Back From Vacation!

After a week's stay at my brother's cabin/bunkhouse, I'm back home ..... and from the kennel are our two lonesome dogs. Took some gorgeous pictures, this was the sunset the first evening at the lake. Also a pic of my db and dh with one day's catch. Fishing was great .... this year! Last year, my dh hardly caught a fish a day. Weather was very warm during the day but with a breeze most of the time ... nights cooled off enough that sleeping was comfortable with a fan.

While in the Brainerd MN area, I was able to visit two new yarn shops ... one in downtown Brainerd and the other about 15 miles north in Pequot Lakes. Both shops have sock yarn - both wool and non-wool (yes, I did break the yarn diet), basic wool, and lovely specialty yarns. I will definitely go back to either. I also paid a return trip to Among the Pines, along hwy 71 in Baxter/Brainerd. Some trendy clothing has been added to the front of the shop, but she had added Malabrigo, Jitterbug, and a couple other yarn lines since Alcariel and I visited last year. The other yarn shop in Brainerd is part of a quilting shop but I didn't go there .... did plenty of damage at the three I did go to.

Finished the second Broadripple sock from Knitty ... one Christmas gift for the coffee girls done, eight to go!

Since returning home, I've worked on Central Air from BMFA in Trekking. I had started the socks on dps, but after completing the Solstice Slip socks on magic loop, decided to frog the one sock ... I almost had the leg completed. I've been working since returning home on Friday evening and am about 4 inches down on the leg. There wasn't any chance of matching the stripping on both socks, so I guess they will just be fraternal.

Yarn Crawl Acquisitions

While waiting for Cheryl and her knitting group to arrive at Border's, Alcariel and I checked out the knitting books .... I picked up two socks books, Knit Lit (short stories about knitting), Debbie Macumber's book with two short stories about Texas, and a Lori Wick book "White Chocolate Moments". Yes, I do love white chocolate, especially Lundt truffles. It's my "bubble bath" reading material for a while.

Alcariel and I just had to have our morning coffee, so we dropped in at Scooter's for a breakfast burrito and lattes. Then the "power" yarn crawl began. Cheryl, Alcariel, and I hit three yarn shops in Des Moines in 2 1/2 hours! The first shop we stopped in was in a strip mall across the street (to the west) of the Jordan Creek Mall. "Knitting Together" was a lovely shop. The shop owner was most gracious to us as we were "looking." Actually, as I entered the door I saw a lovely boucle wrap jacket that I decided would be perfect for school. So .... I was determined that I would make that jacket ... the pattern "Somerset" is contained in a book with twenty other jackets by Jean Frost. Also purchased a book of baby items by Dale and some medium pink Dale Ull for a sweater for my newest great-niece who's due mid-August.

At Purls, A Yarn Studio, I purchased two balls of alpaca in an

oatmeal colorway for a pair of socks .... also heel reinforcement fiber to match. Also purchased some Opal sock yarn for "Christmas socks" because of the red, green, and yellow colorway. When I got home I had almost an identical colorway from BMFA. Also bought another set of buttons for a vest that I've knitted from a wool/silk boucle (Parisian Nights) that I purchased on the yarn vacation that DD and I went on in summer 2005. These are what I've been looking for ... buttons that really look like they belong with the yarn.

At Creative Corner, I picked up some point protectors for dps and a hank of lace alpaca/silk in a pearl grey colorway..

I had the DD pick up some L & V colorways when she went out last

week to help Eliza with dying and record the weekly podcast. I received robot, samba, and merengue.They are colors that I don't have, so may use them for gifts for friends. TLGB

Yarn Crawl

My DD, Alcariel, and I met in Des Moines (that's Iowa) on Friday afternoon. Friday evening we spent a great time at Borders in West Des Moines knitting with Cheryl and her knitting group. On Saturday morning, we met Cheryl at Knitting Together to start the crawl and went on to Purls the Yarn Studio and Creative Corner. Yes, I did break the yarn diet and Cheryl reminded me that I'd need to reset my counter.
My brother's family hosted a surprise 60th birthday picnic for my sister-in-law early in the afternoon. Since it was on the east side of the metro, we just made it after the crawl. About 3/4 of the way there, I remembered that the present was back in my car at the motel in West Des Moines. Thanks to the USPS in Omaha, the gift was sent on the way today. Her birthday is actually July 3, so maybe (???) it will make it.
Alcariel and I then went to Omaha for the rest of the week-end and so I could watch her co-ed church softball team win ... it's really a celebration when that happens. We celebrated at Cold Stone Creamery. After going home, Alcariel and I had a knitting session ... finished turning the heels on both of the STR socks on magic loop. Now just to finish the gussets. I fell asleep knitting on the Clapotis for a friend ... Alcariel continued knitting for most of the night.
On the way home to northern Iowa, I stopped at another shop in Carroll ... The Yarn Basket. It is fantastic .... has many Addi turbo circs ... had the one I needed! Also acquired something for Alcariel .... items for gifts don't count ..... right???
I got home to two very hyper dogs ... my mini poodle Toffee wouldn't stopped squealing .... yes, she is quite vocal. Cozi, on the other hand, just jumped up a couple of time. I'm glad to be home. TLGB