molly b: When your work is …play!

I was reminded again last week just how fortunate I am. Even when I work –LONG – days I love everything that I do. Last week was no exception. I spent the week at Bernina University and touring Washington DC .I got up every morning at 5 o’clock our time to get down to the metro station to ride down town DC to Bernina University. I got home each night about 6 o’clock and loved every minute of it. Ok, I didn’t love the fact that I fell asleep each night on Sarah’s couch at 8 o’clock but I couldn’t wait to wake up each morning and head out again.The only nerve racking part was the first morning riding the metro and having to change metros half way down town. I read signs and read maps and figured it out and YES I asked directions if I felt unsure. I was all alone and I told Brenda when she left me at the station the first morning that I sure hoped I got back home that night! But I did and the next day felt like a real pro at the Metro – in fact I loved it! Each night I timed it so I could ride home with Joe – my metro went right by the Pentagon so that worked out real well.

BU – Bernina University was fabulous – it is just amazing to me what designers of our machines come up with – the engineering and the things it will do -Blows me away! I sell the most CREATIVE sewing machines on this earth – I believe in them so much. I took a lot of Business classes and 2 sewing type classes – this year I felt I needed a good start with my business and I enjoyed and learned something in all of them. My favorite was the Design works class I took – seeing how the new tools will paint using our machines – you heard me – IT WILL PAINT! I just wanted to stand up and cheer I was so excited and oh how my mind was racing what I could make with it! So excited to get them in my store to sell!

I got to see old friends and make a few new ones along the way and in all it was a great week.

After BU was over on Wednesday – the rest of the week was for more play! Brenda and I had both been to DC – I actually live there back in my 20s and had been back to another BU several years ago – so we had seen most of the exciting things to see. The first night we were there we happened upon fireworks shooting off on the Potomac in Old town Alexandria so that was really cool! We decided on each one thing we hadn’t done before to see on Thursday – for me it was a tour of the Pentagon with our very own Major Joe(soon to be Lt. Col) To say I was impressed by the place is an understatement, we saw offices I thought I would never see and saw the place where the plane hit the pentagon on 911. It was very emotional to me to see the exact spot and see the chapel they have built there now. I couldn’t take any pictures in the pentagon – hard for me! Being a quilter I was excited to see the quilts made by quilters all over the US hanging in the hall leading to the 911 Chapel. They were gorgeous, Joe said they had so many donated they rotated them out ! In the entry of the Pentagon hangs two HUGE quilts one with names and pictures on it of the Americans killed that day in the pentagon. I was so pleased to see the wonderful quilts and see how important they were to the Men and Women inside the Pentagon.

That afternoon Brenda and Anna wanted to see Arlington Cemetery and the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unknown soldier. We laughed and said we were sure having a Military themed day! Talk about a sobering place and yet made me very proud to be an American and live in a country that Men and women are willing to fight and die for the freedoms we share.

We even saw a live burial while we were there. They have 26 – 30 burials a day and none at the same time- pretty amazing at the organization and reverence of the place.

This quilt hung in the entry of the Welcome Center to Arlington Cemetery. It had one serviceman from each state represented. They were miniature uniforms and the pictures of the men when they were children. Wow -

Friday we started the day in Georgetown walking and doing a little shopping. Of course Brenda wanted to see and taste cupcakes from “DC Cupcakes” We waited in line to get in the door and let me just tell you right now it was well worth the wait- DELISH!

The afternoon found us on the Metro heading to downtown DC to see the American History Museum and walk the mall to see the War monuments. We walked off our cupcakes for sure that afternoon! We loved seeing the new monument dedicated to WWII and our favorite the Korean monument.