Adventures in Fabric Shopping

Remember on Saturday when I decided that the chances of my being raptured were slim to none and I'd might as well go fabric shopping?  Sure you do.  I do.  Well, the Executive Committee gathered at my house on schedule and since Helen, our usual driver for these types of expeditions preferred not to drive that morning (we think she was secretly afraid she would be raptured prematurely and strand Judy and Honna and me out there in Lancaster County), the driving fell to me.  Which I was fine with.  Especially with Helen as navigator.

We got out to Burkholders, a place I'd visited about eight or nine years ago once when Jan and Kathy were in town from California, and I hadn't been particularly impressed, so I never returned. Recently folks told me that it was under different management and was wonderful.  And furthermore, they were having a huge sale -- 25% off everything on my list!  So off we went, and friends, let me tell you, this place is marvelous.  It is immense, well-lit, with bolts and bolts and bolts of fabric, and notions, and thread, and pre-cuts; pleasant employees, big cutting tables, clean bathroom, spacious parking lot -- what more could a person ask?  I admit that it lacks that certain je ne sais quoi of Sauders, but I'm telling you that the prices were competitive even without the 25%.

After a while, while I was perusing bent safety pins (I can't find my basting pins anywhere -- are you the one who borrowed them?) Helen beckoned me over to where she and Honna and Judy were talking with this woman we didn't know.  Seems she'd come into the store and started asking groups of shoppers, "Are you with Nancy?"  When she got to the Executive Committee, Honna wisely countered, "Nancy who?" and when she replied, "Near Philadelphia," Honna got spooked.  Turned out to be none other than The Reluctant Quilter who lives not far away (imagine having this amazing place as your LQS!), saw the blog post and decided that in case there were going to be a rapture, she'd better get right on down to the shop so we could meet!  She's -- well -- everything you'd expect a Suzan to be:  cute, friendly, perky, impulsive, funny, a bit whacky and downright wonderful.  The Executive Committee was so impressed with her that on the spot we invited her to fill a vacancy at our next White Oak getaway (barring a rapture, of course).  What a delightful surprise!  That's Suzan and me up there in that picture.  With two unknown Muggles in the background.

We loaded my trunk with our purchases and headed for The Diner Formerly Known As Zinns where, over assorted abundant, delicious, and inexpensive offerings, we reviewed other business on the agenda and then headed home.  But before we left, one of us noticed that the placemats had 20% coupons for Burkholders with no expiration date!  So we ripped tidy holes in the placemats, stuffed the coupons in our wallets, and left.  Satisfied in every way.

See ya in October, Suzan!