Monday, November 23, 2009

56 hours passed in a flash

The clock started ticking when the plane began to taxi to the runway on Friday at 8:00 AM. Once we were in the air, I arrived in Louisville one hour and forty minutes later. From then to when I got back to Orlando on Sunday I packed a lot of people, places, eating and quilts into the hours.

On Friday, I was met at the airport by my BFF Kathy A. who graciously as always provided me with a bed and hot showers while I was there. No matter how long it has been since I last saw her, it always feels like "just yesterday. Kathy A and I are never at a loss for words when we are together even though she is not a quilter. I tried teaching her quilting, she's dabbled with crochet and knitting, I think, but says she doesn't have a creative bone in her body. I say she just has not given herself permission to be or time to discover where her creatively is hiding YET. She is however a serious collector of all things which are Raggedy Ann and Andy and several other things.
At times I think I am more comfortable in her house than I am in my own. Being able to live alone in her condo, last July while she was in New England I believe was the impetus for me deciding to move to Orlando and live by myself.
When I am in Louisville I try to visit several of my favorite non chain food eating places. There is nothing like the memories one has of food from your childhood home or you home town. Before my wheat allergy, "White Castle" hamburgers were a MUST HAVE, but sadly, no longer.

This trip I had a taste for something from the Middle east and was thinking of eating at Shiraz's, (Persian?) but went to Shalimar's instead for Indian fare at lunch time. Oh man was it good. Loved the yogurt mango sauce over fresh fruit served with a dollop of in house made vanilla ice cream, YUM! YUM!

Kathy A's daughter , Stephanie joined us for lunch and it was good to catch up with her life and that of her sons who I have watched grow into nice teenagers. When they both returned to work, I spent several hours with my friend Marti, we talked in her studio for a spell until she suggested we make a trip to see her solo exhibit

then she drove us to over the bridge to the Carnegie in New Albany, Indiana. To see another fiber and art quilt exhibit.

Earthworks is an exhibit of the collectives themed works by Pat Darif, Joanne Weis and Valerie White. All fellow members and friends of the group River City Fiber Artist of which I was a member.
They were putting up garland and wreaths at the Carnegie for the holidays and the nip of cold in the air was appropriate for the coming season.
Unlike here in Central Florida where it is strange for me to see poinsettias planted outdoors, blooming along with purple pansies and pastel snap dragons.
I wish we had more time as we drove back bypassing downtown Louisville so we could stop by the Kentucky Center for Arts and Design to see a collection of Jack Walsh's quilts, but time moved too quickly.
Marti dropped me back at Kathy's condo in time to change for a night at the bowling alley with my family. It was the younger set that put on the shoes and took to the lanes.
The older set sat around and talked, catching up on each others lives and trying to decide which young child belonged to which cousin, nephew or niece.

After giving my Mom and my niece a lift home, we were back at Kathy's condo where I sat with my feet up for an hour or two, knitting and talking some more until sleep claimed me and I went off to bed.
Saturday, Kathy A and I had breakfast at Bob Evans because I was in the mood for a bowl of oatmeal, that balanced the fact that I also had a taste for bacon. Our friend Kathie K joined us, but since she was a little under the weather instead of spending more time with her, least I catch something, I went back to Martie's while Kathy A went for a haircut.

Before I knew it, it was time to go to dinner with the family. The plan was to bless the food at 3:30 PM and be eating by 3:32PM. We were an hour off schedule.
Beginning at 4:39PM five generations of Gibson's and four generations of Edlens dined on ham, turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, hot rolls, a garden salad, deviled eggs, smothered pork chops, grits casserole, yam casserole, mac and cheese, two different pots of mixed greens, (collard, turnip, kale, etc.) plus green beans and roasted mixed veggies, all purchased Saturday morning fresh from the framers market.
Oh I almost forgot the 8 foot table filled with assorted pies, cakes, and cobblers. None of which I could eat, let alone taste.
Despite all that the day wasn't complete without some Baskin Robbins Ice Cream. To my disappointment there was no Black Walnut.

On Sunday I had lunch at Lemongrass, with the Kathy(ie)'s Lemongrass is Far east oriental and then it was off to the airport. I arrived at my departure gate as they were boarding the "A" group passengers, I was B3. It was wheels up at 2:20 PM and touch down in Orlando at 4:05PM Whew!!!!

Today, I am working on another dye painted on silk whole cloth composition. I didn't get around to making my dye stock solutions before I left home on Friday, so I guess I'll put that off til later in the week.
Will give you a peek at what I am doing tomorrow.

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