M.I.A.

I have been knitting, but haven't found time to post anything on my blog for a month now. Could be that we've had a lot of visitors this past month (which we love and I'm not complaining about). Just means that I don't get much written. Currently have friends here, but they're out and about, so I thought I'd take a moment to write a few words.

So happy the election is over and happy about the results, but now I'm nervous. Just hope that things will go well... not sure they can with the current economic crisis and everything else that's being handed to Obama, but he's a smart guy, and I'm hoping that he'll surround himself with other smart people and maybe some brainpower can get us out of this mess.

Took a group of seventh graders to Canterbury a couple of days ago. Great kids and good tour... it's a rush to get through everything and still make it back at a reasonable hour, but well-worth the time. We get bused there, but my husband was saying if we took public transportation it would probably take half the time... the traffic is SO bad.

Started helping with a lunch-time knitting group at school. It's mostly fifth and sixth graders and they're new knitters. They are knitting scarves and hats for the homeless. Sewed one of the hats up and knitted another to add to the stash. Don't have a picture, but it was nothing special. Glad to be helping. Take my knitting each time, but never get to it. There are three of us helping, but we spend most of the time casting on, casting off, fixing mistakes, showing someone how to pearl, helping them switch colors... but the girls are getting better each time and it's really fun.

Have too many projects going at the moment and now I just bought Wendy Bernard's new book Custom Knits, so I have more things that I'm tempted to start. It's taking all my self control not to do it. Wish me luck.

Up, Up and Away!

Mr. Incredible wanted a cape, but we know from Edna Mode what happens to superheroes in capes, but I couldn't resist making this little superhero getup. There's sort of a little Harry Potter lightning bolt thing going on as "Super E" is a super big Harry Potter fan. There was a pattern online, but I'm too cheap to buy something like this so I just winged it. Think it turned out fine.

Our visitors left late Monday, but we had a lot of fun and Saturday and Sunday the weather couldn't have been nicer. Nothing we wanted to do seemed to be open on Sunday, but we still had a great time wandering around the parks and streets of London. Here you can see the kids writing on the wall outside Abbey Road Studios. Getting pretty filled up so should be painted over any day. Also got to see the guards' horses and had fun just walking along a wall across from the Thames on our way to see Westminster Abbey.

Knitting and Stitching Show 2008

My husband told me that a woman at work had a knitter friend in town who had gone to a knitting show on Thursday and really enjoyed it. As he was looking for things to do with his sister and her family who were visiting for the weekend, he ran across the Knitting and Stitching Show that she was talking about. I thought it sounded fun, but I wasn't seriously thinking about going. Hubby insisted as they were all going to the Tower of London, which I've seen already a few times. I'm glad he did.

The venue was lovely--Alexandra Palace--surrounded by lovely parks and with a beautiful view of the city. There was lots to do and see at the show. Three rooms filled with vendors and groups... displays and learning areas. I had a go at knitting with some of those über-sized needles and large balls of stripped wool. I almost bought a pair to make this curtain I've been thinking about, but I decided against it.

The top two pictures are of the Hyperbolic Coral Reef (my pictures aren't doing it justice), but it's a crocheted reef that looks pretty darn real and is meant to bring awareness to the plight of our coral reefs while teaching people the art of crochet. Part of it is dedicated to recycled materials as well. It was a great centerpiece to the entrance of this show.

Although I primarily knit now, I am also pretty good at sewing and enjoy other crafts as well, so it was fun to see all of these arts under one roof. I bought a few little things... some specialty yarns (bamboo, corn silk, soy). A couple balls of each to make socks just to try it out. Bought a kit for a tunic sweater thing that came with the hemp and pattern. Have always wanted to use hemp, but it isn't always easy to find in the stores that are closest to me. Bought some material (which is more beautiful and probably better quality than necessary) to make a pair of hippie bell-bottoms for my daughter's Halloween costume. Found some half-price Rowan and Debbie Bliss for half price as well. Picked them up for baby gifts. But best of all, got lots of great ideas and inspiration.

The Wash Never Ends

Really. It doesn't. I feel like I just get one load done and there's another two waiting for the washer. Then there's the heaping basket of folding that needs to be done. Let's not talk about the piles of dog hair that collect behind the door and under the stairs. Last night I finally got to the inch of dust on the book shelf. Never mind the dishes and scrubbing the lime off the shower glass, taking out the recycling, making beds, mopping the floor and vacuuming... the list goes on and on. I have a husband who does a lot of work, so I can't complain about working a full day and then coming home and working another full day with no help because that's not the case; however, it is disconcerting to have to spend so much of the weekend cleaning, especially when I'd rather be out enjoying London and hanging my family, knitting or reading... whatever. I get stressed by the mess, but I sometimes get paralyzed by it as well. Help! Hand me the sticks. I'll knit the stress away!

Gearing Up for Visitors

We've been enjoying having a friend visit who taught with us in Taiwan. She's my youngest daughter's Godmother and although we've talked on the phone, we haven't seen her since she visited us in Brazil... so it's been a long time. She was married this summer, so I'm trying to get used to a new last name. I never changed mine, so it always seems to throw me off when I have call my friends by a different name. I still look my friend Nancy up under her old name, and my friend Laurie, and my friend Liz... the list goes on.

This past weekend was great to have visitors. The weather was terrific and we were able to visit the South Bank, watch buskers, and just people watch in general. It's always fairly crowded on a nice day, but I've certainly seen it worse. I really enjoyed the painting that you see on the left. The woman has been painting it for the past three weeks. I don't think my back could handle sitting that way for three weeks... Even caught the last performance of the National Theatre's Watch This Space season. I'll definitely look for it again in next summer.

October is filled with guests... three families booked so far. Family and friends. No overlap, but we will have one group leave and the next group come later the same day. I'm just worried about getting the sheets washed :)

So my knitting... I started a cape for the pillow girl's little brother. It's out of the same blue wool my mother-in-law gave me. It was given it by their next door neighbor when his wife died. It's old (can tell from the label), but it's certainly knitting up some nice projects. I have cape boy's initial ("E") on the back and I'm trying to knit a big Harry Potter lightning bolt through it. I botched it up a bit at the tip, but think it should work out eventually. I am proud of the way the back looks. I've been diligent about my stranded color work so it's not a horrid mess in the back. I've done the horrid mess thing in the past, but it didn't seem to matter because I was felting and lining the bag that I did it on. I'll provide a picture later.

Here's me knitting in an over-priced pub along the Thames. You know it's over priced when you order tap water and only one entrée for three to share :)

Is This a Weird Gift for an 11 Year Old?

The pillow is finished. It's sort of cute... smaller than I thought it might be, but that's okay. I started today with just the front sewn together as you can see in these pictures (and that was after staying up until almost midnight sewing on the flowers and completing the first seams). Sewed the rest up today and stuffed it. The kids really wanted to help with the stuffing, but they needed to get to bed and I wasn't close enough at that point to have them stay up to help. I may have mentioned that we were supposed to go to dinner at the "birthday" girl's house tonight, but they had to cancel, so that gave me an extra day to finish. We'll go tomorrow night and now I'll have her gift (only a month late).

The question I have is... is this a weird gift for a kid? Seems like a little old lady gift (perfect for me!) The girl knows I'm knitting her gift, and in a panic today I corned the mom and told her that she might want to tell her daughter I'm not making a sweater or anything like that. I started to think about it and realized she might be really disappointed if she has in her head she's getting a garment of some sort and I show up with a tiny pillow.

Just want to point out that those little spots on the pillow are clumps of beads... as I was looking at the picture, I couldn't tell what they were and I was the one who made the darn thing. Thought it was some lint on the pillow or a mark on my lens.

In case anyone wants to know, this pattern is a mixture of two patterns in the book Knit It! Felt It!

Finally, I just want to show you the card my daughter made for her teacher (the one who has had visa problems and is just arriving for the school year tomorrow). She used one of the flowers that I didn't use and made a pin for her teacher.

Wicked Knitting

Felting in a front loader is frustrating. Could be that I'm just not good at it or don't know the tricks. However, I'm sending the pillow squares for that gift I've been knitting through another cycle in hopes that there will be a little more felting going on the second time around. If anyone has felted using the front loader, let me know what to do. It's so easy to continue agitating the pieces in a top loader... as long as you're paying attention to the time.

So I haven't been around much recently. It's always busy with a new job at a new school. Also hard when you're trying to figure out the routine with the kids. My knitting has been boring (squares), so I haven't had much to talk about. The weather has also been nice, so I've been trying to be outside as much as possible. Once the rain starts and the weather gets cooler, I'm sure I'll be doing a lot of knitting.

Did meet up with some friends from Prague who were here on a school trip with a group of students. Went to see Wicked with them. Knitted a square in the dark... the nice thing about felting is that it's not soooo important that the piece looks perfect (although I must say, it wasn't too bad). The show was big and spectacular. One friend who came with has seen the show several times and felt this was the best she'd seen. Think I'll take my children next time.

I'm off to watch my squares spin. Wish me luck.

Four Hours Sitting in the Rain... at Least I got Knitting Done

The girls are signed up for soccer, but of course they are in different age groups so our Saturday starts at 9 a.m and gets done at 1 p.m. Public transport takes almost an hour so it's an early morning. Many events this weekend were canceled because the forecast was so bad. Soccer (football), of course, was not. It wasn't so bad the first two hours. Met some nice moms and knitted another pillow square, but it was windy, cold and gray. The second session, however, was rainy and miserable. Couldn't wait to get home to a hot cup of tea. Almost finished my last blue pillow square but ran out of yarn, so I started frogging a sweater that I was knitting for my sister-in-law's daughter. It looked great except something was weird along the neckline. I never had the patience to go back and find out what I did wrong, so I'm getting rid of it so it can be used for this pillow. Here it is in pieces. Was frogging on the tube. Would have paid to read the mind of the guy across from me... what a look on his face as he watched me.

Knitting as an Ice-Breaker

I took my youngest daughter to the park down the street after work today. She met a little girl there that she wanted to see again. That little girl wasn't there, but there was another group that were close to her age. She kept trying to get in there and make friends, but they were really into a game and she's a little shy. I sent her back over one last time and she made friends and got into the game and had a great time. So proud of her... although a little quiet, she's always good at making friends... has a sweet manner and other kids respond to her.

So what does that have to do with anything? Well, as she was making friends, I was sitting on a bench knitting and was thinking that I should probably be making friends as well. Looked to my left and there were two grandmotherly women talking to each other (not in English). They seemed to know each other well. Other moms were paired up with the moms of children the same age as their own. Since my kid should have grown out of the playground two years ago, I was sort of out of the loop. Lots of cute kids came up and gave me big grins and shy waves, but no moms in sight. Finally, a woman with two very young children stopped by to get a snack out of her stroller and she made a comment about my knitting and how she loves to knit but the last sweater she knit for her toddler took her months. The baby had on one of her creations, which was beautiful. Wish I had knit when my kids were younger. She was from Slovakia, and when she talked to her kids in Slovak, it all sounded sort of familiar even though I never learned much Czech. So my point being... knitting is often a nice way to open conversations, even if it's someone just asking what you're knitting or saying they wished they knit. It's a nice way to break the ice.

Still working on the felted pillow as a gift. Finished another square today at the park. Only six more to go.

Connected to the Outside World!

Got hooked up to Internet in our new apartment yesterday, so I can finally write (pretty sure that adding to my personal blog at a new job would be a stupid move, so I've been noticeably silent). Anyway, we've gotten moved in and the shipment came and we're slowly getting settled.

The school's welcoming committee has been great about setting up little excursions for all the new faculty. They took us to the London Eye, which I'd already been on, but much nicer when its free! Also took us to Kenilworth Castle and Stratford with other new faculty. Very beautiful and nice to get out the city for the day. Years ago I spent a lot of time in Stratford, which I love. Quite a bit of construction going on at the moment, but still beautiful. Tried to find this little fish 'n chips shop that I went to years ago. There was a bit of a big deal surrounding the shop at that time because they were still using real newsprint to wrap the food in. It was a health concern, but even so, people were reluctant to give up that tradition. Couldn't remember the location, so I went into a shop and asked the sales people if they knew of it. I think I described it as "a local favorite" and "small hole-in-the wall that's been around forever." Sure enough, they immediately came up with the name--Kingfisher. The young woman said that it's her family's favorite and the only place they get their fish 'n chips. It's away from all the tourist shops so the prices are much better. The only trouble... they're closed on Sundays. We'll just have to go back when it's open. Walked along the river in Stratford and took the foot ferry (the girls are on it in the picture to the left) and on to Trinity Church to see Shakespeare's tomb. I've seen all the other Shakespeare properties and would love for my family to see them too, but it's an all-day thing and cheaper to do when you can buy the combo ticket (at least if it's the same as in the past). We'll definitely need to go back.

On to knitting news... all that yarn that I boxed up and shipped has been unpacked but is still a big mess. Have too many projects going at the moment and nothing close to being finished... to the point where I've been frogging and re-knitting pieces, which is never fun so those things have been set aside for a little while. You can see the vest that I've been working on (Leftovers). Have the next done now, but will probably frog it as I think the stitches need to be closer together. Also have the arm trim started, but I'm stalled. I do this every time with things. I just can't finish. Did finish a tunic top for my daughter. That thing had been sitting around for six months or more, but now it's finally done. I'll get her to pose soon so I can post a picture.

Right now I'm in the middle knitting a birthday gift for a friend's daughter. Her birthday was yesterday and I'm probably at least a week away from finishing even in a perfect world, so I need to put other things aside for the moment. I'm making her a pillow for her room. Felted blue and white with flowers sewed on (at least that's what it looks like in my head). Wish me luck.

Moving Day... Sort of

We took possession of the keys today for our London flat (have to get the lingo right!) We moved a few bags over today, but will stay in the hotel one more night so we can sleep on real beds. Our shipment won't arrive for another week, so we bought a couple of air beds to avoid the hard floor. Decided that with guests and sleepovers we'll need them anyway. We'll take the bins over tomorrow and I'll finally get some wash done... four people x one week = a lot of wash.

When people leave the school, many donate items to the incoming teachers. Someone left some yarn. Didn't take too much, although I did grab some went to a friend of mine. I did take some nice 100% merino wool. There wasn't a lot, but I'm making two cases--one for an iPod and one for my husband's reading glasses. I'll try to felt it. Doesn't always work well in the front loading machine, but then again, my former cleaning lady did shrink my daughter's expensive Norwegian sweater without too much trouble. Once again, I'll have photos shortly.

I'm also still working on my leftover vest, but it's gotten too big to walk around with in my knitting bag so that's why I started the smaller projects mentioned above. I'm making it up the back of the vest at this point. It's going fine. Just hope it looks good when it's finished... a little rough at the moment. One of the yarns isn't the same quality as the others and it shows (puckers, not laying as nicely as the rest). Just hoping I'm not disappointed.

Last of the Bubble

We've made it to London and found a flat. If all goes well, we'll have the keys Friday or Saturday... just in time (we're only in the hotel until Sunday). Now if the shipment comes, we'll be set to start the year.
I wanted to get the last pictures of the Bubbly Curtain up since the project is now finished. You can see the beaver sticks and the two panels. Also given a close up of how I've attached the sections (Martha Stewart ribbon). I used little sticks to keep the curtains from folding in.
Had planned to next start chair socks, but the flat that we've just taken has a carpet in the part of the house that will house the dining table. So much for that idea. Some day I WILL make chair socks. I guess I could still make them if I wanted and might, but will wait to see.
Currently knitting the Leftover sweater and about 13 inches done so far. I'll start the arm holes in about two inches. It's been a good project for this stressful time of hunting for apartments... doesn't take much thought. I'll get pictures up soon.
My friend who lives here has been learning to knit. She just finished a scarf for a friend and now I'm helping her knit something in the round for the first time. It may turn into an infant sweater for her brother's new baby or a purse for her daughter or a pillow cover for her son's bed. The beauty of knitting something in the round... it can turn into so many different things.
Not sure when we're get our own Internet connection so postings may be more sporadic, but I'll try.

Bubble Curtain

I have a few more rows of knitting to do on the last panel of the Bubble Curtain, but I thought I'd include pictures of the side that I have hanging. I noticed it doesn't look great in the pictures, but you get the idea. I used medium starch on these, but think that with the length I should have used a heavier starch (which I have on the other side).
You can see that the curtains want to curl in on the sides. I have remedied this by threading some little sticks and twigs in the holes--looks like I need another stick on the purple panel.
The sun comes through this nicely in the morning. There's enough shade to keep from getting the direct sunlight, but it doesn't make the room dark. You can see the lake out the window in one of the pictures. I didn't want to totally give up that view, but I wanted something to give a little protection from the sun.
In this last picture, you see the infamous beaver stick. That guy swam by our dock last night and I was ready to wrestle a stick away from him, but he wasn't carrying anything... just heading home from work, I guess.

Chair Sox

I'm thinking, depending on the apartment we find in London and the type of flooring it has, that I may make chair socks next. I first saw chair socks at the house of some friends--they had gotten them in Japan where they are common. I've been looking for a pattern, but I guess that isn't really necessary. A small tube sock would do. I've been looking for ideas and found a place that sells them here and some free patterns here and here.

I love the colorful sock yarn that's out there... something brown with a splash of color. Before we left Prague, a friend gave us a table that she had made when she lived in China. There are eight chairs (32 socks) so that's another never-ending project, but might be worth it. Will see what yarn I have in my stash that was sent in our shipment. I don't want to buy anything new unless I really need it.

Anyone out there have a nice chair sock pattern that they've seen?

Knitting Lowers Blood Pressure

So I read this once and heard that doctors were prescribing knitting to patients with high blood pressure; however, I had never actually met anyone who was knitting on a doctor's recommendation... until last week. I was buying a knitting magazine and the man behind the counter, probably in his 60s, told me that he was knitting his first sweater. I said something about how it was supposed to lower blood pressure and he said that's why he was doing it. He'd had five heart attacks, something about losing an artery (is that possible?) and blood pressure that was difficult to treat with medication. His doctor was at a loss, so told him to knit. He said so far so good. My blood pressure is so low I'm barely alive, but I don't know if it has anything to do with knitting. Hope the doctor doesn't tell me to quit knitting :)

M.I.A.

It's been weeks since I had time to write. We've had lots of visitors, I went to a conference in Memphis and then more visitors, so I haven't written and haven't even knitted much.

The first group of visitors were families that we knew from when we taught in Brazil. We've gotten together every year or two since the first of us left Brazil. It's so fun to get together with all of them, see how much the kids have grown and pick up where we left off like no time has passed at all. Here are the kids at the local ice cream store. We had ten kids and eight adults and lots of fun in the lake.

I then went to Oxford, Mississippi for a couple of days to visit a friend whom I've taught with in Prague. Visited Rowan Oak (Faulkner's home) and Ole Miss, saw where the first presidential debates will take place between Obama and McCain, attended a reading at a local bookstore by John Grisham's Writer in Residence for 2007-2008, Jack Pendarvis, met an actress who doesn't seem to remember many of the locals' names despite having lived there two years, saw the movie, "We are Wizards," which desperately needed to be edited more, and ate some great Southern cooking. Attended the Laptop Institute in Memphis, Tennessee where I heard lots of great speakers and did a little hour-long presentation on research and laptops. My friend always calls it the "Lap-dance Institute," but I won't go into the one wild night we had at the end of the conference.

Got home and then had my husband's family up at the lake the next day. They stayed several days and we enjoyed tubing, skiing, fishing, and toasting marshmallows. My in-laws even took the kids one night and the three couples got to go out to eat and have normal conversation, although even that is getting easier now that the kids are older and better able to entertain themselves. Everyone gives my mother-in-law a hard time about her family photos, which she insists on each year. There's only one photogenic family in the bunch (and we're not the one), so the rest of us sort of suffer through and end up looking like the poor relations when the Christmas card comes out, but it is fun to have the photos in the end. Here is the annual "self-timer" photo so everyone is there.

Knitting note: I'm on my last little panel for the curtain (at least with the yarn I have). I think I will need to buy more. Not sure I'll have this done before we leave as that is less than two weeks away. My husband was relaxing out at the dock last night when the beaver cruised by. He said that that brazen beaver came within feet of him, sort of gave him the triple stink eye and kept going. Asked if he was carrying a beaver stick for my second curtain rod, but hubby said no. Thought maybe hubby could have wrestled the beaver for it.
At the laptop institute I didn't knit. Saw two knitters, though. One woman was knitting a blue baby something but didn't have time to ask about it as my friend, who was presenting next, couldn't find the right sized dongle for her computer and needed my help. There was also a man knitting. My friend remembers him from when she attended two years ago.

Sad Day

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time, you know that we live this very transient life, moving around the world and working in different countries. The second country I worked in was Norway and there I met this great couple, Mike and Terri Hunziker. At that time they didn't have children, but they came in with me and I remember thinking how upbeat and positive they always were. I only stayed in Norway one year because I got married and the school didn't have a science opening for my husband, so we moved to Taiwan. Anyway, this is a very long way of saying, I moved and other than one visit to Washington where I hooked up with Mike and Terri, I hadn't seen them in years. However, Terri always kept in touch, so I got news from time to time. Our eldest children were born around the same time and I remember sharing new baby stories with her. After my father was diagnosed with lung cancer I got word that Terri, who had never smoked a day in her life nor had ever been around smokers, was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer just like my father. It was shocking not only because she had never smoked, but also because she was younger than I and had just given birth to her second son.

She was really an inspiration to me because she fought to get treatment and was a real advocate for herself and others in her situation. She lived with Stage 4 lung cancer for five years and despite setbacks, she didn't give up. It was very recently that an email came that said the doctors had told her she should meet with hospice workers to discuss her care. Yesterday there came word that Terri had died, July 4th. She was 45. I'm including Terri's website and an article about her because I think she can be an inspiration to others. Please send your thoughts and prayers to Terri's two young sons and her husband.

I guess my earlier point about my transient life was that it is comforting to see how despite not having seen Terri for years, we still managed to keep in touch and that she still had so many friends from her time in Norway.

Finished the Everlasting Bagstopper, again

My eldest wanted an Everlasting Bastopper bag in purple. I'd finished the bag two weeks ago, but didn't have the ribbon for the straps. Purple is not easy to match... I made this pattern for my other daughter before, but had knitted straps. I can see why the pattern does not call for knitted straps... they stretched out and now the bag is practically on the floor for her. I may go back and sew some ribbon on that bag as well. What is so funny about this bag that you see here is that because I sewed the ribbons on the outside of the bag (not hidden on the inside) I sewed an "X" through the square that I'd sewn to make it look a little more finished. When she saw it, my daughter kept screaming, "It's so professional! It's looks like a professional did it!" Takes so little to impress the naive.

Thought I'd show you the boat and boat lift that has been taking so much of my husband's time lately. He's very proud of his boat, which is quite funny because he's not like some guys with their toys. I think he's so impressed with it because it was a "deal" AND has a big motor. A big motor in and of itself wouldn't impress him. This monster boat lift (all steel, not aluminum, so you can guess the weight) is also his pride and joy. Again, it's all about the fact that he didn't pay much and could just fix it up to meet our needs. He's currently working on a swim raft for the kids. Took me weeks to track down empty barrels, but I finally found them and for a deal as well. When it's done I'll let you take a peek.

When I was on the lake today, there were all sorts of Blue Flag Irises in bloom. Not a great picture, but they were lovely.

Have a happy and safe July 4th, everyone!

Digging Through Years of Stuff

We're here for so little time over the summer... it would be fun just to play the entire time, but that never really happens. Yesterday I spent a few hours digging through all sorts of papers and stuff we've saved over the years with the idea that maybe we'd use it, need it, appreciate it sometime in the future. Sometime never came so we're packing it up for the church garage sale, for recycling and for the trash if all else fails. For many years I saved all the girls' school stuff (it was all so precious back then) and put it in bins to look at later. Later was yesterday and needless to say, we had a big bonfire yesterday and will recycle the rest. Saved a couple of the best things from each year. I'm sure in a year or two I'll throw more out. I've been much better the last two years ditching things as the kids bring them home. Anyway, still have too much stuff in those bins in the basement, but will continue to reduce. Finally feeling like we're making progress.

Followed a beaver for a quarter mile or so today with my youngest in the kayak. The wind was blowing so he couldn't smell us so we went undetected (or at least he didn't seem to care we were there).

Got the boat lift in yesterday and the boat will go in today. Wish us luck. My husband and his father spent hours trying to get this old boat lift to fit the boat--lots of welding, cutting of metal, pounding, painting... I only have to help when it comes to putting the thing in the water (which isn't really fun), but it did help that I picked up a wetsuit that fits. Much more comfortable.

Northland Knitting

The kids let me stop at two knitting stores on the way to St. Cloud. I enjoyed both, but they were both quite different. The first stop was in Pequot Lakes at a place called Unraveled (31069 Country Road 112). The owner seemed super friendly, but I didn't really take time to ask questions. She had a great selection of interesting yarns from different fibers--bamboo and corn, for example. She had a nice selection of magazines and the old magazines came buy 1, get 1 free, which is great for me because I'm never around during the year to get the magazines from fall and winter.

The second shop is in Baxter and after pulling into the parking lot, I almost didn't get out because it says, "Clothing" in large letters on the window, and "& yarn" sort of as an after thought. I figured they wouldn't really have much. Boy was I wrong. Sue, the owner, has a nice little store called Among the Pines (15670 Edgewood Dr.) Lots of great wool (she does a lot of felting) and lots of knitted and felted examples all over the store. Also lots of books and magazines for sale. The woman who helped me couldn't have been nicer and Sue, who was helping another customer, kept coming over and helping me decide how much yarn to buy. She was great in that she showed me how to combine yarns, so I wasn't buying just the expensive stuff, which was nice. (You can see my purchase being wound into balls--for felting a pillow for downstairs.) They said they have Tuesday night knitting club where people just stop in and knit. There were a couple of afghans that two women from the knitting night had finished (they were sharing yarn). Absolutely beautiful. Among the Pines didn't sell much of the specialty fibers that Unraveled had, but they certainly had a beautiful selection of fine wool. I'd highly recommend both stores--depending on your needs.

Finished another panel for my curtain fiasco. Bought some ribbon in St. Cloud. Started putting the pieces together, but ran out of the ribbon. Now I need to go back to St. Cloud and pick up more. That's the problem with living out in the middle of nowhere... I think it's looking okay. The panels aren't lining up as well as I'd like, but it should be fine. The point is to block out some of the direct sunlight in the morning so we can sleep past 5:30 a.m.

Guess what I found!

Yup... you guessed it... the directions to the Bubbly Curtain. Once I got through the mess in the bedroom upstairs, I found the lost photocopy. Here's my start.

I've been doing a little research for a road trip. We're heading down to the in-laws where my husband will meet us after his canoe trip. The weather is overcast and cool, so I thought we might leave early and take a little different route home and hit a series of yarn stores I've had my eye on for a few years now. If I can get the kids to cooperate... won't resort to bribery just yet, but we'll see what the day brings.

Home Alone

This is going to sound very weird, but I stayed in our lake home for the first time ever by myself. Hubby went on his annual canoe trip with a group of high school buddies, and the girls stayed at the neighbor's. I was home working on a presentation I'll give in a couple of weeks at the Laptop Institute in Memphis. Anyway, it was very strange being alone. Even if my husband has been away in the past, I've always had the kids around. I never slept well until I was married. Didn't sleep well last night. God forbid anything happens to my husband, I'll never have a good night of sleep again.

The other night, my husband was getting things ready for his trip, so he buzzed his hair and more. He came back with a totally clean-shaven face. I haven't seen him without a beard for fourteen years and the kids have NEVER seen him without it. Wish I had been there to see their reactions when they woke up in the morning (I was out kayaking). I guess they just freaked. He looks like a twelve-year-old boy (with Fred Flintstone five o'clock shadow). He went back to his parents' yesterday where he met up with his friends and when I talked to his mother that evening, she said she hadn't even noticed! I guess maybe she saw him for so many years without the beard, it wasn't strange for her. I'm secretly hoping he grows it back, but will let him make that decision.

Besides getting ready for the presentation, I'm also trying to get things put away. But found time this morning to go out kayaking again. I try to do it as many mornings as I can. I love how quiet it is during the week (rarely see another boat) and I get to see a lot of wildlife. Each summer I come back I worry that all the birds and animals will be gone and sometimes it takes me a day or two to see anything, but I'm never disappointed. Seems the deer population is down (which is good for my hostas), but in the past they've sort of hung out like the neighbor's dog and now they aren't to be found; however, I did scare one up today as I paddled over to see if the lady's slipper (Minnesota state flower) I know of had already bloomed for the summer. Saw a bald eagle diving into the water yesterday to catch a fish. The loons are out. And had a possible otter sighting this morning, but won't put it on my list until I get a better sighting. Water was like glass as you can see from the picture.

Went to the library in a neighboring town where I went for my annual boob-smashing, picture-taking session better known as a mammogram. Went in to see if they had Mason-Dixon Knitting so I could photocopy the lost page, but no luck. Have nothing to knit at the moment. May have to go into the LYS here in town. The women who work there are nice enough, but they smoke like chimneys and everything you buy smells like smoke. But I'm getting pretty desperate. If I can hold off another day, I'll make it to the big city with a better, less smoky selection.

Home Sweet Home

We made it back to the States and despite a summer cold that keeps hanging on, I'm getting over jet lag pretty quickly (thank goodness for melatonin) and getting things unpacked and organized... slowly, but it's all happening. The weather was sunny and warm today (80s, which is how I like it... or even hotter), so we were in the lake and despite a cold spring, the water wasn't too bad (and I'm pretty wimpy about cold water). Even managed to get a little color.

But before all that, I did get a little knitting done. Finished another Bubble Curtain from Mason*Dixon Knitting. Found the other panels that I finished last summer so I could gauge the size of the finished piece, then got out the starch, my trusty blocking board and my tacks and went to work. It's stretched to the hilt, but it ends up looking nice and the starch gives it a crisp look that I like. When we go back to town, I need to look for something to lace through the holes to join the panels. Not sure whether I'll look for a ribbon or something more rustic like a soft leather. I'll have to wait to see what I find. I've been trying to decide what to use as a curtain rod. In the book there's a stick and I like the look. It's not like there aren't tons of sticks here, but then it hit me... a beaver stick! I have one here already, and we have enough beaver on the lake, I'm sure I'll find another one the right size. I like them because they're so light and the texture is pretty cool and beaver sticks have been collected by the kids for years so it reminds me of them.

I started to cast on the next color for the next curtain and realized that I don't know how many to cast on. I photocopied two pages out of the book and sent it in the shipment to London. Now I've lost one of the pages... so if anyone knows how many stitches I cast on, I'd appreciate getting the word.