I am apparently a once a month updater. I'm embracing this...slowly. Life has been throwing me some curveballs lately. I'm adapting and dealing as best as I can.

The rest of my vacation was great. We spent time up in Rocky Mountain National Forest which was beautiful! Our flight to Portland went off without a hitch. Portland was...well it was pretty much everything we hoped it would be. I pretty much ate vegan the entire time there since Nathan really wanted to try various vegan restaurants, and all things considering, how could I say no? I found the best vegan (and wheat free) chocolate chip cookies at Veganopolis. Actually, they were probably the best cookies I've ever eaten, and did not taste like they didn't have eggs, butter, etc. I'm seriously considering emailing them and begging them to mail me some cookies.

I also found a really nice yarn store Knit/Purl. I stopped by in the morning and bought some Euroflax linen. The lady that helped me offered to wind it, and when I said that's ok cause it would fit better in my suitcase as a hank, emailed (right then and there) a link to a Japenese style winding technique that would keep the yarn from slipping out of the ball and becoming yarn barf. She then invited me to the champagne and knit night later that evening. I have to say I was nervous as I've never been to a proper sit & knit. Hubby even walked me to the shop on his way back to the hotel room. If he hadn't walked me to the door I'm not sure I would have went in. I don't know why I was so nervous, but it turns out it was completely unfounded. The people were wonderful. The atmosphere was great, and the owners were so pleasant and curious about our trip, and what brought us to Portland, etc. I even found a cute little knitting kit with hemp yarn, ( a couple balls) knitting needles, patterns, and a little bag for Nathan. He'd been bugging me to teach him for a while, but since most of my yarn has some sort of animal fiber it hadn't happened yet. I really had a great time with them, and could see myself there a lot.

We walked around a lot of Portland, went to the Sat. market and just had a wonderful time. I've never had such a great and relaxing vacation. Coming home wasn't so relaxing. I messed up my tank top on the flight from Portland to Atlanta. I've been so busy doing the Warshcloth swap that I haven't had the chance to pick it back up again. Sock Wars is starting soon, so I'm not sure I'll have time until after I get assassinated there.

So far Sept has been full of work and life. Trying to get as much knitting done as possible. I apologize for my lack of pictures. I manaaged to leave my cord that connects my camera to the computer at a friend's house in Richmond. Not sure when I'll get that back...

Maybe I'll get the chance to update more later.

Wow, almost a month since a post! That's what I get for not having pictures. I feel like I don't have anything interesting... Oh well, this is going to be a picture heavy post...and a long one; fair warning! There's a nice surprise at the end though; I promise!

I've joined the Mason Dixon swapcloth and have been instructed by my SP to keep up with my blog, so you can thank her for this post. I got an email from her on Friday 8/11 when emails for pals were still going out, so I think she's going to be great! *waves at SP*


So, I'm on vacation! Yay, vacation! It started yesterday, and we were *supposed* to be in Denver by 10:30am. Our Roanoke to Atlanta flight went off without a hitch, and we even go through security in 5mins. We got to Atlanta to find that our Atlanta to Denver flight had been cancelled due to no pilot (who was probably delayed some place else due to heightened security). Mad dash to re-issuing line...and standing in line for almost an hour got us a flight to Vegas at 12:54pm then to Denver by 7pm. Could've been worse, right? Here's a picture of Nathan (hubby) in Chilli's having lunch. We're doing ok at this point.

Our flight to Vegas then gets delayed to 1:30, ok...we can still make the 3:30 flight to Denver, no problem. Then...it's 2:05...cutting it close, but still probably ok. Then, it's 3:30, with an ETA of 4:38. So, we have to rebook a new flight out of Vegas for 5:23. This was my view in Atlanta for a really really long time (remember I was in Atlanta from 8:30-4...yeah, our flight boarded even later than 3:30.)

The 4 hour Vegas flight was good for knitting, and watching Mission Impossible 3, and Over the Hedge, which was really funny. Plus, I got to see the Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, the desert, and, well Vegas. The landscape looked like Mars; nothing like I'd ever seen before (coming from green VA) and was so cool. I wish I had gotten pictures...but my camera was in the top closed storage. We landed in Vegas at about 5:20, and ran our butts off across the airport to get to our Denver flight; no such luck! *This one* was on time...figures. We watched it pull out of the gate and take off. We were rebooked onto a 7:40 flight, and I got to explore the airport. No, I didn't play the slots, but I did buy some chips...how could I not?



At 7:40 we boarded our flight to head to Denver. We met a woman (in her 50's?) who was coming from Hawaii and heading to Orlando, and she was interesting. I mananaged to snap this photo out of the window before they made us turn off all electrical devices. Unfortunately, I couldn't snap a picture of the lit up Vegas strip as we went by, but it was cool.


Cities at night look really neat from the sky...like lit up lace. Got to Denver at about 10:15, and our checked bag was there!! Yay!! That was the thing I was most worried about, cause yeah they *said* it'd go on the next flight...but, well, how often do they say that? Rana picked us up in her 1970 VW bus...so cool. Got to the house around midnight (MST...so 2am EST...remember we started at 7am.)


Today, we went to a sculpture festival (apparently Loveland CO is all about sculpture.) We saw a lot of interesting things, Loveland itself is really pretty, and the weather is really nice. It's hot, but not humid like VA, and there's a nice breeze since it's all pretty flat. They don't use their AC, which I was worried about at first, but now I understand why; it feels nice without it. There's a lake in the middle of Loveland; it's really pretty...this whole place is pretty nice; I have to say.

This morning, in CO, I got mail! How weird is that? Ok, so the backstory is a really good friend of mine is moving to Richmond while I'm on vacation. She was there when I left, but won't be when I get back. The night before we left I saw her, and gave her a going away present. We also hung out the day before and went to Barnes & Noble (my absolute favorite place to bum around in Roanoke) and I saw a "My Trip" journal that I really really wanted. Yeah, like I need another journal...I have like 20 with only a couple that even have a few pages written in. There's just something about them. So, I didn't buy it. So, Leslie did! She had priorty mailed me the journal I wanted, and enclosed a little note. Aww...she's trying to make me cry.

Ok, so I promised you guys a surprise at the end. Since you've been so good, and read this whole thing...my surprise is yarn PrOn! At the sculpture festival there was a craft show, and of course I managed to find the one yarn tent in the craziness. There had to be over 200 tents there, and we only had an hour before Rana had to go to work. Don't mess with a knitter's nose; we know when there's yarn around. This stuff is gorgeous! It's a coppery gold with turquoise, and has a mohair ply and a nylon ply. I saw it knitted up...and it's beautiful. I just need to figure out what I'm going to do with one skein of it.



It's not my typical color palette, but it was just so pretty, and eye-catching! I also scored some really pretty dark purple handsoun alpaca and got to talk with the spinner at length about her wheel, and her alpacas!



Whew! That's a lot of info! I'll try to be more regular with posts from now on so it's not everything at once!

Blogging is not for the faint of heart

So, I was all excited to start my blog, made the first post, and then nothing. It's an interesting thing; knowing that no one is really reading your blog, and that you could really put anything on here, and it would be fairly anonymous. Ah the anonymity of the web. How sweet it is.

I have two and getting ready to start a third, wips! I'm starting to really feel knitterly. I'm making the One Skein tanktop in Jaeger spun plum. Miles of stockinette. Seriously. Ok, so actually it's only 14 inches, but it feels like miles. This should feel meditative and wonderful because I'm knitting my very first garment, and I *think* it's coming out well. I'm so bored though; it's driving me nuts. What's my answer to this? CO some socks, well, one sock. In a very pretty orange, red, yellow handpainted wool that I got on Ebay. They're for my friend Kris in Ct to go with her Superkris costume.

Don't ask.

I also just got in some Knitpicks Options size 3 24" and downloaded the pattern to do two at once toe-up, and I want to start trying that before I get to much further on the Superkris set. If it's that much easier (and I can do 2 at once) then I'll frog what I have so far, and do that.

I know, I know. I need pictures. I can hear you guys already. I'm working on it; really. Maybe next time.

Captain's Log 1

I've succumbed to the blog-o-sphere. *sigh* I'm so not cool...so not indie...oh well.

I have one wip at the moment. I know, I know! I can't call myself a real k-nitter until I have at least 2-3 more. I'm getting there...really. I think I'm missing out on great knitting opportunities throughout the day. Standing in lines, at red lights, during lunch breaks, and any time in between. If I'm ever going to get a project finished I'm going to have to find more time in the day.

We spent this weekend in Charlotte NC at Heroes Con. For a comic book convention it was a lot of fun. I really had fun talking to various artists, and am getting a custom sketch from one of my favorite webcomic artists Danielle Corsetto who's responsible for Girls with Slingshots. Much to the chagrin of dearest hubby, I also had the great pleasure of checking out Charlotte Yarn.

First, coming from Roanoke VA where there is a severe lack of friendly, well stocked YS I was awed and amazed at a) selection, and b) friendliness. They were helpful and pleasant on the phone when I begged for directions so I could replace my size 8 that I had oh so intelligently (can you feel the sarcasm? It's there...I promise) forgotten to stick back in my Denise kit before I packed it. When I had drove a little further than I thought I should have, and called back to find out I was right around the corner she was still just as lovely. When I pulled into the parking lot (empty, albeit) Remy (Remi? Remee?) walked out to greet me with a warm and friendly "You made it!" As I walked in she asked me where I was from, why I was in town, and what I was looking for. I explained my dilemma to her, and she said "well, that little slip up brought you here; it can't be all bad!" Then she went on to give me a basic layout of the store, and told me to grab her if I needed anything. She left me alone. I'm going to repeat that; she left me alone. Do you know how good it feels to be left alone and peruse? It feels wonderful. Those of you that have very nice LYS let this be a lesson as to treat them well because you never know when you could end up like me...with nothing, or worse than nothing; haughty rudeness every time you walk in.

I dropped over $200 in that store. Rowan, DB, Noro, Blue Sky...a pair of 8 24" addi, the summer IK, a couple extra cables (40" + 52") for my Denise sets. I had fun feeling the yarn...playing with it...imagining what it could be, and it was all made possible by the fact that I was left alone instead of being hovered over and followed like I was going to steal something. Remy was very nice, and offered to wind my 7 hanks for me while I sat and chatted with her and another customer (who might as well be an employee for as much time as she said she spends there). Lovely, lovely women. The part that really made me love them? Apparently, before I showed up Remy was in the middle of closing up shop (around 3:30pm) cause it had been a pretty slow day. When I called she decided to stay open just so I could get my needles. How cool is that? She decided to stay open for a perfect stranger who will not frequent her store (though I really want to!!) even though I could have been the worst customer ever.

Awesome, awesome place that everyone must visit when in the Charlotte area.