~ Road Trips ~

So there I was in my jammies drinking my morning coffee waiting confidently for Clue 4 of the Good Fortune Mystery by Bonnie Hunter.  I was ready.  Fabrics pressed, rotary cutter sharp, sewing machine threaded, extra bobbins wound and the iron hot and ready.  This will be an epic sewing day.  Sewing all day to complete this weeks clue in record time.  And then it happened, the moment we've all been waiting for....THE CLUE IS POSTED!!  Whoohoo!  Scroll past the opening statements of the blog post to see what fun is in store for me today.  BAM!  I was rear-ended.  My plans spun out of control and came to a screeching halt as I sat there looking at orange string pieced block units.  UGGG! It's not the color that bothers me(well it is, that's why I changed it to gold).  The strings blocks I was expecting but in background fabrics.  My bundle of golds is not going to work for strings. String piecing requires LOTS of different prints to look right.  I could go the cop out route by not doing the strings and using one piece of fabric for the units.  By doing that I would lose the visual interest and movement the strings give a quilt.  So what's a gal to do but go shopping.  I know what your thinking, YIPEE!  a fabric shopping trip.  No, that's not what I was thinking.  My thoughts are it's too close to Christmas to be anywhere near a store after 10 AM.  Why 10 AM?  Because every procrastinating soccer mom that has been to busy car pooling and baking cookies to do any shopping is going to be out there.   And it's Friday.  The worst shopping day of the week to shop after 10 AM anytime of the year.   But if I brush my hair, throw on some cloths I might be able to get in and out of town before the crazy shoppers.  I was on the road by 8:45.  Joann's was empty, when I arrived.  By the time I checked out the wide eyed, coupon holding procrastinators were stumbling about.

Joann's didn't have much.  I purchased 3 gold prints and 2 really cute 2 yd cuts of red to add to my cute stash.   Total bill $12.45.   BARGIN!  It's now 10:15 AM, the parking lot is full.  3 Gold fabrics is still not enough to pull off the strings for clue 4.

Traffic was getting horrible but I managed to make it Hobby Lobby without being cut off by the frantic soccer moms all hyped up on Starbucks coffee and leftover cookies.  As I walk the parking lot I go over the plan in my mind...Go in the store, don't look around, keep your head down, turn right and head straight to the fabric, get what you need, keep your eyes low, and check out.   Taking a deep breath as the doors opened,  the pungent smell of cinnamon drench pine cones set my nose on fire and my nose begins to drip like a leaky faucet.  My mistake....bringing my head up to sniffle....   Inside the store was all a buzz with shoppers, babies crying and a few dads wondering around trying to find their wives.  The hustle and bustle faded into the background as a warm glow came over the store.  I quickly snapped back into a woman on a mission mode.  Head down, don't look, briskly dodging in and out of shoppers until I made it to the fabric department.  And much to my surprise not one gold fabric.  What a waste of time. Not one fabric tempts me.  As I turn to leave, stepping out into the isle I raise my eyes.  I"m not sure how much time had passed  but the next thing I remember is holding a beautiful shabby chic shelf.   The price of this temptress brought me out of my Hobby Lobby drunken stupor.   $129!!!!  I gotta get out of here!  And just like that I was out of there.  Never looking back....shew that was a close one.

Well as much as I hated to do it, to the quilt shop I must go.  It's noon, the traffic is horrible, and I'm hungry.  I put a new plan in place.  Go straight to the quilt shop get what I need and get out quick.  I've about an hour before my blood sugar will bottom out.  I'm hypoglycemic which means when I get hungry I have to eat or I can pass out.  Normally I get super grouchy before that happens.  Don't worry, I've candy in my purse, soda and peanuts in the car at all times.  The plan works I'm in and out in 30 minutes, get a burger in the drive through and I'm home playing with my fabric by 2 PM.  What a morning.  The day continued just as it started, being side tracked at every turn.  So around 10 PM I had only made half of the required string units.  

All in all it was a good day.  It didn't go off as planned but it didn't turn into a disaster.  That in my book is a good day.  I'm grateful I found what was needed to bring this clue to it's full potential.  Today I'll finish the golden string units...well as Granny used to say...Good Lord willin'.  

Who knows what this day will bring, but I'm ready!

Linking up at the following

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2018/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.html

#goodfortunequilt #quiltvillemystery #bonniehunter #podunkpretties #scrapquilt #scrappymakesmehappy