That's How We Roll

Up bright and early, I was excited to hit the Sew and Craft Quilt show in Fresno at the fairgrounds.  The directions were skimpy at best, and after an hour of 70 mph on the freeway, I missed the entrance, not once, but twice!!  Grrrrr  Sometimes you just have to work for the goodies.

It's not a big show by any means, but all the big name quilting machines were there.  In fact, they took up half the building.  Some were so huge they wouldn't even fit in my house.  Instead, I headed for the bright colors.

Fabric has become like diesel fuel.  The prices have skyrocketed recently to $13 and $14 a yard.  That equates to roughly $200 for a decent sized quilt, which is why I shop Joanns a lot, since they are still in the $10 range.  These one yard cuts were on sale for $6 each.  Naturally, they were going like hotcakes!!

That's why the early bird gets the worm AND the fabric and doesn't have to fight the crowds.  By noon, the selection was much smaller and the aisles totally blocked with people.  

I picked up a few things, but nothing to write home about.  This probably doesn't interest anyone not a quilter, but the latest and greatest is paper piecing, a rather arduous task in my book.  That's why I've chosen not to do it so far.  However, there are always new inventions, and the pattern on the left is one of them.  

The pattern pieces are a very thin see through material with the sewing lines marked on them.  Place the fabric ... sew on the lines.  It can't be that hard, so I thought I might try it.  If nothing else, it will get the old brain to working overtime, making sure I don't cut on the wrong line.

My REAL reason for going to the quilt show was to have lunch with the Westerfields.  I missed the message, but finally caught up to them in Clovis.  It's one of those tiny towns with narrow streets and no place to park, who happens to be in the middle of rodeo week.  It doesn't help that the name of the restaurant was on the side of the building where no cars can drive.  

I spent a lot of time in Clovis when I was MUCH younger.  It's where all the cowboys lived.  It's also where I got stranded one night when my ex-boyfriend offered a ride to three of us friends, then decided to go home without telling anyone.  Possibly that's why he was an EX.  In case you haven't noticed, I never go anywhere now unless I'm driving.  That's why!!

We had a wonderful lunch at the House Of Ju Ju.  Two huge fish tacos and a salad the size of Mt. Everest.  I was so busy eating, I didn't take pictures.  Actually, I was distracted by the thought of rolled ice cream, which is where we were headed next.

This was my very first experience with this new phenom.  Apparently there is nitrogen underneath these flat pans.  The first thing they do is smash cookies, or strawberries, or whatever flavor you have chosen.  There are 23 different kinds or you can name your own concoction.  Then they dump on the ice cream base and smash it up, chopping as they go.

With two spatulas, they spread it out thin, upon which they pour lots of sauce ... like caramel, chocolate, peanut butter or whatever your pleasure.  Starting at one end, they scrape up the now frozen ice cream.  It automatically forms a roll.  Seven of them to be exact, which are then deposited in your cup.

Add more sauce, marshmallows in my case, whipped cream and a cookie.  OMG!!!!!  This was probably the tastiest ice cream I've ever had.  I'm thinking it's because the sauces you pick are not lost in the ice cream, but right up front making your taste buds sing!!  Wait ..... this is all Keto, right?????

So that's how they roll the ice cream, and that's how WE roll.  It all disappeared in a matter of minutes.

I threaded my way back home through the traffic, taking 45 minutes longer than the trip down.  The puppies were VERY happy for my return, as was my friend Cyndae.  The Kissack Hotel is again open for a couple of days.  In the meantime, it's back to packing for me!!