Back in Kansas

The last few days have just been a whirlwind.  Thursday found us being picked up and taken to the photo shoot.  We drove across the bay to a beautiful home.  This picture is of the backyard.  I had been told there would be a trailer like one on a Hollywood film set that I would be using until they were ready to do my photo shoot.  When we arrived, we found out there was actually a guest cottage behind the main house and that was our space.  This picture is taken through the double french doors of the cottage.  Not a bad view, huh!  The cottage was darling--my first words were "This would be a wonderful quilting studio."  It had a main room with a beautiful fireplace, a very nice bathroom with a shower, a small kitchen area and a gorgeous bedroom.  What more could you want?  And of course there was the beautiful view from the windows and beautiful doors.  The main house was absolutely beautiful.  It has actually been used in Pottery Barn catalogs and ads.  All of the countertops in the kitchen were marble.  A family actually lives there and rents the home occasionally to a photo company to do photo shoots. 

Thursday was a very long and exhausting day.  Getting your hair and makeup along with a wardrobe is very hard work!!!  It was so much fun but we were very tired by the time we finished and returned to our hotel.

Friday morning we were picked up at the hotel and taken to the airport.  We flew back to a cold and rainy Kansas City.  That was a big change for us.  After so much traveling and activity it felt very good to be home.  Susan and I had a wonderful time and she was a huge help to me. I certainly could not have done all I did without her. We had fun laughing for 3 days, talking in bed after the lights were out, and eating delicious food.  All of the people that we worked with--and there were a lot of them--were outstanding.  They did their job very well but were really fun people to be around.  They said from the beginning "This is about you" and they certainly made sure it was.  We were a little disappointed that we didn't have time for sightseeing but we reminded ourselves we were there to do

 a job and we did it.  And after all, we did make it to a quilt store.  We took a lot of pictures although most of them were through a car window!  This picture of all the boats was taken from our hotel room window.  The view there was pretty good too.

All in all, this was an experience of a lifetime.  I am so blessed to have been able to go to California and participate in this wonderful process. Being able to share it with my sister was special.

I feel very strongly that we are all on a journey.  More importantly, we need to find meaning in the journey.  I know the meaning of my journey and the last few days has only added to my knowledge.  May you find your meaning also.

California Dreaming

This morning found Susan and I throwing our suitcases in the car and heading out to the Kansas City airport. It was a beautiful morning and the car was filled with the sounds of "California Dreaming".  We were off to a good start.  Well, sort of.  Susan really can't sing--she's always a little off tune.  I couldn't really remember the words.  We tried to move on to other California songs, but didn't have much more luck.  We flew to Denver, changed planes and then off to Oakland.  The picture above was right after we landed and were being picked up by our assigned driver. By this point, we were not at our photogenic best!  We checked in to the hotel which is wonderful. Of course being the resourceful ladies that we are, we found the address for the local quilt store, had the front desk call us a cab, and off we went to check it out.  It is a great shop in an old Coca-Cola warehouse. We did our part in keeping the national monetary system flowing. After a wonderful steak dinner in the hotel we've jumped into our jammies and we are hand sewing bindings on quilts.

This is a quick picture we took from the car while we were on the way to the hotel.  It is a little fuzzy, but I think you can get an idea of some of the scenery we got to enjoy on the way to the hotel.

This is only day one of our trip.  We have laughed till we cried, cried till we laughed and loved every minute of it.

California here we come...

I have been missing in action the last few days.  Things have been rather busy and I have spent my time trying to get quilt tops done, bindings done, and quilts delivered to the hospital.  My sister Susan is here and we have spent a good part of the afternoon and evening playing in my quilt room.  Well, make that quilt rooms.  My basement quilting room has expanded into two rooms with this project going.  You just can't be creative without spreading out.  Susan had the opportunity to help deliver quilts to the hospital today.  This was the first time she has had the chance to do that.  I think she enjoyed meeting everyone and hearing how much the quilts are appreciated. 

Susan and I are leaving tomorrow and heading out on an adventure.  We are flying from Kansas City to Oakland, California.  We are having a "sister's get away" but it is one with a purpose.  Some of you know I have multiple sclerosis.  For the past 4 years I have been participating in a drug study for the first medication for MS that is not an injection.  It is a capsule you take once a day.  It has been approved by the FDA and is now on the market.  The drug company has asked me to be a spokesperson for the company and share my experiences with the medication.  I am flying to California for a "photo shoot".  I am allowed to bring a traveling companion and while normally my husband Greg would travel with me, he is unable to go this time.  I asked Susan if she would be willing to go and happily she said yes.  Now for those of you who have ever been around us, that is a good thing and a bad thing.  Let's just say we have a lot of fun when we are together.  Maybe too much fun!  There is just something that comes over us and we start laughing and get out of control. Our husbands just shake their heads and run for cover.    Susan and I are quite excited.  We haven't really traveled together just the two of us as adults.  Yes, one of the first things we did is check to see if there are quilt stores close.  And woohoo!!!  There are two of them.  Although we will be quite busy, we are planning on sneaking in a trip to the shops.

I am hoping to be able to post at least a quick note to let everyone know how the trip is going.  At least it will reassure our mom that we have not been arrested.

I am very excited to have this experience.  I firmly believe in this new drug.  It has been very beneficial to me and I am looking forward to sharing that with people across the nation.

For those of you who I have been able to share my plans, thank you for your interest and your concern.  As Susan and I travel tomorrow, we will take a piece of you with us.