Now that I am retired, and it's starting to be winter, i.e. cold and wet in this part of California, I have gotten my boxes of fabric, swing machine, and other quilting tools out. I have some unfinished projects dating back about 4 years, and am looking forward to finishing them and to doing more piecing because sewing makes me happy.

I also decided it might be good to find quilting friends. I moved here a little over a year ago, and have friends here but no one who would want to hop in the car and drive 25 miles to a fabric/quilt store. Sometimes I'd like to have that company. And I know I will want an audience for completed projects. So...

Simultaneously, there was a posting on our local NextDoor about starting a local quilting group. First organizational meeting was last week. Twelve women showed up, 9 of which live in a nearby gated community. But this was hosted by a woman in town, so it was all good, or so I thought.

Today an email comes to the group with details for next week's meeting- and its being held in the clubhouse at the gated community! So I email back, thinking someone would "guest" the 3 of us who don't live there. I asked how we would get in. I got an immediate answer: "You don't." -- WTH?!?!?

I inquired again- sometimes I'm just stubborn like that- asking about the others. Immediately i was told, "oh, they realized we are out of their league and they have dropped out. You are not welcome. This is for residents only."

I tell you, I was seeing red for about an hour! How dare they!! They used, then excluded, the woman who started the ball rolling for the group, letting her field and answer all the emails, ready her house, etc. Then excluded 3 of us! I called and left messages for the other 2, suggesting that we have our own group. That was this morning, and neither have answered me.

I was asking myself- how could they?! - then realized it's just like the mean girls in middle school- they never changed!!
I'm running into a lot of nastiness in the world these days. I think I must have been really very sheltered all those years teaching in elementary schools.
But I never dreamed a group of quilters would be so mean.