Quilt show and then vacation

 It was been a few weeks since I have blogged.   Lots and lots has been happening in my world.  

First, our guild had our quilt show after 2 years of cancelling. It was nice to see all the wonderful projects people have created. And it was nice to have so many helping hands working together. It's funny how the tear down took so much less time than the setting up. 

Here are a few of the quilts.  I don't know where my photos went for the winners.  They were stunning!

Afterward, my husband, daughter and I headed south to warm weather and see the rest of the family. We flew into New Orleans and then had rented a Vrbo townhouse the duration of the weekdays on the Gulf in Mississippi.  Lots of sun and sand and laughing and togetherness. 

It is always a great joy to have all of my nuclear family together. And the bonus was being in a warmer climate than the 40 degrees we still have.  Yes, I got a sunburn; such a difference to cold Wisconsin.  But I smiled the entire time together and took as many pictures as possible to treasure the time with these little guys. Such joy and fun!  

The boys and their parents left on Friday and we had elected to spend the weekend in New Orleans and see some great music and sights as we have not been to New Orleans for 20 years. Little did we know when we planned our trip,  that the Final Four was scheduled the same time we were there.  No wonder our hotel was so expensive and it was across the river.   We ate good seafood and creole/cajun food and listened to some great jazz even in Preservation Hall. 

A sunset riverboat cruise with Southern cooking!

MUSIC: oh such good jazz. 

Jackson Park

Blue dog : the symbol for New Orleans recovery since Hurricane Katrina.

So on Sunday, we headed for the airport and were all set to leave. But nooooo, our flight was cancelled.  First available return : Wednesday evening all night through Las Vegas and then to Chicago. Really?  We scrambled for a last minute hotel.  Then we changed for a better one Monday and Tuesday.  

Fortunately, we were able to get some cheap seats for the UNC vs. Kansas game.  What a great game to watch and be a part of. We did a lot of walking both to and from the Superdome. But hey!  What an experience way up in the nickel seats!

I loved this quilt commemorating the 2403 men who died at Pearl Harbor.  It looks like the insignias that they were on their uniforms. Each vertical stripe is one person.

This was seen at the World War 2 museum. 

We did some more sight seeing of the French Quarter, downtown, Frenchman's Street, and the World War 2 museum. More beignets, too.

And being  unsure of the flight situation, we booked Amtrak train tickets back to Chicago.  Left in the afternoon and pulled into Chicago at 9:00 the next morning.  Fortunately... our next flight had we made it was also cancelled.  

Grand Central Station Chicago: recognize the staircase from The Untouchables?

But we are home....Yeah. And TIRED!

I can't say I can sew as my machine is still in the repair shop (spa) for a tune up.