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Momwriters everywhere getting together.

Oct 2001 S. CA Momwriters Gathering

I'm exhausted from laughing so hard, talking up a storm, and eating so much, but I wouldn't have given up this weekend for the world!

Tina Miller drove down from Merrill, Wisconsin on Friday and spent the night at my house in Leaf River, Illinois. We started out our little adventure sooner than expected when, after eating dinner in town, our one remaining car wouldn't start. Of course, Sean was our little optimist -- "Hey! I have a great idea! Let's go for a walk!"

After getting a jump from the half-dozen or so people that came out of the pizza place and offered their assistance (one advantage of living in small town), we were on our
way -- momentarily. After less than a mile, the dashboard lights faded, the headlights faded, and the only bright lights around were those of the Byron cop who saw we didn't have any tail lights and stopped us. The card died -- turns out it was the alternator. And after freezing our little toes off, we finally got home about 10:00.

Tina and I headed out about 9:30 Saturday morning to meet the rest of the group at Woodfield Mall in Schaumburg. We got there about 11:30 and everybody was there except Joy, who arrived about five minutes after we did. Hannah, who was driving from Chicago, wasn't there, but she had arranged to meet us later. Once we were all assembled -- me, Tina, Joy, Kyle, Kari and Crystal from Springfield, and Dianne from Madison, along with her son Christopher -- we headed to John's Garage for lunch.

After a wonderful lunch, during which we didn't shut up, Dianne and Christopher (one of the most well behaved four year olds I have ever seen!) headed out to do some shopping before going back to Madison later that day. We sat and talked until we started receiving some subtle hints to leave. We checked out a few stores in Woodfield, then hit WaldenBooks and headed to the hotel.

Once we were settled into the hotel room, we gabbed some more and then headed downstairs to the complimentary cocktail reception where we proceeded to drink ourselves into oblivion. :-) Not really, but we sure had fun! Crystal couldn't drink because she's pregnant, so we soothed her with a steady supply of Sprite and maraschino cherries.

We took an evening drive to the nearby Borders, then Kari and Kyle introduced us to the fine art of dumpster diving (I'll let them explain about that *grin*). We didn't hit the mother lode, but it was fun anyway. Then, back to the hotel where we proceeded to pig out on all of our snacks, order pizza, exchange books, and talk some more. Before we knew it, it was almost 2 a.m.

Believe it or not, we all managed to sleep until 8:30. It was wonderful to wake up on my own and not because I was being bombarded by my three-year-old's requests for cartoons and breakfast. We all got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast. We hung out in the atrium until almost noon talking even more. :-)

It was sad to have to pack up all of our stuff and leave. We did manage to snag a hotel employee to take our picture in front of the fountain in the hotel -- he learned how to use about five different cameras. :-) I've sent Karen some photos for her to put up on the Web site so you can see what we all look like and what a great time we had!

It was a wonderful, wonderful experience to spend the weekend with ladies I'd never met (although I had met Dianne and Hannah before), but who I consider dear friends.
We discussed doing this again this summer (maybe around the end of July) and doing it in the Wisconsin Dells next January, where we could perhaps even do some sledding and skiing.

I'm sure everyone else who was there will have much to say about our bonding experience and how wonderful it was, so I won't tell everything. But I am still filled with wonderful thoughts and memories that will linger for a long time about this weekend of friendship, sharing, and fun!

S. CA Momwriters Gathering
OCT 2001
left to right: Ann Marie, Susan, Patti. and Drue...
Provided by ~~Ann Marie~~

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