Photos at the Hampton Inns in Utah and Montana 09-08-12

When my computer caught a disease in July and had to be wiped clean and reloaded, the Picasa files were jumbled - some duplicated, some missing, some with pictures that don't match the titles on the file.  It is one huge mess.  Occasionally I will start sorting through, but I soon run out of patience.  Sometimes I will find duplicated files and delete one of them - what a feeling of accomplishment!  When I was sorting the other day I came across these images I took at Hampton Inns in Utah and Montana.  These photos and signs were mostly in the elevators and Ruth Powers and I thought these "advisories" were pretty funny.  Lovely pictures, but does anyone go into a well-known, popular hotel chain and even think about not having clean sheets?  Neither of us ever has. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One room even had a sticky note on each headboard.  We left them there - for the next occupant!

This one is just a cute sign - also in an elevator. 

 

I much prefer to stay at Holiday Inn Express - can't explain exactly why I feel safe at their motels, but I do. However, every town doesn't have a HIE and Hampton Inns are very nice.   Maybe the fresh baked cinnamon rolls for breakfast at HIE have something to do with it.

Update on SDeigo Trip - Blue flower 09-10-09

I have to tell you what a disappointment that shower was at the Westin. Yes, there are two shower heads, but two dispense the same amount of water as one! Yes, California is in severe water shortage, but it would have been more satisfying to spray myself with a squirt bottle.

The bed was pretty wonderful, but very high and it had a soft pillow top. When I woke up in the middle of the night to do a bathroom run, I couldn't get out of bed! The mattress was so soft I needed something to hang onto, since I couldn't reach the floor, and there was nothing to hang onto. I finally rolled on my stomach and flung my legs over the edge, followed by my rear end. Too bad there wasn't a video, it might have won a prize in the world's ugliest videos contest. With my short legs I certainly need to have a stool, or maybe a step ladder to get in and out of that sort of bed.

Nancy Ota took this picture just as I was showing how high a live Summer Lily is. The quilt by Ruth McDowell shows a huge version in a delightful fabric selection. This quilt is very popular with audiences - it is so colorful and the candelabra shaped plant is so graceful. You'll note that once again I have forgotten to exchange my sunglasses for my regular glasses - someone has to remind me. Later I realized and changed, but I always feel so silly when I discover how I look. Behind me are Joan Colvin's "Copper Tree" and Pamela Allen's "Getting my Ducks in a Row". And I am wearing an original Rayna Gillman silk scarf around my neck.

The blue flower I posted yesterday is one single flower from the flower head of Agapanthus Africanus or Lily-of-the-Nile. The picture was taken in the shade which gives the blue an extra glow. Several people were curious - maybe you were also.

A room at the Westin, Gaslight Qtr 09-08-09

I am in San Diego tonight, staying in a luxurious room at the Westin Hotel (near Horton Plaza). I drove down this afternoon to give a special showing of some of the TCQC quilts to a touring group of English + one Aussie quilting ladies. They attended classes at Empty Spools last week and are on a tour put together by Suzanne Cox, one of the triumvirate of Empty Spools. She is a travel agent in her 'real' live, so doing tours is a natural. All nine ladies seem to be having a good time. I think they enjoyed seeing the quilts. Since I live with these masterpieces all the time perhaps I am become jaded! It always surprises me when someone acts like I 'hung the moon'! But I do remember my first meeting with Ruth McDowell, after having admired her quilts for so long. I felt as though I was in the presence of royalty and her quilts were sacred icons!! Actually, I still sort of feel that way!

I was fortunate to have Nancy Ota and Jan Hirth, quilting friends from Orange County drive down and serve as holders and folders. They were great and made it so much more enjoyable for the 'audience' since they could just sit and admire. As it happens Nancy, Jan and all the others in the room had seen each other at Empty Spools last week, some were even classmates. Enormous thanks to my two Orange County friends.

Suzanne knew that by the time the program was over and we had dinner that I would be too tired to drive the three hours home (after dark!), so she provided this room. I have all the quilts in their wrappings laid out on the 'wrong' half of the bed - plenty of room for me on the 'right' half. I didn't want to have them stacked up all night because the weight of those on top tend to set any little crease in the lower ones. But the bell hop (is that still the proper term?) left the cart, so I will just refold and pile them on in the morning.

There is this odd pillow on the bed, along with two large and two medium normally shaped pillows. I've never seen one before - does it have special purpose? Under one's neck? Between one's knees? In the small of one's back? Do tell!!

And there are these two shower heads! Another first. The sign says that one can save water by using just one head, or push the button on the pipe of the lower one and engage both to enjoy a "Heavenly Shower". I'm going to at least try both - not very 'green', I know, but everyone should experience a "Heavenly Shower" once in their life. Right?

Oh-h-h-h-h, I can hardly wait - I'd better post this and hop in the shower, before I go to sleep in my chair.