After ages of dreaming and two months of planning, it all finally came to be. Temari NY Spring Fling was underway. We started off by getting Susan C in from Atlanta on Wednesday, April 24 - as my partner in crime to plan and pull it all off, she arrived a few days ahead to help with the final efforts. I think that everyone coming thought I was nuts when I told everyone to ticket into Stewart International Airport (WHERE?) -  but did not take long till all the flierinners realized why. While a full service field, it is relatively unknown and underused - which means things not only run on time but even EARLY.... which was the case with Susan's flight coming in - having arrived at the airport half an hour ahead of her arrival, hearing them announce her flight was on time and had just been picked up by Stewart Control, I then looked up ten minutes before she was supposed to be there to see her walking towards me.... grinning from ear to ear (which I was probably doing too) - then it was hugs, hoots, grab the bag and off we were back to the house...... supper, a walk around the neighborhood, just enjoying each other the rest of the evening (as I watched her argue with gift bags she was making up for everyone using Easter grass that had a life of its own) and we tucked in. Thursday was rainy - as much as we need it, we didn't need it THAT day.... but we finished minor things yet to be done and waited for Ryan to call that she was in range, driving up from Maryland. That happened about 5pm, we met her at the appointed place and we headed home for supper, another evening of getting to know, and then a good night's sleep. Friday was going to be a busy day.
        Up and at'em early - we had beds to  make and change, and groceries to get (as well as the makings for Nicole's welcome sign at the airport. Everyone else was arriving today! Errands done, we grabbed a quick lunch, and I sprawled on the diningroom floor cranking out the sign.....  then it was off, Susan driving my car (as she would for the duration as the appointed chauffeur) and Ryan following, to the Marriott Courtyard in Fishkill (about a third of the way between the house and airport) - where Ryan would wait for those driving in and staying there - Paula from Pennsylvania, and Harriet (with figment of our imaginations hubby David) from Maine. Susan and I took off again for Stewart (where the skycap will NEVER again ask anyone to see their welcome sign), meeting 3pm flights for Sue H, and Martine (who again marveled at this little hick airfield) both in on time and baggage collected (though Martine and I walked past each other about five times before we figured out who was who) - then we had about an hour to kill before Nicole landed. Soon as her flight was announced we planted ourselves right at the arrivals gate (yes, THE arrivals gate)- and collected a lot of interesting looks as I stood holding her sign (though one lady burst out laughing when she saw it - claiming that she had been Nicole's seat mate and that it fit perfectly) - but it certainly had the desired effect of attracting Nicole's attention - we had everybody (even EARLY!). Off to the car - where Sue H. demonstrated her adeptness at making things fit as we worked on packing everyone and their luggage into the car (Sue unpacked one of her bags to reveal bag after bag after bag after....) and I held her other one  between my legs in the front - off to the Marriott, where we merrily took over the lobby on the full meet and greet. Paula and Harriet had each found their ways...  and we now had more cars! So, things and people divvied up, we caravanned north, stopping on the way to grab the pizzas for supper.... and were back at the house about 6:15pm.
        After a few minutes to get everyone to the their assigned bunk space and time to freshen up, it was time to start in on the shrimp and munchies and pizza - and declare The Fling officially open. Everyone got a "commemorative packet" with the official T-shirt, NY State flag pin and other goodies....  and then it was time for Ginny to be totally brought down by being given the quilt that Nicole cooked up with everyone....  and that I still cannot believe. Nicole also arrived with "goodie/work" bags for everyone that she had made, name tags for everyone and our very own drier lint mari. All the time we are sharing, ideas flying faster than we could talk about.... Paula was fascinated with the idea of a music box in a mari base and was delighted to see one for real (from Tokyo) - then it was time to hit the ice cream and hot fudge as well as Paula's chocolate chip cookies and Harriet's Oatmeal cookies... yum!
        We then spent much of the rest of the evening with "show and tell" - drooling over each others' Temari and photos.... sharing how-to's for this pattern or that while Sue H. sat there quietly stitching all evening despite it all- and then Social Director Susan C (she was wearing many hats during the weekend) took over with a pencil and  paper game that had some of us rolling on the floor while others showed that they really could concentrate - after a tie Sue H was the winner, was bestowed with a pretty temari hangerupper. From there we went on to door prizes, which had been sent by Diane B of the list (she does gorgeous art stamping) and Vikki Clayton (the silk pearl person) - and after everyone drooled over the prizes it became a freeforall in the middle of the living room floor as Vikki had sent a nice load of silk pearl to be sold at a wonderful price for the people here - no trouble with that disappearing! By midnight it was off to bed -
        Breakfast was up at 8m - sort of serve yourself buffet, everyone tidied up, and we had more gift swapping. Harriet had glass cylinders cut for everyone for Temari display bases; Susan C let everyone open the not-dead-yet Easter grass bags to find a different glass display base, a funky Georgia key chain and a Georgia peach pin (to go with the NY state flag pins, and the Alabama pins those got in B'ham)...  Sue H had some Florida shells for us all and the prerequisite pink flamingo key tag.... and then it was time for Nicole to demonstrate locating a four center ball from a C8 division - done with a nifty way of drawing the division on a Dylite ball with colored markers so that you have a ready reference any time you need it.... and everyone working on something or other, sharing as we went. After lunch it was time to dive outside to take photos of everyone's Temari as it was a gorgeous day and highnoon sun....  then time to settle in for the afternoon for Paula to teach us all how to do those wonderfully swirly balls that look like ocean waves rolling all over. She too had perfected a technique of showing it that made it SO easy....  in the meantime, Martine was quietly going nuts trying to replicate a temari that Nicole had done in Birmingham (Nicole's was dragonflies but Martine was trying to make lightening bugs)....  Anne N had sent a wonderful goody bag of things - including some of the wonderful rayon thread for wrapping, and all took a turn wrapping off some mari bases with that (and choosing what they needed or wanted from the rest of the goodies like needles, zabutons, silk thread.....) -
        Then it was off to dinner.... we have a Japanese hibachi place called Osho up the road, so had the experience of watching things flame to the ceiling and utensils and food fly through the air.... our chef was indeed Japanese and Sue H managed to get him to understand how we were all friends - though her efforts to be cooperative with the hostess in speaking Japanese elicited only a less than polite "I don't speak Japanese" retort - ah well, can't win 'em all. Back to the house for ice cream, a few beers and getting comfy in jammies....  some more stitching, and then it was time for the Social Director to take over again with another word game (this one fared somewhat better than Friday's) - Paula was the winner of a beautiful Temari art stamp after demonstrating her mental prowess (Paula was the quiet one  but still waters run deep!). Then it was time for Yankee Swap Southern Style - I've played versions of it but Susan C had a new wrinkle and came prepared with the dice. Everyone brought a five dollar wrapped gift, that had to do with Temari making - and they were put in the center of the floor as we sat around them. Each person threw the dice and when you got a 7 or 11, you chose a gift (but left it wrapped). After everyone had a gift, then the timer was set, and again the dice rolled, this time a 7 or 11 meant that you could trade with anyone for THEIR gift. After things flew around the living room for a while till the DING we all dove in to see what we had - and no one went away unhappy with al the unique threads etc that had been sailing around. Then - time for bed.
        We'd been trying all along to get David, Harriet's hubby, to join us along the way but he steadfastly refused - until Sunday breakfast that was put on the table by Nicole - wonderful spread of eggs, bacon, grits and her  family's Orange Biscuits - yum!! Since Harriet and David needed to hit the road early I did convince David to join us for breakfast, along with the fact that we needed him to be the Official Group Photographer.... a job which he carried out with great aplomb, but did even better telling stories - could have listened to him all day!. Paula too hit the road early....  then Sue H took over showing those still here how to work the pattern of floral swirls that she had sent me for a GITS - then it was all too soon before we had to hit the road to take Martine and Sue H to the airport again. Hugs good-bye with promises to be back -
        That left Nicole, Ryan and Susan C here, and after some chatting through the afternoon we all snitched a nap, munched leftovers for supper, stitched and yakked the evening away, tucked in....  come morning before I knew it Susan C had all the extra linens washed and put away, beds made - Ryan took off about 10 for her drive home, and then it was too soon before we had to leave for the airport. Nicole went out on a 1:30 flight and Sue C had a 3:45....  
        Everyone has shared their personal thoughts - let me add mine here. I am still trying to believe that it has happened. To think that seven people had the ultimate trust to come, and to share - I don't know any other group where people come together not knowing a soul other than email or phone calls and within a blink of an eye it was like we had known each other for years. Magical, wonderful - these words come close but then again they don't to describe the fun, the emotions, the sharing, the caring - we are indeed truly blessed to have such a group of wonderful hearts and souls. I can't begin to say thank you to those who came, for all of the wonderful time shared, the ideas and knowledge shared, the special keepsakes, and to all those that participated in the quilt let alone to Nicole for orchestrating and making it.....
        And I think that it is safe to say that Temari gatherings are alive and well. Martine broke the ice with Birmingham, yet it takes more than one to show that it can indeed happen- and I am sure that there will be more.