1.00 am and I'm relaxing listening to gospel music while the others sleep.
Finally I can relax.
We arrived home an hour or so ago after attending the 21st annual presentation to winners at Paducah Kentucky.
I guess I did it for the Aussies again.!!! 1st place and I was thrilled.
This is last time the 1776, Heartache, Heritage and happiness will be entered into competition. It will now be on exhibition in Paducah with other Australian Quiltmakers July through September.
I arrived in Nashville yesterday and was plunged full bloom into spring.
Di Mill flew in from Australia, Della Moon drove from Indianapolis and the three of us sat up till the wee hours visiting.
This morning we took off in anticipation of an exciting day. The air was warm and the countryside was bathed in an expectant mist. We drove through green fields fringed by pine and bright green birch trees. Pure white dogwood trees punctuated the lines of green and occasionally we saw flashes of pink.
Empty tobacco barns with doors wide open stood amidst tilled fields and sometimes ringed with bright yellow native mustard.
It took us two hours to get to Nashville and we chatted all the way with country music fielding the background.
Precious memories.
We arrived in Paducah early with the aim of trying to beat the bus loads of women who were about to descend on Hancocks of Paducah.
I didn't intend to purchase fabrics, but with some 10,000 bolts beconing... I just couldn't resist. We walked down each aisle, examining and touching every bolt of fabric.
I spied wonderful fabric for my big project... and very soon the shopping trolley was stacked...$4.50 to $7.00 yard and who could resist....
There were 100's of gals shopping and chatting. You should see this place... It is housed in a huge warehouse, between the wholesale cigarette seller and a used car lot.
A line of porta-potties give away a secret as to how many visitors they expect. I'm told the cars spill out onto the road and the police have to control the traffic on the busy days....!!
Off to another long line to register ... well I didn't need to as I was a finalist, but the others did....however, an hour in a line is a great way to share...
We found an elderly gal with a yard full of quilts and 1940's patterns and paraphenalia to sell... so a visit with her was compulsory. Her quilts were roughly made but she had some nice antique ones hanging over the fence.
Time for the presentation and we had our glad rags in the back of the car. Where do we change...? well right there in the car hiding behind coloured windows, but never the less it was a license for laughter I can assure you... We emerged from our cocoon, coifed and dressed to the nines...
Ricky Timms opened the evening with some light entertainment and interesting stories... The the nerve racking part began... I think I was more nervous than when I won at Houston...
One by one the awards were presented...and the excitement grew... I have to say I vowed I would never go through this again....
The room full of visitors were appreciative and generous with their support and applause. All those hours of work were worth it.
Evening over we retired to the Cracker barrel Restaurant where we dined on sugar cured ham, meatloaf and chicken and dumplings. Next came turnip leaf salad, potato stew and fried applies, served with cornbread. Amazing.....!!! I entered into a little song and dance in the restrooms as we waited for our turn... The music was loud country, slow and melodramatic... I did a few turns to the surprise of the other visitors to the loo....then they joined in. No idea of my excitement.
The eyes are failing and the mistakes are more than ever. So time to retire...
Best wishes.......
I've never been here before, so I hope you enjoy the posts over the next few weeks.
