The annual pilgrimage to Paducah has begun. For those of you who have not found the "calling" to the quilt show in west Kentucky each April, you might not understand the allure of this annual spring rite, dare I say "religious experience?" For those of us bitten by the Paducah bug, it is one of those things that out rank any other event of the year. Christmas, in my house, does not take on the importance of PADUCAH. Say it with me children -- PA-DUC-AH.

So here is how it is shaking out: Six months ago, I started getting calls from friends, friends-of-friends, and friends-of-friends-of-friends – all asking if I had room at my house to "camp out" on the floor, or could they park their RV in my yard during the show. Of course, these are the desperate ones, who did not get reservations into hotels, campgrounds and B&Bs in time to secure a place within a 100 miles radius of the town. (Oh, I should have mentioned, I still have a house at Kentucky Lake that I just can't bear to give up.) As I write, there are eight RVs being packed up for the road trip from Kansas and Nebraska—I'm not sure how many quilters are going to be in these RVs, but I'm sure every bed has a planned occupant. There are another seven people going to be at the house in addition to my two sisters, three dogs, four cats and myself. We converge on the property like an army on the move. Sync your watches for ETA -- Tuesday, 4:00 p.m. CDT – plenty of time to get to the awards ceremony that night, plus sneak-preview.

Starting two weeks ago, there has been a mad flurry of phone calls and emails setting up meetings, dinners, general girl sessions. Also there are the endless plans of who is bringing what to the house, what classes are you taking, what are you wearing (great walking shoes, of course). This has required major strategic planning – my "general" brother would be proud.

For four days of the show, Paducah will transform itself into Quilt City USA® -- where quilters own the streets. Everything will be all about quilting. There will be vendors throughout the town – even at the Mall. Shuttle buses zooming through the streets carrying quilters to every venue. Window fronts will display quilts – even the law offices and the Harley Davidson dealer will have quilts. My visitors and I will be immersed (including our pocketbooks) in all things "quilting." We will ogle at all the competition quilts – of course, making our own valued judgments on the quality of the work and design. We will debate the endless conflict between traditional and fiber art. We will roam the aisles of the trade show, looking (and, of course, buying) all the latest stuff that we just can't live without (but will soon forget why we bought it).

Must-dos while in Paducah: EZ Quilting by Wrights (Darlene Zimmerman is going to be there); Eleanor Burns' Quilt in a Day shop (my friend Jeanie is the new manager); Caryl Bryer Fallert's Bryerpatch studio; and the Quilt Museum.

Trip to Paducah = $500
Shopping for items I'll most-likely never use = $2000
Being with Friends = PRICELESS

For those of you headed out – Travel Safe – I'll see you there! For those not answering the call, I'll post photos on my return.