November 20
What a day! What a day! I went to Termini to catch a train to meet some of the quilt girls. The board said Track 20, so I went to Track 20 and got on the train. One of the nicest ones I’ve been on…even had an upstairs! I got all settled, got out my sewing and an announcement was made that I didn’t understand a single word of. I did notice everyone was getting off the train and walking further down the track. So, I gathered my stuff to get off also, and the door wouldn’t open. I’m pushing the button and the. Banging on the window and no one seems to know what to do. Everyone pushes the button outside to open the door, but nothing happens…and I’m in a panic. Francesca is picking me up at the other end…and I need to be there. Finally two policemen come and they have a master key and get the door open for me. The lady conductor is standing outside the OTHER train on track 20 and she waves…she is aware I’ve been trapped…so I go to the second train and get on…this is a whistle stop deal and nowhere near as nice as the first…wrong train. But we leave on time, with me on board.

Get to my destination and Francesca is there and we drive to Maria’s house. She has been a quilting teacher for 20 years and does amazing work. Another friend joins us, Carla, and we have something to eat and coffee. Then we go to Maria’s studio. I think it could have once been two bedrooms with a wall removed between the two. Not only is it a studio for teaching but a quilt store…floor to ceiling bolts of fabric and patterns and everything else.  

First, Carla pulls out two beautiful quilts in progress and asked me which one I would like to have as a gift from her. One is in Orangy batiks and the other is a flowered pieced small quilt. At first I decide on the Orangy one…being my favorite color, but then change my mind and decide on the other. Then she says she wants me to have both! later we go into the ‘shop’ and we are all picking out fabric to buy, and I have a small pile and Maria picks some more fabric and a pattern and adds it to the stack, sacks it up and says ‘Merry Christmas’! I guess I’m just the luckiest girl in Rome to have found these wonderful women to be my dearest friends over here. They are not happy about me leaving either. But I have promised to return and write and send pictures. Francesca and I went to eat lunch and I caught the train back to Rome. We have a Quilters Luncheon planned for the 30th…so will look forward to seeing them again then.