We Interrupt This Quilt . . .

. . . for a weekend away!

A year ago, a dear friend gifted me with a night at our favorite B&B in Cape May, and for Joe's birthday (which occurred not long before the ice storm this winter) I bought two more nights. We used them this past weekend.

Just before we left home, I took this picture to show where I am on the NYB quilt. It is greener than I'd anticipated, but I'm thinking purple for setting and bordering, so it should all even out. Most of the blocks are finished. Three need their centers cut and applied. One isn't started, but its components are chosen. I'll likely put it some time on this quilt during the coming week, finishing the blocks, and then setting it aside until Gene has a big sale and the Executive Committee makes a Burkholders run. I'm really proud of what I've accomplished so far. Block 2A was the hardest one, and I said pretty many bad words while I struggled with it, but it is done at last.

So, since I don't have a lot of quilting news to share, I'll talk about Cape May, another favorite subject. We drove down on Thursday afternoon with actually minimal traffic and gnashing of teeth, arriving in time for tea. We got a reservation for dinner at Louisa's and had the usual wonderful meal there. We were seated under the blackboard, the only "private" table in the place, and kind of liked it.

Friday there was what seemed to be a monsoon. I declared it a mani-pedi day and spent a fair amount of time at a nail place. Joe read and painted. It was also a great day for a major nap. Then we had dinner at a place that was new to us, the Blue Rose. Liked it so very much; will be sure to return there on our next trip.

Saturday was a beautiful day; after breakfast we took a long walk on the beach and then up through the mall, stopping at a couple of shops. Saturday night we were back at Louisa's. If you've never been there, I need to tell you that it is intimate.  You can't help hearing what your neighbors are talking about. And you know that the same is true for them! This night we were seated next to a quiet couple about our age and on the other side of them was another quiet couple. It was a good thing we were all quiet, because the table behind was a party of six. Six very noisy people, one of which seemed never to shut up. At last he stood and said "I'll wait for you all outside," and out the door he went. The man next to us said to his wife, "Now there's a loud voice leaving." And all six of us burst into laughter and the ice was broken and within moments we were sharing wine, opinions, and stories. Such a fun evening!

We spent a fair amount of time relaxing and reading on the inn's generous porch; we enjoyed lovely breakfast and tea and stayed in a room with William Morris wallpaper. Heaven cannot be grander!

Sunday saw us shopping, visiting the Point, and finally heading homeward. The old shops beckoned us in, of course, but there were some new-to-us shops that we loved! I found a perfect birthday gift in one shop, and some Christmas gifts in another. (Am I the only person that thinks of Christmas shopping when on vacation, no matter what time of year it is?) An olive oil tasting place was just wonderful -- a friend from home has raved about an olive oil place Not Far From Philadelphia and I wasn't sure why she was so excited. Not any more. Suffice it to say that we helped them to stay in business for a while, anyway. A new cheese shop/bakery out on the west side was recommended as a lunchery, and their "grilled cheese of the day" (a panini of turkey, brie, béarnaise and asparagus!) did not disappoint.

It had been way too long since we spent a weekend in Cape May. Not planning to let that happen again!