I'm In!

from the Philly Flower Show...

I heard today that I made it in the Spinning Workshop during the Estes Park Wool Market. Two days learning with Maggie Casey!

I. am. so. excited!

And so is Molly.

Tonight was my last 'beginning photography' class. I gained enough nuggets of knowledge to justify the time and money, I think.  I am not rushing to enroll in the next class, however.  I am going to play around with the camera for a while.  I was pleased with my experience at the flower show.  While my 'artsy composition' may be lacking, my technical skills are gaining ground.

So progress, and that is good.

And that's all there is tonight.  I have had a really busy week, with knitterly peeps, and watching the grandbebe girls, and photog class.  Which is all good, but on top of a cold, getting back into the swing of things at work, the timezoning and all...well, that's just all I have.

At least I am back to blogging!

Rested Up

And ready to go again. Maybe.


I am still down with the souvenir cold I brought home from my traveling. And the time zoning. I decided I better get on the stick before this weekend, when I will be whacked with the time changing. (Consider that a PSA. Don’t forget. Spring ahead!)

Rest assured, one and all, that Molly, the Marvelous Matchless is living up to my expectations. She is indeed a beauty, and together we are spinning ourselves some suri alpaca (in double drive!), and getting along famously. So famously, in fact, that I decided to take two days off in June, and have applied for the spinning workshop during the Estes Park Wool Market. Class size is limited, and I hope I get in. Second choice is a dyeing class, which will be fine, too. Wonderful Guy and I will be spending a long weekend up there. He will find something beside wool to distract him.

The February Lady Sweater is coming along, having had so much plane time of late. I started the first sleeve since I have been home. Knitting at lunch, spinning at night. Except for last night, when I had my knitterly peeps over. Eldest is quite taken with the pattern and wants one of her own, which I have promised. I like the opportunity (mostly) to knit a pattern more than once. It gives me the chance to work out the kinks. With my knitting, not so much the pattern. But sometimes the pattern, too, or at least my understanding of what the pattern is saying!

It seems I have been successful, though, at least to this point, in knitting a pretty sweet sweater. (I will get a photo when I get to getting photos of things...) And while I have another pair of socks on the needles, I hear the cashmere and Peasy calling.

In other news, Only Brother was at the Family Gathering.  Seems he has himself a fancy new phone that allows him to keep track of Dearest Sister's and my blogs now.  Seems he has read them both front to back.  Reading them on his new phone threw me off.  I was looking to see if someone was reading from the vicinity of where he lives.

Tricky boy.

His comment?  Something to the effect that he had no idea there were so many different fibery pursuits!

Ha!  HaHa!  I haven't started dyeing yet, and neither of us have even given weaving a glance.

Home Again Home Again Redux

And it was a good vacation, from start to finish.

Lots of visiting.  Lots of laughing.

Things were seen. Places were viewed.  Photos were taken.

Food was eaten.  Slippers were gifted (and all but one pair fit).

A terrific amount of plane knitting occurred.

Tomorrow it's back to my routine.  But!

Spring (and the garden) is a bit closer, and when I got home...

My first issue of Interweave Knits was awaiting me...

And Molly!  Why...whoever could be Molly?

It's Molly, the Marvelous Matchless.  New to me, she arrived Saturday, the day after I left, and has been cooling her heels at the post office until Wonderful Guy could retrieve her on his return from the job yesterday.  (I may have sort of implied that he needn't bother picking me up from the airport if he didn't make it to the PO first...maybe...)

I unpacked her last night to ensure she arrived intact, then set her up this morning and spun some. Oh my goodness.

Fun fun fun!  I barely tore myself away to let KitKatKnit (who generously let me have first crack at buying her) know she arrived safely, and to post here about my new friend.

Now, sadly, I must post that Betsy, the flying Lendrum is for sale. Sniff. She's been a good and true friend, but I cannot, I will not, start collecting wheels.  Off to Ravelry I go.

(PS If one is interested, Betsy is 3 years old, and has been lovingly used.  Comes intact with all parts, plus 3 extra bobbins (orig 16.50 each).  I will include oil and roving as well.  I have the original paperwork (such as it is) and the original box for shipping.  I am asking $450, plus shipping.)

What A Time We've Had

Bags are half packed and we've checked in on-line for our flights home tomorrow.

Alas.  Vacation is winding down.  But what a time we have had.

After an eight hour day at the Flower Show, we packed up and drove to NYC.  Brooklyn, specifically, to see whereabouts Precious Niece is now living and working.  While there, Mary met up with us at the Brooklyn General Store, where we bought vintage fabric and yarn.

Yes.  Real life vintage fabric.  And yarn.  In the same store.  DSis and I were not thinking such a place existed.

After shopping, we had a beverage down the block and chatted it up with Mary for quite a while.  When we parted company, we wondered around the area until dinner, and stumbled across another yarn store named Casita.  Where more yarn was bought.

Our time in the Big Apple was cut short.  We are fighting colds, you see, and were just too punked out to do anything that took any energy.

With a day of rest, however we were good to go today, and made a trek to historic antique row,

the Italian Market,

and Independence Square.

So tomorrow it is time to head home.  I am always sorry to say good-bye to DSis and Niece, and it is hard to leave my Eldest.

However, I do have something special waiting for me when I get home.  Beside the Guy, I mean.

Just wait 'til you see!

Having A Great Time

As usual, when in the company of these accomplices.

Monday was a too full travel day.  Very much too full.  Every seat on both planes too full!

Yesterday we spend eight grand hours at the Philadelphia Flower Show.

DSis, Eldest Daughter, and I have about 700 photos between us.  Different lenses, different perspectives, different settings.  Very interesting!

There was also yarn...

Today we head to New York City to see Precious Niece's new digs in the big city.  Exciting plans we have for today and tomorrow.

In other news, today is Wonderful Guy's birthday.  He is busy busy busy with work, and probably won't be reading this, but, you know, just in case...

Happy Birthday, WG.  Hope your day was a smooth one.