I'm Home!

Got home late last night and of course I couldn't sleep.  There are so many things on my mind these days. I hate when I can't sleep - makes me cranky the next day!  Not really, but I have loads to do and I hate to lose time should I need a nap.

I had been wanting to get to at least ONE quilt store in Alberta (that makes seven of nine provinces).  My parents are not all that far from the provincial border, but we had to keep putting off our travel date because of family business.  At last, we were able to free up Friday and Dad and I were off early. We drove over 600KM to get to THREE stores.  But it was worth it.

On the way there, we passed through Marsden which is a town where my Dad lived when he was just starting school and we stopped to take a couple of pictures.

At that time, my grandparents ran the telephone office.  My grandmother ran the switchboard while my grandfather did the line work outside. How cool is that!  There are pictures of the switchboard somewhere but it was the kind where you had to call the office and then they would take your line and connect it to another line to complete the call.  How times have changed!

Welcome to Marsden

The house where they lived and also housed the telephone office is long gone, but here is a picture of Dad at the street corner.  That is 1st Avenue and 1st Street. Not hard to remember!!!   So is that 1st Ave. and 1st St. or 1st St and 1st Ave?

Dad on the corner of 1st and 1st

We went to Irma and Vermillion in Alberta.  Both of these stores had license plates and that is what I was after. Didn't hurt that I bought the kit as well.  Then back to Saskatchewan where we stopped at the Maidstone store. I was so focused on the painted bikes along the street that we completely missed the store and had to drive down the street one more time!!!!  No plate at this store, but we stopped for the pattern. Why not?

Quilter's Paradise - Maidstone

When I got to the door, the sign said CLOSED.  NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!    But as I was peering at the sign trying to decipher the hours, the door flew open and the owner was inviting me in. It has been pretty quiet on Friday afternoons this summer so she technically closed the shop early, but she was working in the store so let me in.  As I was paying for my purchases (I know - I couldn't just pick up the free pattern), I heard the door jingle and said "oh you have another customer".  When I turned around - it was my Aunt Irene who lives near my parents and is also a big time quilter!!!!   That was pretty funny!!!!


The land in that area is dotted with oil jack pumps smack in the middle of the fields of crop.

Oil jack pump

Oil storage tanks are everywhere

Oil storage tanks

Some farmer's fields have MANY of those storage tanks and oil jack pumps. I would say that they are farming just for fun.  The income from the land to access the tanks and pumps probably gives some of the farmers a pretty nice income.

Saskatchewan countryside

My plane was late in the afternoon yesterday which allowed me to zip down and visit Susan - a friend I met because she had painted a quilt block on a shed in their field.  Check out QUILTSocial to get the whole scoop.

Me and Susan

We had a great visit, exchanged license plates, traded some other goodies, got Joyce's package and had a fabulous lunch!!!!   (Thanks Susan!!!!)    And look at her holly hocks. Keep in mind that it has been very dry in Saskatchewan and these have grown with very little water.   The leaves look dry, but boy those plants are blooming like mad.

Holly hocks

 Then off to the airport to wait for my plane.  WOW - the Saskatoon airport has changed.  It used to be a teeny tiny airport and you had to walk outside to get on the plane.  Over the last couple of years it has been under extensive construction.   The new (and HUGE) security check had opened since I had arrived 10 days prior, and it is beautiful upstairs in the departures lounge.  You would probably think you are in a much larger airport.

Departures lounge at Saskatoon airport

 A brilliant idea - all the benches have electrical outlets and USB ports.  Yeah!!!!   I could charge up my phone.

Electrical outlets and USB ports in the chairs

 They had this board which shows all the Air Traffic coming into and leaving Saskatoon. Never seen that before.

Air Traffic Live!

 It is always a comfort to see your luggage being loaded onto the plane. Especially when there is such precious cargo like license plates and fabric in the bags.

My red bag and green suitcase just about to go in the cargo hold

My girls (including M) were very happy to see me last night and I was very happy to see them.  I love to go away, but I love to come home.

The girls on their walk this morning

Many things to do today and which one will I choose first?????   I think I will edit pictures - I have a couple of blog posts for QUILTSocial that have to be done.  Let me get a tea from Tim's and then I'll tackle that.


By the way - if you are into crochet - check out this call for action.  Mikey and Dan from The Crochet Crowd are creating a Winter Wonderland for the CreativFestival.  Their booth is always fabulously creative and worth the price of admission just to see it!!!!!    I have been following their adventures on the internet and the display this year is going to be spectacular - as usual.     If you make some snowflakes - send me a picture.  I might just dig out some crochet cotton or yarn and see what I can come up with.

Have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Ciao!!!!!