The Excitement Is Building
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
Do you remember when you got your first computer? We got a used one and had fun learning how to use it. When I think back, I am amazed at how much we have learned about using a computer since that first 'machine'. The internet opened another world.
One night, I spent time joining several on-line groups. It must have been in 1998. I was interested in quilts and so I joined several quilting groups. One group which is the one I will be writing about was called Quilters' Funtalk. At the time, it was a fairly new group of ladies who had split from another group because the first group wanted all the e-mails to be about quilts and quilting. The new group liked to discuss life in general as well as quilting. As I read their e-mails, I liked what I saw. It made me feel like I was at a quilting bee.
Over time, I left the other groups but stayed with this one. Eventually, we became a 'closed' group which meant you had to know someone in the group in order to get an invitation to join.
I remember when we were attempting to send pictures. This technology was new to everyone.
And then someone suggested we meet. It was decided that Indiana would be good because there were several members close to that area. Shipshewana would be our destination.
[The Shipshewana area is celebrated for being home to the third largest Amish community in the United States, for having the Midwest's largest flea market, and for its reputation of hand-crafted wares.]
In May of 1999, we started to gather at the Farmstead Inn - strangers when we walked in but friends when we left.
I don't remember how many we were but we had ladies from South Dakota, California, Idaho, Alaska, Minnesota, Kansas, New Mexico, Illinois, and of course, Canada. There were about 6 or 8 husbands, mine being one of them. A lot of planning had gone into the weekend event and we had a wonderful time.
It was decided to do it again the following year. (We even had someone from Australia in 2000). Then we decided to try a different location. We met in Indianapolis, IN and Missouri and Berlin, Ohio. One year the gathering was in California but I couldn't go to that one.
For a few years, some of those who lived close to each other arranged to have smaller meetings and then the gatherings stopped. There is a lot of planning for the organizers.
Two years ago, one of the Indiana ladies suggested we return to Shipshewana for our 20th anniversary. I think she had already booked some rooms at the Farmstead Inn. Two years seemed so far away. Of course we all WANT to be there but it isn't always possible. Illness is keeping at least two away. They will be missed.
At the end of April, I finally made my reservation. It started to feel more real after that.
This morning I woke up to see a couple of Facebook videos from people who were on the way to the airport to start their journeys to Indiana. Communication has changed so much since 1998. Tomorrow morning, Himself and I will leave to make the 3 1/2 hour ride to join the others. I am excited to see old friends and meet some new ones. Who knows we might even do some sewing.
One night, I spent time joining several on-line groups. It must have been in 1998. I was interested in quilts and so I joined several quilting groups. One group which is the one I will be writing about was called Quilters' Funtalk. At the time, it was a fairly new group of ladies who had split from another group because the first group wanted all the e-mails to be about quilts and quilting. The new group liked to discuss life in general as well as quilting. As I read their e-mails, I liked what I saw. It made me feel like I was at a quilting bee.
Over time, I left the other groups but stayed with this one. Eventually, we became a 'closed' group which meant you had to know someone in the group in order to get an invitation to join.
I remember when we were attempting to send pictures. This technology was new to everyone.
And then someone suggested we meet. It was decided that Indiana would be good because there were several members close to that area. Shipshewana would be our destination.
[The Shipshewana area is celebrated for being home to the third largest Amish community in the United States, for having the Midwest's largest flea market, and for its reputation of hand-crafted wares.]
In May of 1999, we started to gather at the Farmstead Inn - strangers when we walked in but friends when we left.
I don't remember how many we were but we had ladies from South Dakota, California, Idaho, Alaska, Minnesota, Kansas, New Mexico, Illinois, and of course, Canada. There were about 6 or 8 husbands, mine being one of them. A lot of planning had gone into the weekend event and we had a wonderful time.
It was decided to do it again the following year. (We even had someone from Australia in 2000). Then we decided to try a different location. We met in Indianapolis, IN and Missouri and Berlin, Ohio. One year the gathering was in California but I couldn't go to that one.
For a few years, some of those who lived close to each other arranged to have smaller meetings and then the gatherings stopped. There is a lot of planning for the organizers.
Two years ago, one of the Indiana ladies suggested we return to Shipshewana for our 20th anniversary. I think she had already booked some rooms at the Farmstead Inn. Two years seemed so far away. Of course we all WANT to be there but it isn't always possible. Illness is keeping at least two away. They will be missed.
At the end of April, I finally made my reservation. It started to feel more real after that.
This morning I woke up to see a couple of Facebook videos from people who were on the way to the airport to start their journeys to Indiana. Communication has changed so much since 1998. Tomorrow morning, Himself and I will leave to make the 3 1/2 hour ride to join the others. I am excited to see old friends and meet some new ones. Who knows we might even do some sewing.
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