Often Wrong, But Seldom Unsure

I'm determined to have a rubber stamp made that says "often wrong, but seldom unsure" because that's me through and through. My doctor is sure my allergies can be tamed with the help of another round of stronger antibiotics, and I'm equally sure I'd be building up a resistance to yet another that I might need one of these days for something else. So I've been hesitant to have it filled and here I sit, eating lunch, and wondering what I really sounded like 8 months ago when I had my own voice. I can tell you that I've sounded like a totally different person for the last seven, and I'm beyond ready to be my old self again.
My trip to Cincinnati for Stampaway was another fun-filled adventure. I had several episodes that required my inhaler, went through lots of mentholated cough drops, and can't imagine how I'd ever have gotten any sleep without that prescription cough syrup.
The fact that we were up most nights past 2am laughing (with me coughing) certainly didn't help. But when you see friends only once a year, you learn to roll with the punches. I did lots of rolling let me tell you.
Now this is no reflection on the convention itself, which was great, or on my three classes (two of which were sold out weeks before they were held), which were FABULOUS!, but my favorite part of the entire 5 day trip was our ladies lunch out on Saturday. Could I have stayed longer at the convention center shopping and visiting? Most certainly! But that 4 hour lunch sitting on the patio under umbrellas at The Grand Finale was exactly what I needed. Lori, Michelle, Ann and I told stories, compared notes, and mostly laughed away the hours. No kidding, the dinner crowd had already filled the front room when we left at dinnertime. Where did the time go?
And another eye-opener for me: On Friday nights it's our tradition to spend the late night/early morning hours in Michelle's suite, doing our show & tell of what we bought at the preview party. As Michelle pulled out her altered book purchased at Artful Illusions with the number 3 on the cover, I pulled out the identical book with the number 4! When she pulled out metal tags she'd purchased at the Eclectic Marketplace with the number 3, I pulled out my tags with the number 4. Who knew? We'd all bought lots of similar and identical items and as the evening wore on, notes were made, creating our shopping list for Saturday. Michelle loved the stamps I'd gotten at Invoke Arts and had to go get them for herself the next day. Lori loved the goodies we'd found like vintage photos, game boards, and ephemera and had missed that booth completely so of course she had to go find them.
Regrets? Sure, I have a few. Lynda had an allergic reaction to her antibiotics and spent Saturday morning at an Urgent Care, then slept the rest of the day and night away so Friday night was her only chance to shop. I wish she'd been well enough to enjoy her first Stampaway completely. Lori and I managed to eat at Panera (love that strawberry poppyseed salad), at CiCi's Pizza, at Chick-fil-A, and at Cracker Barrell, but we never made it to our favorite...Penn Station for a sub and cup of fries. We could've had lunch there after shopping at Stamp Your Art Out Sunday morning but we used restraint and went right to the airport. I couldn't find Connie to say goodbye. Only saw Karen a few minutes other than when she helped me during my techniques class. You know there are just too many to name, but if I didn't see you, or we had less time than normal, know it was because I was under the weather and just not up to my usual social calendar of events.
I did take lots of photos but I haven't figured out how to get them out of the camera yet and onto my computer. Postings will be forthcoming so check back!
And if Stampaway hasn't been on your calendar in the past, make sure you add it to your 2009 calendar!!

Tonight while the laundry is going and the dishwasher is running, I plan to be soaking in my garden tub, reading my new book, and resting my voice. Rubber duckies here I come!