Party! and an un-convention-al beginning to retirement

What a party! On Thursday the library hosted a public reception for my retirement. I wasn't allowed to go near the meeting room all day as the staff committee worked on decorations. I didn't take any pictures because I was busy talking to the many people who came: friends from AAUW, church, library colleagues, Rotary, Woman's Club, chamber of commerce among them.  The color scheme was purple and lime.
The two beautiful bouquets are from librarian friends.  

Here is a link to the Facebook photos on the library page. I hope you can open it.
https://www.facebook.com/#!/media/set/?set=a.10152370265237349.1073741884.29373207348&type=3

The gift suggestion was "fat quarters or real quarters for Nann's sewing machine fund."  I haven't gotten so many presents at one time since we got married! 
Here they are at home. The star balloons say "Princess" -- those were chosen by Ivy, who is 5 years old. (Her grandma is on the library board.)

Look at all the fabric I got!  I counted it -- 193 FQs which is 48-1/8 yards.  Wow.  (I also got rolls of real quarters, and some checks, and some gift cards.)

It's a good thing I have a stash of note cards (see this post) because I have a lot of thank-you notes to write.


Friday morning I was back at the library to host the monthly Coalition for Healthy Communities meeting.  I got home and packed the car and set out for St. Charles for the AAUW-Illinois state convention. I had several responsibilities: I'm finance director, so I am on the board which met from 3-5 p.m. Friday.  I also gave a book review on Friday evening. The books I talked about are listed here .

Book review and raffle quilt

I am standing in front of my version of Orca Bay. I contributed it as this year's raffle quilt.  This is the 12th year or so of raffle quilts at the AAUW convention. Four of those have been Quiltville designs.  This year the raffle raised the most yet!  $750 will go to  Lois List American Fellowship administered by AAUW. (American Fellowships support women scholars who are completing dissertations, planning research leave from accredited institutions, or preparing research for publication.)

I got home at 6 p.m. Saturday and was asleep at 8 p.m. I spent 2-1/2 hours at the library Sunday afternoon and have my office about half cleaned out.  I accumulated a lot of stuff in 11 years, added to everything I brought when I began.  I'm leaving a lot behind, but there are now four boxes in the garage that I have to sort.  But, hey, I'm retired. I don't need to rush! 

Busy week this week: I need to pay AAUW convention bills, I have three lunch meetings, a conference call, P.E.O. Tuesday, quilt guild Wednesday. I have to prepare the quilt program I'm presenting to the Arlington Heights AAUW branch next Monday.  And, oh yes, I have to write those thank you notes.

I'm linking up with other quiltmakers, retired or not, at Judy's Patchwork Times .