke at retreat that whoever I ask to take pictures during the game feels obligated to take shots of my backside.  This time I told them to get it over with and bent over.  Without my knowledge, Val swooped in with her cape to protect and Gwen helped out with a broom.  Just shows who literally has my back"side".



Game time!!!


Everyone keeps track of their fat quarter count in their own way and let the dice roll.


They must not be winning tonight.


Someone is though --- Gwen takes the fat quarters home.


There are just some people who should not be allowed to sit together --- trouble brewing.


And somehow -- they become payment on the dice tray.  Really???


Round two goes to Leanne --- woohoo -- 


Round three has Betsy dancing all over the place as she takes home the prize.



By the end of the day, several of us have completed our mini-class projects.  I like this so much.  Here is my TA-DA, Brenda's TA-DA, and Bobbi's TA-DA


Paula asked me to look at her machine and I gotta tell ya ---- it's creative over here.


Time with friends is to be treasure always.



My sweetheart told me to watch the Hunter's Moon, but then Ana shared with us that we could see Mars too.  I got back out of bed to check it out.  These pics are with my phone, but still pretty dang cool.



THIS ONE --- OH MY.


Janet has such a wonderful TA-DA --- I am hot on the trails of this one.  I have the pattern picture if anyone wants to make this.


Val has been binding since she arrives and has a TA-DA series to share.  All are gorgeous.



This one contains blocks found on the swap table.  Go Val.



I am taking advantage of the beautiful weather and doing a little painting on the porch.


Kelly and Paula working on their class project.


Debi's Witch's Night Out in progress.


While outside visiting yesterday, Frieda and I spotted a dog pack roaming the property.  They are back today and several of us are out on patrol.  Save the chickens is our motto.




Gather round y'all ---- and smile.  What a wonderful group of women.  I'm smiling inside and will carry it with me for weeks.  Back row:  Frieda, Val, Tracey, Gwen, Kelly, Janet, Betsy, Terry  Front row:  Leanne, Debi, Paula, Mindy, Brenda, Stephannie, Stephanie   In front of bridge:  Bobbi, Sam


And me -- I'm here too but I lost so many others with this pic.


Val has her "My Week With Bonnie" top ready to quilt.


Janet with two more TA-DA's.  Hmmmm, it seems as though Val and Janet are the productive ones.


Just teasing -- mini-class TA-DA's from Samantha and Terry


Sam followed that up with another TA-DA


Our final mini-class TA-DA's from Kelly and Paula


All together now ---- these were so fun and are (in Sam's words) "so stinking cute."


With peeps, of course.


Bobbi's Carolina Christmas TA-DA --- love it.


Sunday haircuts seem to always take place.


Checking on the river and chatting with Gwen before our time runs out.



Frieda has a TA-DA


My bears are finished for a TA-DA


Frieda follows up with a second TA-DA


Janet's TA-DA is a wonderful wall hanging for fall.


My quiet book is sandwiched and that's a pretty big moment for me.


I'm packing up (so sad) and have so many new treasures to take home with me.  I missed the storage box that Gwen left with me but I treasure it also.


My final TA-DA before leaving.  The jelly roll rug that I started in September.  Woohoo!


And with that  --- it is Brazos Out!  Until November --- keep creative.

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