Worth the drive to St. Joseph.

Ok, yes the distance was a bit ridiculous (5+hours). And yes, it was only from Friday afternoon to Sunday after brunch, but this weekend's hooking retreat was sooooo worth it. Many thanks to Marjorie and Patti for organizing it and for including us.

After having missed this year's OHCG Annual (because of the move) and this year's Teachers' Weekend (because of a wonderful wedding celebration in Toronto) and no teaching gigs away, I was more than ready for a treat.

And it was that in spades.

First of all, my wonderful navigator Jennifer, came and stayed the night before, so it made the weekend feel like a whole day (or at least night) longer.  Having a friend along for the ride makes the highway fly by unnoticed. She had brought along another friend on CD - Deanne Fitzpatrick - who was with us in spirit on her audio book (when we could stop talking long enough to listen).

It was a bit of a scary start, with the year's first white stuff falling as we departed, but in less than an hour, the sky was clearing and we were well on our way. We chose the route that took us all around Georgian Bay and even if the highway had been a bit faster, there was much more to see on the scenic path.

We stopped for coffee, stopped for late lunch and stopped for a little shop in Southampton at a store called Sisters, which I had heard was full of "Wendie clothes". It was!!! And given the fact that I had forgotten all my "upper" clothes on their hangers in my closet at home, I actually had an excuse to shop.

Our destination was not much further and we arrived to find most of the other 20 women already working away on their knitting and hooking projects. Before long, we were at it as well, and the chatter and laughter rang throughout the place.

Don't we all appreciate a table full of hooking paraphernalia and a warm fireplace in the same venue? This place was right on Lake Huron and the weather and wind had big surf rolling in for most of the weekend. It was awesome.

Two mini workshops, great meals, a Saturday visit to Shari Robinson's studio and then a visit to the wonderful stores in Bayfield, and the day was nearly over. But still time to knit and hook
before and after dinner.

Sunday morning, more project work and chatter before our delicious brunch and then back on the road to come home. Somehow the trip back was an hour + faster than the trip there. I guess the shopping did add into the tally on the way.

I will finish unpacking all my stuff later today and see how much work I actually got done. But a retreat, unlike a school, doesn't have that pressure to buckle down and work - you do have the freedom to do whatever you choose. Which is exactly what we did.

And I look forward to doing it all again next year.