On Sunday I had a wonderful time at the Quilt convention.  Some of my quilt group met at the big train station and took the train to Zagarolo.  We were picked up and driven about a mile to the main part of the town and the old palace where we had our quilt day.  This is a big once a year event.  We were set up in three rooms.  In the main room were four quilt store tables with fabric, magazines and tools for sale.  Two tables for people to work, a big table filled with breakfast rolls and juice, tea and coffee and cappuccino.  Two of the pastries were over two feet long!  Then a long table on a stage with all the lottery prizes set up.  We bought tickets..3 for 5 euros.  In the other two rooms were long tables set up for each of the three projects they were teaching.  A runner, a purse and a zipper bag for quilting tools, I guess.  Ironing boards are set up at each end of both rooms.  I sat in the front room with ladies who were working on their own hand sewing projects.  Everyone came by to see the squash quilt project and I was named, Mrs. Squash!  Signora Zucche.  The quilt store owner, Barbara, had her husband were there and her pug, Frank!  
We had lunch on the grounds in the courtyard and it was really good.  A pasta, followed by grilled sausage, Caprese salad, cooked chicory and French fries.  We went back in after lunch and the breakfast food was cleared away, and replaced with cakes and torts…beautiful spread!  At lunch, I met three American women who have lived in Italy for years.  One from Houston!  They know of more quilt groups for me to check out.  We exchanged emails.  Then it was time for the raffle drawings.  I won a cute little pin cushion filled with dried lavender.  The lady drawing the numbers won 2 prizes!  She deserved them, she worked her buns off helping put this day together.   And the husband of our leader won a prize.  She deserved it too!  Then we had Show & Tell.  Some beautiful creations.  I just love my quilting friends here!  
When it was over, Paula and her husband drove me home after stopping at their house to pick up oldest daughter to take her to Baby Jesus Hospital.  She is a sculptor and had hit her arm – hard – with a hammer.  Don’t think it was broken, but probably smashed veins and big bruises soon.  It was very swollen and red and hurt.  I’ll report when I hear.  Just had leftovers and going in to read in bed.  Monday was cleaning day.  Supposed to rain…then be pretty Tuesday on.  I did get a report on Paola’s daughter…the arm isn’t broken, just badly bruised.