Planning a weekend away

This weekend last year, I met up with my support group friends over in Westport. It was an amazing trip and one that I treasure, because I got to know in person these wonderful people that I'd only known online. I've seen these friends a couple of times since then, and lately I've been finding myself missing them. Not just because this is like the "anniversary weekend", but also because so many of our mutual friends have died this year.

So I was thrilled when I heard that some of them were getting together the first weekend in December! We're meeting up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which luckily for me is only about a four-hour drive away (plus the border crossing). I'd fly wherever I had to in order to meet up with them - honestly, I'd move heaven and earth to see them, because seeing them is so important to me - but being able to drive to see them does make it easier and cheaper for me to be there.

The plan is to get together the Saturday night. I'll drive out on Friday so that I have a chance to rest. I expect we'll be up late Saturday night and I don't want to just drive there, stay up late, and drive back - that would be exhausting. There's no point overdoing it, is there?

I've actually been to Ann Arbor once, with Ian and some juggling friends for a juggling festival. I remember that trip not just because I was driving, but because we had dinner at the Blue Nile, an Ethiopian restaurant that had wonderful food and the most delicious tea. After that, I found a great sewing book in a nearby used bookstore. I remember it being a very nice, wealthy town, and I'm looking forward to seeing it again. I'd love to bring home some of that tea as well!

Of course this means that I'll have a bit less time to work on the dress. If I end up not finishing it because of this little trip, that's ok; seeing my friends is that important to me. But don't worry: as long as I like the way the dress looks on me, I'm confident in my ability to finish it on time. There are many, many hours during the day where I'm not doing anything but sitting... I could easily be sewing during at least some of that time.