Back from Houston -- *not* OT! (long)

Wow! I didn't think I could be as impressed with the show as I was last
year (my first time), but I was. It's *so* amazing.

This year's show started early for me, since Ally arrived in Las Vegas
for a visit with us before we both left for Houston. What fun! I can see
why beading is gaining popularity -- Ally "forced" me to take her to a
couple of bead shops here (as well as LQSs, of course), and the beads
are so varied and beautiful. But I'm being firm with myself....

We arrived in Houston on Wednesday afternoon to begin the adventure of
the keys. It seems that our hotel, the Four Points (aka Ramada Plaza,
and whose logo is appropriately a mariner's compass g) gave us a room
with key gremlins. We'd had three sets of keys and a visit from the
maintenance man by the time we left for the preview of the quilt show
the first afternoon. g A couple of days later, we had a fourth set of
keys and a second visit from the friendly maintenance man, and that
seemed to do the trick once and for all.

Wednesday at the show I ran into a friend from LV in the ladies' room!
Small world. Then Ally and I had an adventure trying to locate Nancie R.
-- the complication was that there were *two* pasta stands, and we
weren't at the same one. Thank heavens for cell phones. G Picture us
walking along, talking on my cell while telling Nancie to stand still --
finally making eye contact and waving frantically. LOL!

Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday all passed in a blur of shopping,
quilt gawking and classes. But each day we managed to find some RCTQers
to chat with at lunch. On various days we ate and talked with Nancie R.
and her DH Joe, Kevin, Nancycog (who brought *Godiva* chocolates!!),
Elena (and now I know your real name!), Dogmom, Kay Law and her DH,
Susan M. and DH Don, Susan F. and her friend Susan from Australia,
Kellie and Lorilynn. What a pleasure to see/meet all of you, some for
the first time, others again. And thanks so much to Kevin for
arranging everything so we'd be able to make contact so easily!

Saturday we were joined by two celebrities during lunch. First Alex
Anderson arrived to meet the "Lexies", and she's so gracious about
visiting with people and having photos taken with perfect strangers.
Then Carol Doak arrived! Woohoo! Since she's also an RCTQer, that was a
special treat. She also was terribly gracious about visiting with us and
doing the photo thing, so my day was made. g She's so nice -- I'm
going to see about trying to get the "powers that be" to get her to come
for our guild sometime.

Nancie and Joe took Ally and me to the museum to see part of their
collection on Thursday evening, and we met Kevin and Kellie and all of
Kellie's lovely family there. Saturday evening, after dinner with Kevin
and Kellie and Nancie and her extended family, Kevin and his delightful
friend Allan (sp?) brought Stuart to meet me and renew acquaintance with
Ally. What a cutie! Oh -- I almost forgot! We all had a margarita toast
to Helen that night, too! She'd asked us to have a margarita for her,
and who were we to disappoint her? g

I came home with fewer purchases than last year, though these were more
"substantial". g I'm going to try that technique for hand quilting
that the Thimblelady has developed, so I bought her thimble. I also
bought her hoop, since I needed (?) a new lap hoop. Other than that, I
bought a couple of rulers and some batting samples, as well as a book.

My trip home was less than stellar, unfortunately. First I managed to
leave my almost-new quilted jacket in the taxi, though I *think* it is
now in the mail on its way here to me. Then Southwest apparently can't
count very well and didn't stock enough snack items for everyone. So
much for my "lunch". Oh well, at least there were beverages, and it was
only a three-hour flight. My luggage had been searched, and it was also
damaged rather badly, but the new SW rules relegate the breaking of
wheels and feet and anything else to "normal wear and tear", so I'm
responsible myself for the repair costs. :S Still, things could have
been worse, and I had such a good time at the show (and before) that I'm
already anticipating 2004. G

I'll try to get some photos posted in the next few days; I have to go
back to work tomorrow, so it may not be right away.

Back to mucking out my house. G
--
Sandy in Henderson, near Las Vegas
my ISP is earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~s-foster