I really don't like to spend a lot of time sitting in airports. Yes, the Crown Club is nice, but so is my living room. If I can walk up to the gate as they are starting to board, that is perfect timing as far as I'm concerned. This occasionally results in drama, as happened last Friday, when I arrived at the ATL at 11:10 for my 11:55 flight.

New Rule: Baggage must be checked in and present at the check-in counters at least 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time.

It used to be 30 minutes, but somewhere in there it changed. So I arrived at the airport already too late to check my bag. My bag for the weekend quilt retreat at San Damiano, which had all my quilt supplies and fabric, not to mention my clothes, my bag which weighed 52 pounds, my bag which was too big to carry on the plane. Michael F. at the counter said that it was too late to check my bag and he would see if he could get me on the next flight. Me: (airily) "Oh, I can make this one. I don't mind if my bag gets there later." Michael F: "No, you have to travel with your bag." Me: "Oh. What time's the next flight?" Michael F: "3PM...but it's oversold. You would have to go standby." Me: "What about the flight after that?" Michael F: "6PM, but it's oversold also. Everything is oversold." Me: (Texting Al to come back to the airport.) "What about tomorrow?" Michael F: "It would be too expensive, but the first flight is sold out anyway." "What if I just cancel? What would the penalty be?" "I'll have to go check...I don't know off the top of my head." "OK, thanks so much." I don't know if it was the polite thank you, I don't know if it was time for Michael's break and he didn't feel like dealing with my problem any more or what, but Michael suddenly turned around and said, "Let me see if I can get you on this flight." And he did! I was within the 30 minute timeframe, so, you know, come on. I fully expected no suitcase when I arrived in SF, but guess what? Luggage made it, too! Go, Michael F!

I will spare you the details of the rental car that was in Sue Walton's name, so Hertz wouldn't let me have it, and the traffic at 3 o'clock in the afternoon on the Bay Bridge. All that vanished when I got out to San Damiano and saw all my Quilting Divas. The setup there is we have a big square conference room where we set up 16 tables, then behind that is a kitchen, then behind that are our rooms. It's not luxury, but for $200 for 3 days, 2 nights, who's complaining? It is very clean. I sewed until midnight, and set the alarm to get up at 5:20 am to go meet Regina, Rafiki, and Brent at Lake Merritt for a 6 am walk. When the alarm went off, I lifted my head up and thought, "I can't do it." Cannot do it. Good thing I told Regina that if I didn't make it for 6, I would see them at Peet's at 7 for coffee. So I lay back down for a bit, then drag myself out of bed at 6, quietly walk down the hallway, carefully lock the conference room door as I go out to my car, get in the car and put the key in the ignition and look at the clock and think, "Huh. I didn't notice that clock was so off yesterday." Then it hit me...the clock wasn't off - I was! I had not changed the time on my alarm, which was still on Atlanta time, so it was really 2:20 when the alarm went off. Since I had so carefully locked the doors when I left, I couldn't get back in, sure couldn't call anybody at that time of the morning, so I curled up in a fetal position on the back seat of the car and listened to KGO until 5:30. Once I get up (that's the hard part), I'm up, and usually can't take a nap during the day. I think I stayed up until about midnight Saturday. I know I busted Marilyn when she wrote a Facebook message at 11 that she was planning on a marathon night sewing at the retreat. Marilyn had been packed up and ready for bed for hours!

The quilt retreat was so much fun! We had wine (I still can't drink and sew!) and the food at San Damiano is excellent; we had 3 iPods, and games, and a good time was had by all. Some of the Divas think they have privacy on the internet, so no pictures.

And I came back to more good news! Both of the quilts that I submitted to the East Cobb Quilt Show were accepted! I submitted RA, aka the Sunshine Quilt, and Batik Sun Dance. East Cobb is a juried and judged show. I have to work on RA a bit more...under the gun for time, I wasn't as careful with sewing the binding on. I can't wait to get feedback on my work! Let's make a note of that when I'm backing here crying about something the judges said! I've never submitted work to be judged before, so this should be...interesting!

I am fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara I could save the world.