Out of My Element

I spent a few days in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, earlier this week, presenting 2 lectures and a workshop to the Eastern Iowa Heirloom Quilters Guild. Iowa looks a lot like Illinois right now - icy remnants of winter everywhere.

It's a busy travel week and I always feel out of my element when I travel. Three presentations in one week is a bit much for me because I find I get exhausted easily, LOL. (Surely it can't be because I'm getting old??)  Lately, I haven't felt like pushing myself with the travel stuff because I notice I also get really cranky when I'm out of my element. I miss my necessities from home. Hey, where can I get a good cup of tea made with HOT water (instead of lukewarm) when my throat hurts and I feel the sniffles coming on? All hotels should have boiling water available at ALL times, don't you think? And regular tea, not that herbal stuff. Also, where's the nearest CVS or Walgreens so I can pick up some Tylenol or cough drops that I forgot to bring with me because I didn't know I was going to get sick? Or where can I find a decaf diet Coke at 10:00 at night . . . . or maybe just some cookies before I go to bed . . . . When I'm at home, these are always readily available and I get annoyed when I can't find them while I'm out of my element. (Just like a cranky old lady - is this what it's finally come to??) I get lost easily driving around strange cities at night. My GPS couldn't even find the hotel and we drove around and around the same area for half an hour. "It says it should be RIGHT here! Right here! All is see is a Pet Smart . . . I can't sleep in a Pet Smart . . ."

This trip had a little minor catastrophe as well. Just as I was getting ready to leave for my first presentation in the morning, I lost my left contact lens. Not much of a catastrophe most of you are probably saying - what a big baby! - but it gets me off to a bad start if I can't see very well from the get-go. I thought it was still in my eye and kept poking around to see if it had lodged up inside my upper lid, but then I started smearing my makeup and I was afraid I was running late and didn't have time to redo it so I left it in and figured I'd get it out later. I reluctantly trudged off to meet everyone with an extrememly red and irritated, not to mention smudged, eye wearing my old glasses. I really need new glasses. I bought some cool ones a little while ago but it turns out I can't see well enough with them (Oh, the price we pay for trying to be fashionable) and didn't bring them along, just my old standby glasses I've been wearing for years. So yes,  I was a tad cranky.

Arriving at the lecture and seeing a good-sized crowd and meeting all the wonderful, nice quilters always perks me up and calms me down at the same time, however, and SO WHAT if I'm wearing my ugly glasses?? Everyone was thrilled to see me (even if I couldn't see them very well). No one noticed or at least they were kind enough not to mention that they were perhaps expecting a non-squinting speaker wearing cooler glasses . . . Who was this cranky woman masquerading as the usually delightful Kathy Tracy??

So many smiling faces .  . .

Everywhere I go I enjoy seeing everyone's Show & Tell projects. Some of the quilts are amazing and the talent evident. I wish I had thought to take more pictures. But look at this quilt made with over 500 three-inch scrappy blocks that Sharon (I think) made. Gorgeous, isn't it? I'm going to have to make one like it.

So scrappy! Reminds me of the Calico Comfort quilt from Remembering Adelia.

Mary  made this for me! I am going to use it as a mug mat  as soon as I can find some hot water to put in a mug . . . . The old buttons were a bonus!

We came home yesterday and today I am off to Peoria, IL, for another lecture. And I'll probably be wearing my contact lenses (yes!) because guess what? While I was giving my Iowa presentation, my husband (who needed a break from work and came with to help carry books and stuff) went back to the hotel and spotted my contact lens sitting precariously on the edge of the bathroon sink faucet, grinning at him.