LUCKY STAR: DAY 1

The first year I went to Lucky Star I drove the most direct route, which takes you down the back roads through little towns like Sisterdale and Comfort. Very scenic, but somewhat lacking when it comes to places to make a pit stop or grab a bite to eat. Since then I've decided it's worth my time to go a little bit out of the way, in order to make a stop in Fredericksburg -- one of the most picturesque towns in the Texas Hill Country. I must have been there 20 or 30 times in my life, but always stopped and parked as soon as I got on Main St., walked a couple of blocks down one side of the street, then came back down the other side -- just like all the other tourists! Lately though, I've been hearing rumors...about what might lie beyond those first two blocks. Like this shop called Farm Haus...

and one across the street called Timeless Menagerie.

I swear, between Hubby heading off to Minnesota and Canada for a two week consulting job, and prepping for Lucky Star and the Great Sudanese Adventure, Christmas has barely crossed my mind this year. But it only took one minute inside Farm Haus...

to have me yearning to go home and start decoratin'! Speaking of which, check out the Christmas decorations that were going up in the Fredericksburg Marketplatz while I was there.

Now that is one gi-nor-mous Weihnachtspyramide, is it not?

I arrived at Lucky Star late afternoon, and met up with my two friends from Wimberley -- LaNell and Susan -- whom I had persuaded to join me this year,with little to no effort! Another friend was going to come as well, and be my roomie, but she ended up having to drop out. I told them I would be happy to room with a stranger, as long as I was in one of the units that connects to my other friends. I kept waiting and waiting for someone to arrive, but no one ever did, so guess who got a room all to herself? ME, that's who!

Just love these color-mad Pendleton blankets. I really think I need some of these for when the whole family is here for the holidays, and some of them end up on air mattresses.

When I ran into our fearless leader later on, she apologized for my being in a room by myself. I think she was a bit taken aback when I threw my arms around her and said "Are you kidding? This is the best thing ever!" No more waking up at 4:30 AM, and having to just lay there staring at the ceiling to keep from waking the others. Plus, I'm a major introvert. When I wanted people time, all I had to do was step out onto the porch I shared with friends in all the surrounding units. When I wanted down time, I'd go back inside and work on one of my projects, which I happily spread out from one end of the room to the other. Woohoo!

 
Not long after that is was time for the first of many simply scrumptious meals to come, and then we were off to the ballroom to hear our keynote speaker -- Austin writer/maker/doer Bernadette Noll.

Bernadette (left) with Lucky Star founder Lisa Hamlin

Bernadette is a return-guest from Lucky Star's opening year. This year she spoke about making time for creativity, but it was her first talk that really struck a chord with me -- the one about establishing, and keeping, a tribe of creative friends who spur you on to do so much more than you could ever do on your own. Don't know what I would do without my Muses!

Then, to end the evening as we always do at Lucky Star, the musical stylings of every camper's favorite fireside songstress, Miss Mandy Rowden!

It was a very good day!

P.S. Speaking of the Great Sudanese Adventure -- we've got immunizations, we've got visas, and as of about midnight last night, after mucho angst and effort on the part of my poor hubby, we finally have tickets! I guess we're really gonna do this thing!