Rhinebeck, At Last!

Wow! I can't believe that it's been two weeks since Rhinebeck! I finally have a day off today, so first on the list (well, right after breakfast...) is updating.

I was planning on taking The Husband and he could go visit the Airplane museum, but alas, alack, a lad I lacked. Luckily More Yarn For Me from Harrisburg was looking for someone to go to Rhinebeck with. We met at The Brother's house and were on our way!

MYFM discovered a whole new way for knitters to travel. She called it short-rowing. It seems that every place we tried to find that weekend took at least a 20-minute detour. We got closer to finding our way and then overshot and had to go back. See? Short rows. Note to travellers: Don't just take the Google or Map Quest maps with you. Make sure you have a real road map of the state to which you travel. Once you get off the little square map the computer gives you, you are on your own. Easier with the big girls maps.

We got to the hotel, checked in and went in search of evening sustenance. Who do you think was the very first blog celebrity we met? This guy:Emerson Cygnet. Can you say, "Happy Baby!" It seemed that every where we went there was Emerson and his paparazzi. I am so glad I got to see him (and his Mom and Dad, too). A heart breaker, a cutie, and a sweet baby. Your pick as to who is who.

MYFM and I wandered around the fairgrounds (well, once we found them, there was that detour to the bowling alley.....) and did some major damage to the exchequer. Well, not really, but I did buy some Quivet (at $25 a ball, it should be capitalized!), and some STR in bright! colors. Mostly we looked and oohed and ahhhed at the wonderful stuff to be had. I even saw a fellow with a pet sheep. A lap sheep. Don't believe me? See the proof.

He sat there with this guy for at least a half an hour. Talk about devotion. As for the rest of the weekend? It was a blur of great yarn, fun busker acts, yarn, Border Collie demos, yarn, spinning, knitting, yarn, people watching, and yarn. There was a lot of yarn. Many people walked up to total strangers and said variations of the following, "Ohh! That's from Knitter's magazine, right?" I spotted at least one Rogue, several Icaruses (Icaruii?) and almost had the earrings bought off of my earlobes. I was wearing my "Los Lobe Hose". Tiny little socks knit on tiny little needles (complete with short row heels) and sewn to earring hooks. At the last minute, the lady decided that her friend didn't have pierced ears. Rats! I could have bought one more skein of yarn.

Not that I didn't get some good stuff. Besides the Quivet, and the STR I got a scarf kit for Younger Son's girlfriend (Hi! Don't check the link, you want to be surprised!), some Lorna's Laces in clown color way (I may have to make another pair of socks for Elder Son. When asked, I say that his shoe size is "Clown"), and a good drop spindle. I had one long ago, but it was really heavy and this one is pretty (ohhh, Shiny!).. Maybe it will hold my attention long enough to learn to spin.

All in all, I had a great time (special thanks to More Yarn For Me. It wouldn't have been nearly as much fun alone), saw lots of great stuff, spent a little money (really, less that a week's pay), and I think I'll wait three or four years before going back. It's a long trip and needs to be savored. (pssstt! Anyone going to the Maryland Sheep and Wool?)

All the News That Fits

Sorry to have been gone so long. It's the High Holiday season and that means cooking. And cooking. And Cooking!! The last two Sundays I went to a friend's house to work on cookies for the Break the Fast dinner (right after 26 hours of fasting on Yom Kippur). Last Sunday, we baked for more than five hours. At the end we were so giddy, I threw a pan of prepared cookie dough at her (I swear, it was an accident) and she laughed so hard she had to leave the room. Yesterday we baked for four hours and filled her freezer. During this week, I am a second grade teacher who comes home at night and bakes another batch or two of cookies. On Friday, I will be baking challah. Lots of challah. Thank goodness Sandra (the cookie wearing friend above) talked my out of baking challah napkin rings for the tables. I will only have to bake 14 loaves.

I am going to Rhinebeck. I was kind of looking forward to taking a trip with The Husband but he has been offered an extension on his contract and will be staying in the South for an extra month. Yay! for the exchequer. Boo! for the lonely wife. Anyhow, I've got my room reserved and have already made plans to stop and visit The Brother and his family on the way. See you there (if I don't get lost.......)

On the knitting front" The Husband made another order to Daedelus and found this knitting book:

The book is Perfectly Brilliant Knits and are they ever! There is a pattern for a sweater with knitted in DNA strands. COOL! The sizing is even realistic with most sweaters running up to an extra large. The blue sweater is a shell pattern with a cardigan that sort of matches (without being all matchy matchy if you're careful about your yarns). It's knit from Knitpicks Shine, a cotton yarn. Speaking of Knitpicks....Have you seen the beautiful new wooden needles for the Options set? We wants it!! (sorry about that, I read the Harlot just before I posted and the note kind of got to me).

On the sock needles, I'm still working on the socotta yarn. Did I ever get that picture on? If not, here they are at the beginning:

I am actually on the foot by now, I just haven't got any pictures. The second graders I have this week are really impressed that anyone could make socks! Gotta get to the kitchen and make something for dinner and about 3 million more cookies. Don't worry if I don't post soon, I'm just buried in dough (the cookie kind, darn it!)