Embroidering From Orlando to Holland to Toronto...and Back

There are a lot of good things about working for myself at home. I can come and go as I please. I can work in my pajamas. There’s no commute. There are some downsides. I work on the week-ends and in the middle of the night. The work is always there; I can’t walk away from it. But the biggest drawback to working at home is that it’s very solitary. Days and days go by when I don’t talk to anyone except Bill, the UPS guy and the telemarketer from the Police Athletic Fund.  While I know many of you, and keep in touch through email or through my web site, I don’t get to see you or hug you or laugh with you or . . . I used to do extensive traveling to embroidery retreats and seminars, but not so much anymore. So you can understand why I’m so wildly excited about the upcoming 2nd Annual AnnTheGran Community Circle here in Orlando.

We’re going to have so much fun! This time I’ll get to sit in on classes with you all to learn from the outstanding teachers we have lined up. I go back a long way, in machine embroidery on the Internet terms, with some of them and will get to meet in person a few whom I’ve admired for years. And of course I’m thrilled to have Bill’s and my spring holiday buddies, Loes and Theo van der Heijden, coming. They’re flying in a few days early and staying a week longer so this will be our 4th annual spring  holiday together.

Here’s how that got started. In 2005 I got a new computer. After I had installed Pre-Design I couldn’t find my activation code, so I fired off an email to Loes. During our back and forth email chat I asked if Loes and Theo had plans to come over to the States any time soon as it had been a long time since we’d seen them. Loes said no, they didn’t have any plans to come over here, so why didn’t Bill and I come over there. Sometimes I jump into things without planning or talking it over with Bill and this was one of those times. I simply said, “Okay.” I was a little nervous, so I waited a couple of days before telling Bill. Actually, I “discussed” it with him and asked if he would like to do it. He asked if we could afford it and I said, “Not really” and Bill replied, “Well, let’s do it.” He’s good that way! That’s the same answer he gave when I talked to him about buying my first Brother combo embroidery and sewing machine.  He asked if we could afford it.  I said, “No” and he said, “Well, let’s go get it.”

Anyway, we flew to Holland in April, 2006, and had such a good time that we did it again the following year. You might remember that last year we four met up in Toronto and now we’re finally getting to show Loes and Theo around on our home ground. That first trip was my inspiration for getting into digital scrapbooking and if you’re interested you can see the album I created and had printed here. I wonder where we’ll go next year.

If you’ve sat and chatted with me or attended any of my classes in the past you know I tend to wander off the subject as I’ve done here. In fact, it’s so bad that one of the first things I usually do in a class is to appoint someone to remind me what I was talking about when I get so far off track that I don’t remember where I’d started. This post started with me talking about the upcoming Community Circle and how excited I am about being able to renew acquaintance with many of you and, hopefully, finally get to meet some of you face to face. It’s going to be bigger and better than last year with more teachers and a Brother dealer, with his store, in attendance. As I said, before I got off topic, I’m so excited!

I'm getting ready. I plan to have some new projects to show off and I can't wait to see yours. I get so much inspiration from seeing what everyone else has been up to!

Musing
Here's something that's been bouncing around in my head as I'm doing things that don't require any thought or drifting off to sleep. I watch the History Channel a lot and they're often digging up some buried city or going through ancient tunnels under modern cities. It makes me think that if all the old stuff is buried under the new stuff, then the Earth must be getting fatter and fatter. Fatter and Fatter would mean closer and closer to the sun. Closer to the sun means global warming. Just a thought. Or a couple of them.It can't be that I'm the only one whose brain jumps around and into unexpected places. What's been rattling around in yours?

That's gotta be it for me this week, folks. For those still without power from the ice storms, cuddle up and keep warm. I hope your team wins the Super Bowl. And everyone, get working on those projects to bring to and show off at the Community Circle.

 

Comments (3) -

Yes, Ann, the world is getting 'thicker.'  (I prefer that to the other words that can be used.)


I just read the other day that the costumes at Disneyland are becoming larger too!  Is there no hope for the rest of us if the happiest place on earth is getting thicker???


I cannot wait to meet you in March.  Look out Florida, here we come!


Pat


so wish i could come to usa and meet you all


What's rattling around in my brain? how about this:


The world is spinning, and one turn takes 24 hours, right? People around the equator have 40,000 km to go in 24 hours, and here in Holland, we only have to do about 20,000 kilometers per 24 hours.


Somehow we should sort of *feel*  the difference, but we only see it: here the sunset takes more time than in countries closer to the equator.


But, let's just "turn" my brain into the right direction: into preparing the demo lecture for the upcoming Orlando Community Circle Smile


See you soooooon!


Hugs


Loes


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