FQ Retreat - (Some of) The People

I barely know where to start here. Maybe with an apology to all the people who had to listen to me all weekend because I never shut up. Sorry! I was just so thrilled to meet everyone face to face that the desire to get all the words out I could in the short time available sort of took over. I will leave those of you who weren't there to just imagine the verbal carnage that followed.

The people? Well, I thought everyone would be nice but didn't imagine just how nice. Picture your favourite bloggers and then make them better. That is the best way I can describe it. Apologies to those I didn't get a photo of because I was too busy talking to remember to reach for my camera too. First up - the Brit Bee group. Wow! Younger, more stunningly beautiful, funnier and nicer than my wildest imaginings.

Here's Laura Jane,
the youngest and most glamorous
of all those who attended the retreat.
And my roommate, for which I thank her so much,
because she is the best!

Saturday night a huge group of us went out for dinner together.
The three most visible here are Hadley (flipping a finger at me -
yes she really is that camera phobic, but so funny and nice despite that quirk),
Kat (exactly like you expect her to be in the very best of ways, and I was so pleased
to meet her face to face - just wish she didn't live in Australia!),
and Cindy (who is even nicer in person than she is online
which is hard to believe but incredibly true).

Judith - who is unfortunately stepping out of Brit Bee due to other commitments,
and who was one of the few people who was not as I imagined.
Because I thought she would be quite serious.
And she isn't. She is vivacious, funny and fabulous.

Laura with Katy - who will be stepping into Judtih's shoes for year two of Brit Bee.
Katy was just like I imagined. Bubbly, funny and friends with everyone.

Sarah was at dinner but she might be even more
camera shy than Hadley!

And you wonder why she is camera shy because she might just be
one of the most photogenic people I've ever met.
Meeting Sarah was so good.
Because she has become one of my best bloggy friends over the past year.
Now I can call her a real life friend too (I hope - if she lets me)!

Here you have Emily and Lucy.
Emily wore her selvedge skirt on Sunday and it is incredible.
I had run out of memory on my camera by then unfortunately!
Lucy was fab, and another that was more glamorous than I had imagined.
I wish there had been more time to spend with both Emily and Lucy.
Next year?!

Three more wonderful ladies.
Helen, Di and Nicky.
Nicky I already knew and loved having met last summer.
Helen was so friendly and lovely and we want to go visit Annabella.
Di was great and I know got on with everyone because
they kept coming up and telling me how great she was.
(Just thought she would like to know that!)

Left to right - ?, Leanne, Judith, Shevvy and Jenny.
Leanne I got to know before the retreat when she came to my house.
She is just great! Still in total awe of her talent with modern quilts.
Shevvy I was so happy to meet. Instant rapport plus we have the same love of food too.
Jenny was the quiet Brit Bee this past year as she has been busy finishing her degree.
So it was great to meet her and find she was enthusiastic, bubbly, friendly as all get out
and I have now forgiven her for making me quilt my self portrait because she was so nice.

Not a great photo but in the foreground we have Di and Terri.
Terri is blog free but we are pushing her to just get on with starting one.
Then she will have a legion of followers because she is hysterically funny.
Di was a new addition to our blogging circle and I am so pleased
she is a part of it because she very much belongs.
Such a lovely person.

We had two special guests at our dinner that night.

Jack - one of Katy's hand made bears.
He is prefect, though he had more wine than I did!

And Rhonda came too!
Though she looked more than a little fed up with all my talking.

Rhonda took shelter from the rain under the tree outside the restaurant.

But she did seem to be slightly insomniac that night.
Hope she eventually got some sleep.
Full credit must go to Rachel for Rhonda attending the retreat.
It was her idea and she made the cut out.
Plus she was a pleasure to meet in person and
another I wish I had more time to chat to over the weekend.

Loads more to tell you but I will post this first. There are so many people I didn't get photos of - even at the dinner on Saturday night. Apologies if I didn't - it isn't because I didn't want to, but only because I didn't pay attention to who was in what shot until I got home.

I have to go out and help the PTA today. At least it is not raining (at the moment) so hopefully the village Jubilee/Summer Fete celebration won't be a wash out. Though the way the weather has turned once again the chance of hypothermia might be on the cards.

Susan