Yarnivorous

G'day all! It has been a very disturbing week.  Not only have I been coming off the high from last week, but things like the Boston marathon bombings, the explosion in West and then earthquake in China - normally I try not to let things in the news disturb me, but this week I've been a bit vulnerable and some of the news has been quite shocking.  I'm still feeling a bit off-balance. I'm probably in pretty good company though, aren't I? So when the going gets tough, the tough start knitting madly.  This week I've knitted two cowls and finished off another massive one (that I am likely to rip out and redo in another way, now that I've worked out what that way should be). Do not adjust your eyes, well maybe put sunglasses on IRL the yarn is neon yellow and green. I've been planning to knit a Norwegian sweater ever since Syttende Mai last year, when there were not enough handknitted Norwegian sweaters on display at the parade.  Well I final...

G'day all! I was told that I would not have words to describe this last week, and well, whoever told me that, they were right! I arrived in the evening at Lakedale Resort, along with three other later arrivals, after catching the 4:30 ferry and having dinner.  All bar one of the other attendees were sitting around chatting in the gathering space.  Cat (Bordhi, the organiser and leader and teacher of the retreat) asked each of us to introduce ourselves and relate how we learned to knit, and the stories began to unfold. Hmm, hope this size doesn't overrun the edge of the blog.  Lakedale Lodge. And over the next four days something magical happened.  We became a group.  We chatted, we laughed, we ate together, we learned about each other to a greater or lesser extent, we learned... some of us didn't get enough sleep for either staying up and knitting and chatting or reading uninterrupted by family or other pressures.  We ate magnificently, thanks to...

G'day all! I am sitting in the Rumor Mill in Friday Harbor (yes, I am using the american spelling as both are names spelt in the local fashion) on San Juan island.  I have already discovered that at this time of the season, ninety percent of the eateries are closed... But this place can feed me! The ferry ride was tranquil. Once we got into the rain shadow it was much nicer and drier.  Within five minutes of getting on the boat I had located another knitter headed for the retreat and then late in the ride realised I could see two more knitters. I have no idea if the pics are good or not, I'm on the phone and pics on the phone are always interesting to integrate into a post or even view properly (eg, one of those pics is a panorama, or should be but I can't see it). I am hoping to stay connected with the outside world via internet whilst I'm away. The resort doesn't have mobile coverage but does have wireless internet and I brought the work laptop. What, you thin...

G'day all! Last Saturday I took DH, a friend and me up to Everett.  LOL, we had an adventure getting there....  A massive navigation fail.  I thought it was odd that we were leaving I5 before we got to Everett but eh, what do I know about driving around the place compared to phone navigation?  We had a nice tour of a very exclusive part of umm Mukilteo I think it was.  Also the google maps voice kept saying muke-ill-teo, like mucus, but it seems to be said muckle-teo locally.  All because the W (for west) and one digit of the address were wrong. But we made it to the boat in plenty of time. The fog that had been drifting around lifted and the sun started shining and DH was in a snot about something he couldn't change, and both Q and me worked at him until he decided being snotty wasn't helping and started enjoying the day.  Seeing whales helped, but it still was jolly cold out on the water so he watched mostly from the warmth of the cabin. We...