Louisiana

I just returned home from a teaching trip to Shreveport, Louisiana.  This is the 38th state I've been to and am hoping to add the remaining 12 states in the next year or two:  Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Alaska, Hawaii.  If you live there and need a quilt teacher, look me up!

I bought a new suitcase this month.  I really liked that suitcase.  It is gone now:

The photo doesn't show just how twisted and damaged this poor bag truly is.  After waiting an hour to find someone employed by Delta, he, to his credit, took one look at my bag and handed me a brand new suitcase out of the box.  No paperwork.  No claims forms.  No asking for proof of the age of the bag.  Accidents happen, so -- Nicely Done, Delta!

I saw that the R. W. Norton Art Gallery was number one on most lists of Things To Do In Shreveport, so I went there for a visit.

This is the first video I have taken and then uploaded with my phone, so please be understanding.  I think it is playing at triple speed.

The building was beautiful.  There was a very interesting collection of art inside, but there were also fascinating floors.

Yes, floors.  Floors like this one:

And this one:

And this one:

My hotel was, um, interesting.  It had some fun touches like "ceiling mounted hair dryers":

I am 5 foot 6 in my stocking feet and had trouble reaching this.  I have many friends who are less than 5 feet tall.  How on earth were they supposed to reach this?  The other "touches" were less fun and I will probably not stay at that hotel again. 

Another interesting aspect of this trip was that it was in Louisiana.  In July.  It did a pretty good impersonation of the surface of the sun:

Gasp!

I was in Louisiana to teach quilting, and I met the most amazing students.  They each brought in their own Handi Quilter Sweet Sixteen for a few days of hands-on classes:

We had a great time together and left with promises of "See you in Houston!"

Louisiana had its ups and downs for me, but the ruined luggage, weird hotel, and blistering heat were more than offset by this:

Chocolate cake as a base for S'mores.  I can now die happy.