Running on EMPTY!

And I'm home again! That was the shortest "retreat" I've been on for a long time. But it was also the correct length for what it was! We only went for a weekend when we started going to retreats in 2006 - almost TWENTY years ago. That was too short, so now we go for six nights. Neither the machine embroidery workshop participants nor I could handle six days of learning machine embroidery! 

We were learning design positioning, and I was hopping around the room like a crazy person. But it was all good. 

The most important thing for me was how much people learned about their embroidery machines and how confident they were when they left. They also learned a ton about tools and supplies. I will send them one last email this morning and tell them about the "homework." Why not? They must regularly do machine embroidery, or they won't retain what they learned. 

The checkout time was 3:00 PM, and these girls were so excited that they didn't want to leave! I was just locking the door and walking to my car when the owner showed up to start cleaning. Only once before did I stay right to checkout time. 

The machine embroidery workshop was a resounding success. Will there be another? Yes, one is already scheduled, and I think we are full, or perhaps there is one spot left. Ten is a nice round number of participants. I'll take a waitlist for the "intro" workshop, and this past group is already clamoring for advanced techniques! Who knew? I might schedule some dates for next year, as space availability is challenging! 

I almost had an incident on the way home. Thank goodness for warning lights on the dash. 

Low fuel warnings

I had completely forgotten that I needed to get gas at some point on the trip. So, not only did the orange fuel light come on, but I could also see the distance to empty (16 km). There was a big sign on the dash, and a pop-up message came on the entertainment scene. Oh boy - I'd better stop for gas. That picture was taken at the gas station. I was 5 KM from home. I've been told there is a reserve of about 50 km of gas, so I was good. 

I was only 5 km from home but stopped at the first gas station off the highway. Good grief—I paid 5 cents a liter more than if I had gone to the gas station near my house. What a ripoff since I had enough gas to make it to the second one. Oh well. And in some provinces, the gas price never changes and is the same everywhere!

I went for a walk in the morning before we got started. The weather has certainly warmed up compared to what it has been. And the snow is beginning to melt, and the snowbanks are compacting! The creek at Spring House Retreat is completely covered with snow drifts! I'm sure after this week, with the above-freezing temperatures, the water will be running again. 

The creek at the bridge on the farm

Here are the red chairs from another angle! Just the tips of one are showing. That's a lot of snow! 

The red chairs

The ice damns are enormous in some areas. I spotted many of them on the houses in this area and got this photo of a church. We have a huge one on the front of our house. It's how the roof is designed and, of course, the heat in the roof. Well, let's just hope there is no further damage inside. It is the design of our roof line that is the problem because almost all the houses with that design have ice damns in the same spot. 

Ice damns!

But guess who was happy to see me? DH had left shortly before I got home, and they were beside themselves. Dad left with a suitcase, and Mom was already gone. Who is going to feed us? 

MOM - I missed you!!!!!

Mom - thank goodness you are home! 

I unpacked the car and put the groceries away. How did I come home with more food than when I left? Well, not exactly, but I have enough cookies and fruit to host a tea party! 

I was going to sit and read for a bit to relax, but I needed some bananas for breakfast. I think the box had just been opened, as all the bunches were green, and there were no singles! Enough about the bananas! 

Then I walked each girl to the end of the street and back because the minute I put my jacket on to go outside, they were at the door. I swear they did not care that I came home—they just wanted to make sure they got a walk! 

Anyway, I read after dinner, and all was good. 

Today, life is back to the craziness. I'm off to spin class, and then we have Monday Sewing and two Zoom presentations. 

But all is good in the world, and that's all that counts. 

I have some follow-up homework to catch up on, and I must get that out the door today. 

Have a super day!!!!

Ciao!!!