Retreat Update

Once again, I’ve just sent an email to those who have confirmed they will be renting a room.  If you’re a roommate, please check with your friend who has agreed to rent the room.  If you did not receive the email and you have confirmed that you are coming, or if you are sure you’re coming and you haven’t told me yet, please let me know.  It’s all on a first come (as in first to send in the $25), first serve basis.  The hotel has set aside 25 rooms for us and I’m sure there will be more rooms available but I doubt the sewing room will comfortably hold more than about 40 sewers so I will limit the signups to the first 40 folks and then I will start a waiting list.

Here’s Patchwork Times Retreat to send in with your registration fee.  If you have problems with the form, please let me know.

If you know for sure that you’re coming and want to go ahead and send the $25, please send it to me.  Please also send me the email address you would like to use.   That’s $25 per  person.  You are responsible for making your own hotel reservations but I will provide that information once I receive your registration form/fee.

It is really, really, really important that if you say you’re coming, you’re sure you’re coming because we have to have a certain number of rooms rented in order to get the meeting room.

I have heard back from the hotel this morning and here’s the deal:

• First and most important — I am not making a dime off this retreat so please know I am not getting a free room, I am not keeping any of your retreat charge for myself.
• We will arrive on Thursday, February 16, 2012, and we will leave on Sunday, February 19, 2012.
• As soon as I receive your registration, I will provide the hotel contact info so that you can make your reservations.
• My understanding is that the hotel requires a credit card or check.  Credit cards will not be charged until you check out.  If you cancel at least 24 hours prior to the arrival date, your card will not be charged.  PLEASE CONFIRM THIS FOR YOURSELF WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR RESERVATION.
• The room rate is $69 + tax.  This includes a continental breakfast. No other meals are provided.
• There will be a $25 non-refundable charge per person.  It doesn’t matter if you’re going to be there one day or every day.  This will be used for snacks or any charges we have to pay if we fall below the required number of rooms.  If you decide not to come, for whatever reason, the $25 will not be refunded.  If the retreat is cancelled at least 30 days prior to the arrival date (which will only happen if we get enough cancellations that we fall below 20 rooms), the $25 will be refunded to everyone.

The hotel is currently holding 25 rooms at the $69 price range.  They are all non-smoking rooms.  I believe the hotel may be a totally non-smoking facility.

Just to reiterate some things already discussed:

• Bring your own projects — there will be no group projects planned.  No swaps, no prizes — just come and sew.
• We will take a field trip out to our house so you can see where I sew (hopefully it will all be finished by then) and you can see my quilts.  You are not required to go.
• We’re on our own except for the continental breakfast provided by the hotel.  There are several restaurants within a mile of the hotel – a Mexican restaurant and a general – everything type restaurant (that has fantastic all you can eat catfish on Friday night).
• I will get sandwich makings, chips, cookies, and drinks, as well as ask those who are willing to do so, to bring snacks so we will be able to maybe eat lunch out and then stay in and sew for the night.  You’re welcome to do whatever you want to do!  There are all kinds of restaurants in Brownwood, which is about 2o miles from the retreat location – all kinds of fast food, as well as a few regular, sit down and eat type places.
• There’s a quilt shop in Santa Anna, which is probably about 30 miles from the hotel.  We can take a field trip there if some would like.

You get the idea — we’ll just do whatever we want to do and we’ll sew and we’ll have fun!