Countdown is under 6 days!

We're all getting excited as our Retreat . . . Hooray for the Red, White and Blue . . . grows ever closer. If our e-mails were being monitored, the software program responsible for such activity would probably have been swamped by now. Everyone is commenting on what they will bring to work on, what kinds of tools we will share, which sewing machine will be brought along, and fabric choices, too. I've been excited because I really thought our attendance would drop this year . . . instead, we have a new record - 53! In the past, we have made about 48 sets of hand-outs . . . this year, we made 50, and I had to go back and add to bring us up to full complement. Here's the stack of collated folders . . . all three boxes, ready to go. Well, almost ready. I have some "political party" badges for everyone, so they can make their favorites known. However, our choices are applique, patchwork and redwork! They usually don't inspire anything but creativity!

My DSIL, Jan, will be arriving on Wednesday from Texas. Her projects arrived today. She mentioned that the large box weights 36 pounds . . . I haven't tried to move it. DH put it in the corner of the kitchen which generally becomes the "staging area". And, yes . . . those are cookbooks behind these items.

Between items put aside for "decor", and our "campaign rally" where the project choices will be presented, I have a rather ugly looking assortment. I just keep dropping things on the stack, and before departing, will have to go through and organize them in a much more reasonable fashion. This doesn't even include my sewing machine, and chosen projects. I have mentally whittled the number of projects to three or four. Laura will be presenting a mystery, so I started cutting the first pieces for that yesterday. Plan to assemble 144 half-square triangle units over the long weekend to be ready for Clue #2 at Camp. I'm sorry to say that since we took over responsibility for setting the theme, and presenting the programs, I have not been able to get everything to Camp in one car. DH usually has to follow, bringing the overflow . . . I tell myself that if we didn't have all the hand-outs and displays, etc., DSIL and I could make it in one car. Someday, we will have to figure that out . . . when we run out of ideas for themes. We have a little list made up . . . we're set until about 2034.

One would think we would just wear ourselves out carting all these things from the car into the lodge. Probably the absolute best idea we ever had was to arrange for "valet service". We have a lot of older gals who attend . . . me included . . . and after loading in, I'd be too tired to sew the first evening. (Of course, not sleeping for three or four nights and being on an adrenalin high didn't contribute to the slump . . . much!) For probably the last five years, we have rounded up a few grad students from Purdue to come out to Camp Tecumseh, and carrying in our baggage. The Guild seeds the "tip jar", and everyone is encouraged to contribute. After the first year, the same guys came back for three years, and were delighted with what they saw as easy money . . . then they graduated. Last year, at the last minute, our new recruits backed out. In a flash of brilliance, Brenda W. called Purdue's Air Force ROTC, and got two cadets. They were wonderful. As each Camper arrived, these guys would run out to the car to greet them, and get their things loaded up. Such handsome and clean-cut young men. When I called for this year's assistants, the Captain remembered our event, and said, "the cadets that came last year were really happy they came. This sign-up will be filled very quickly." They are to arrive at about the same opening time as we do, and we have a cart and a red wagon for loading sewing machines, etc., and taking them into the building. It is good pay for a couple hours work.

On Sunday, when it is time to go home, the process is reversed, and we have a youth group from a local church. They always have some sort of project to which the money is to be dedicated. As I remember, last year, they were getting some musical instruments, and the tip jar gave them a really good start.

Back to attending to details . . . I'll try to wear myself out the next few nights, so I might actually sleep before Camp gets here!