Time to escape NH winter

New Hampshire temperatures have been below freezing and it snowed last night - not much, but enough to see. It's time to begin the countdown towards leaving for Arizona. With only 10 days to go, I really need to make a "to-do" list and start organizing myself for the drive. I spend Summers in New Hampshire near my kids, grandkids, and in-laws. I spend winters in Southeastern Arizona near my two sisters. The best of two worlds considering weather, and the fact that 6 months with either side of the family is just about the right amount of time.

This trip West will be about 15 days with stops in Tennessee and Texas to visit and bead with friends. Twice a year I get to spend a week beading with my best friends in Gilmer, Texas. We now call it the "Gilmer Getaway" as it is our time to catch up, laugh, drink lots of coffee, sleep at odd hours, get out hair done, and ...... most important.... bead and bounce creative ideas off of each other - a true "Bead Cave".

This trip, all but two of the group will be there and we are going to try our hand at needle felting. Of course, felting will only be the base for embellishment with beads. Bev Herman has already tried it and is bringing needles and foam to work with. I spent some time in thrift stores here in NH and found some wool sweaters to machine felt. So first on my list to get done is to start a box of craft & beading supplies that will be needed at the Gilmer Getaway. Second on the list is to finish and mail promised pieces of beadwork.

The rest of the organization for leaving is more mundane; oil changed in the car; wash & pack clothing; sort, organize and pack beads; get mail forwarded; wrap Christmas gifts; last doctor's visit; start winterizing the apartment; clean out the freezer and icebox; and a million other small details. Then there is Thanksgiving dinner in Cambridge MA with all of the extended family. Monday 11/28 I get on the road, headed South to escape any bad weather, until I hit Tennessee and go West.