Gimli

was fine. We saw two different potential facilities for our 2010 retreat. Both were quite expensive, probably to "ritzy" for our group. The one that offered the best options for minimizing lodging costs smelled bad--literally. While they have done some recent renovations, and the rooms were very nice, the whole facility had an obvious smell of mildew and old tobacco smoke. Worst of all the strongest smell was in the lobby--the first place you walk into. The site was beautiful, and they were willing to offer us some nice incentives. Too bad. When I got home I looked at the numbers for the other option, and still found it pretty pricey for our group. So I got onto the internet and "googled' conference facilities in Manitoba. I found a site for another facility in another town that had been at the back of my mind from the beginning. They had oodles of informaiton on the site and I was able to compare both amenities and costs ( recognizing that the costs will probably be higher a year form now) The food and lodging came in at less than half either of the facilities we had visited. Some costs that would have been covered in the other facilites( such as daily cost of a meeting room) aren't covered there, but still well within our means. So I passed the web site on to the other ladies involved, and we are going to go out to take a look and talk to them about our retreat. We need to have all the arrangements made by this October.

Then yesterday--ta da--I actully got into the studio. I was distressed to find that I just couldn't focus for any period of time--out of practise, Ithink. But I finished one of the quilt tops I found in my sorting, did a bit of difficult hand work that I have to pace myself with, and do just a bit every day. Then I actually got the fabric selected, and made some preliminary sketches for a new piece. I'm so pleased that I finally felt some creative juices flow. During the drive to and from Gimli, a friend and I spent a lot of time talking about creativity and the role of self image and self esteem in the whole creative process. In many ways she is further along this road than I am, and it's a treat to talk to someone at the same stage in the creative life or maybe just a little bit further along.