What's better than quilting, lunch, and meeting new friends?

Recently in the chat room of http://www.quiltinghaven.com/ , a quilting forum that I belong to, an efriend and I began chatting about how it would be fun to meet in person.  The conversation continued until we had a date, a place, and a plan.

Four of us made Wonky Star blocks to swap, then met at the Cafe on the Route, in Baxter Springs, Kansas. http://www.kansastravel.org/cafeontheroute.htm for lunch, conversation and swapping.

What a great day it was..

First, let me say that it is a 2 1/2 hour drive for me to get there, but this little restaurant is well worth the drive. I had been there before, so I was sure we would all love it.  My friend Jane and I came in from the north and Judie and Susie, sisters, came in from Joplin.  Jane and I left nice and early, around 9 am. so that we would get there in plenty of time.  And, sure enough, we had no trouble,,well, except for almost running out of gas in our anticipation to arrive.

As we drove into town, I was looking for the old corner bank building that I remember housed the restaurant.  We drove right up to it!!!.. Parked and got out,,OH NO, the inside had been completely gutted. How can it be, I just checked the web page a week ago..nothing was posted that they were leaving...

I was so disappointed, but got back in the car and called Susie and Judie, not wanting them to make the trip over, just to go back.  Also, I thought we might find a different place to meet.  As I was on the phone, and Jane turned the car around, heading back the way  we had come..OMG,,, there it was. On the OPPOSITE corner.  Was my face red...as they saying goes. 

Whew,  that was a close one. Jane and I went on in, we were the first customers of the day.  We got a nice round table off to the side, so we would have plenty of room and not be disruptive to the other patrons, when they arrived.  Our nice waitress, Gabby, started us right off with our drinks and prepared the table for the four  of us..here is Gabby--

When Judie and Susie arrived, it was easy to identify them, they were carrying their star blocks, and Jane and I already had ours laid on the table. 

So, here is what we did:  We put all of the blocks in a big pile in the middle of the table. Based on age..we won't tell if it was oldest or youngest, Judie went first. 

We took turns picking a block from the stack until they were all gone and we each had 12 NEW blocks to take home, all made by our new friends. 

We each signed one of the blocks we made that was going to a new home.

We were having a great time, laughing and swapping.  By this time the restaurant had filled up..and I noticed everyone else watching us with smiles on.

Then came lunch, Oh my, and desert, OH MY, and then it was time to go...We had just spent four hours turning efriends into real friends. 

Jane and I talked all the way home about our new real friends.  We are thinking it would be good to do this again!