Last Friday evening a friend, Gayla, and I headed for Atlanta with enough drinks in a cooler to last a month!

About 10 p.m. we decided to stop because we were both extremely tired. Back on the road again about 8ish a.m.  Decided that since the Market at Stitches South didn’t open until 10 a.m. and we were in town early, we would head to the IKEA store.

While waiting in the parking lot for the store to open, a guy in a BMW convertible with a dog drove up and stopped and asked us where he could find a pet store to buy his dog a leash.  Keep in mind, this BMW had the trim stripped off the passenger side of the door.  Instead of saying “we’re not from around here”…Gayla gave him directions to a sign we had seen advertising Petco.  As he drove away, I looked at her and said “if that guy isn’t a sexual predator, I don’t know who is. And he uses his dog to attract his prey.”

Upon entering the store, we immediately headed up the escalator to get to the cafeteria.  While riding up, a very attractive woman of color asked Gayla if she looked tan….she said she had just come from the tanning bed and wanted to know if Gayla thought she had gotten some color.  Gayla’s answer was “well, you look like you have a pretty color all over!”  It was all I could do not to wet my pants laughing….yes, still tired and thought every statement anyone made was pretty hilarious.

She has never been in an IKEA store and was in awe – for those that haven’t been in one, they have the most awesome cafeteria that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I ordered a regular breakfast of scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes and French toast sticks for $1.99…yep, that’s one dollar and 99 cents! Delish.

Then we started out shopping.  In an Ikea store they have foot prints and lines to follow to shop; these stores are HUGE!

Then we followed a woman that had a low cut dress on – her back was showing – she had on a black bra with a nude bra extender; which of course brought on another round of laughter.

Finally we decided about 1ish p.m. we would head to check in to the hotel and go to the Yarn Market.  Luck was with us and found a parking spot that was just steps from the hotel lobby entrance.  Needless to say, we never moved the car!

WOW!  Stitches markets are unbelievable.  A few years ago, 8 of us went to the one in Chicago.  Size-wise, this didn’t compare – even the crowds were down.  But it certainly made for leisurely, enjoyable shopping.

Closed up the Market and headed for a dinner in the hotel.  I’ve never had such great tasting lasagna – I swear the noodles were homemade!  While I had a relatively cheap dinner compared to Gayla’s – I won’t tell you what she spent but it’s between $57 and $59!

Saturday morning, Gayla headed to Starbucks in the lobby to get us “drinks”.  I’ve made a vow, I can never travel on a girl trip again without Emily, who washed my face daily for me in Chicago, and Gayla, who brought me a Carmel Macchiato!

We were there to open the Market on Sunday morning; guess you have to be a fiber fanatic to enjoy all the touchy, soft fibers. Yes, it’s called a fibergasm!

Headed for home around 3 p.m. because things were not being marked down like they were in Chicago – not sure if it’s the crappy economy, smallness of the show or what, but there were not crowds like we expected. 

We both enjoyed it so much and can’t wait to attend another one.

Watch out Tao, NM, we’re probably  headed to your Fiber Festival in October!

For those wondering, yes, men do attend!

PS: This was the first time this event was held in Atlanta.  I certainly hope the vendors were pleased so it will continue there – unless, they’d like to try having it in Nashville!!! Which would be so awesome!

The only criticism I would have is, vendors need to have their wares clearly priced; I can’t tell you how many times we just wanted to know the price of something and gave up trying to get a “clerk” to acknowledge we were there; some of them were too busy yakking with each other; so we headed to other booths that were more customer friendly.

Also, it was fun to see the wares in person from websites where I’ve ordered “stuff”.

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http://www.boomspeak.com/travel.html

Please check out this link!  I wrote a short story on the S.E.X. trip to Stitches Midwest and it got published today!!!

YIPPEE!!!!!! 

OK, this is very interesting, weird, or whatever you want to call it!  Emily, Pat and I were roommates for the S.E.X. trip; Emily is having surgery 9/21 on her spine; I’m having surgery on my foot the same day!  Pat called and said while she likes being roommates with Emily and I, she’s not planning on having any surgery tomorrow!  I told her it’s because she’s a lot younger!!

Velma, Deloris and Donna were roommates; Velma and Deloris will be having surgery soon also; isn’t this ironic!

Can you say the “knitting bitches” are falling apart?!  And I use that term lovingly!

Donna concentrating on knitting her socks, yes, socks, she’s doing 2, 2, 2 socks at once on circular needles!

Emily, knitting with a sleep mask on!  Velma is quiet amused that Emily thinks she’s actually knitting!

No one can remember what cracked up Gayla, but it was obviously funny to her. Notice Velma’s serious look (sitting

behind Gayla).

L to R: front row: Cheryl, Gayla, Pat, Fiona in front of Pat, and Nancy. Back row: Velma, Emily Deloris and Donna

Breakfast with Fiona, the traveling Daily News (local newspaper)  Flamingo!  Emily, Cheryl and Gayla.

Waiting in line for the train to Chicago – Stitches – Midwest.  Emily is already trying to be sexy by showing her bra strap.  We all “witnessed” a new Emily!!! 

Deloris finished a sock as a gift to someone on the train. She was proud and so were we!!!

Deloris was cold!  Her feet were cold!  She was freezing! So the gift socks were quickly put on her feet to keep her tootsies warm.

Deloris went to the Cafe Car to ” borrow” a paper napkin to use as a blanket, which was dubbed “Deloris’ Welfare Blanket”. Doesn’t she look fetching in it and those gift socks.  She claims she slept because she was warmer. We doubt that she did because of the noise level.

WOW!  What fun!!!  Our group arrived home about 2 a.m. Sunday morning – everyone, and I mean everyone, was exhausted!!!  Still trying to catch up on sleep.  Will try and do short blogs so this isn’t so rambling.

Left about 5:30 p.m. on Weds. for Carbondale, IL; spent the night and caught an early train to Chicago.  If you’ve not “trained” it in awhile, it’s the only way to go on a girl trip.  Seats are wide, you can get up and walk around, there’s a Cafe Car (not very good food but you can wet your whistle).  You can sleep, talk, change seats, etc.  It was wonderful!!!

More later!

Saturday, Aug. 4, we (hubby and I) entertained the group and their husband’s going on our S.E.X. trip to Stitches Midwest this week.

It was fun! Even tho’ after everyone got their food and we were beginning to eat….yep, it rained.  It was so friggin’ hot we had 4 fans blowing on us outside.  The rain cooled everyone off and watered down the food but it was still a good time.

One of the “trip ladies” shared that today (Aug. 5th) was her anniversary.  Said it was so hot today she stayed inside in her nightgown (no underwear).  Was getting dressed to come to the cook-out, and as she removed her nightgown, she said to her hubby….”this is what you get after 40 years of marriage” – his comment: “I can see my investment has grown”.

Now some women would take that as a slam – we however, thought it was hysterical and laughed and laughed! What man doesn’t like a growing investment – take that you skinny minnies!!!!

An S.E.X. trip is a Stash Enhancement (e)Xcursion.  I thought I explained it in an earlier blog, but apparently it was a figment of my imagination.  I have lots of figments these days!  Days go by too quickly and I don’t get as much done as I used to when I was younger.

Of course with 4 dogs, a lot of my day is spent letting the dogs out, letting the dogs in, you get the picture.

It was discussed on Friday, that Velma needs to go to Nashville on a S.E.X. trip.  Her comment was as she was looking at me “I won’t drive but you can drive my car!”  So now it’s looking at the calendar and finding a compatible date for everyone.

Wow!  Looks like we’ll have two more going on our trip in August.  Making a grand total of 8!  That’s a possible danger zone – 8 women (at least these 8 women)  loose in a yarn market!  What fun!!!!  I imagine the sale of Depends (adult diapers) will increase those few days! LOL