A Really Nice Weekend. Honestly. Waiting for the Other Shoe to Drop.

What a nice weekend. The weather's been good, I've both had some fun and done some of those round-the-house things that never go away, cuddled the kitty ... it's all good, particularly because the head has cooperated. Hooray for no migraine!

So much to say that I don't know where to start. I think I'll fall back on the photos to direct me.

First, just because it's pretty, I finished another washcloth.

As you can see (from the bottom up), I started out doing very regular intervals of K1 P1 and then P1 K1, whereas I finished (mostly done Monday night, when I was coming down off that headache) doing three rows, five rows, and screwed up rows. Classic bipolar nature of my head, illustrated in cotton.

Next, Carlos on Friday, looking as though an extra leg got into the picture somehow. How is that comfortable?

On Saturday, I had a little day trip with a friend. We met kind of in the middle so we could drive up to the north shore together. We were meeting at a Starbucks, and I got there early, and sat in the sun with a silly drink and my knitting and anticipation, and was pretty much perfectly content. It was a good feeling.

First stop, of course, Woodman's! In honor of my dad's birthday, which it was, we drove the way he used to, along route 22 (which is not the most direct, but it sure is pretty.) Although that's not strictly true: it was our first intended stop, but on the way we were passing the yarn store in Essex, Hooked Knitting, that I went to on the yarn crawl, and went in, just because (Mount Everest, you know). They were new at the time of the crawl, and have really expanded the selection since then, with some lovely stuff that I fondled but was able to put down. I did buy some stitch markers, since I had just read that triangular markers can be easier to use, and wanted to try it. Plus, you know, you like to buy at least a little something. Support the fun little yarn stores everywhere.

Lunch was delicious, if that doesn't go without saying, and it was nice enough weather to eat outside. I didn't take any pretty scenery pictures, but I did have to get this shot inside.

I was much struck by this sign, as I have a shirt at home with some can-I-get-them-out butter stains. Sigh.

Then it was on to our main destination: the new location of Coveted Yarn, which moved recently (still in Gloucester). The new place is nice! It's a bit bigger, and a lot more open. Light, bright, easy to see just how overwhelmingly much yummy yarn they have. Two thumbs up.

I did not buy this yarn:

Though it amuses me to think about what one would make with it. I mean, look at it!

Anyway, what I did buy was this: Frog Tree Periboo, a yarn I have bought before though not yet knit with. And, I know, white.

 I'm making a shawl for my aunt, and from her suggestion of black or white, I chose white.

This is nice yarn! It's got a good squish to it. Which I know, because I started last night. See? Look, it's non-secret knitting! Hooray!

Instead of swatching, I'm starting the pattern to see how it feels. At first I wasn't sure but that I'd want a larger needle size. I kept going, though, to see, and I like it, so we're off!

See how big it got? A few few hours of knitting and coffee with a friend this afternoon, and it's like a miracle. This is the set-up part: soon, pattern fun will start. (I mean, I am using a pattern, this one, but it gets more ... well, more something. I don't want to say fiddly, that sounds bad, and intricate isn't quite right either. Getting tired. Words fail me.)

The yarn was also on sale, which was a pleasant thing, though it wasn't marked down as much as the other yarn I got: three skeins of Ella Rae Amity in yellow, for $3 a skein instead of $6. No planned purpose yet, but it's nice yarn (I used it for the twins' sweaters, remember?) and will come in handy for something. And it's machine wash! I wouldn't be surprised if this became a baby blanket, one day.

Next up are these little cuties, which I did not knit. My friend made us some cat toys! Wasn't that nice of her?

Carlos dutifully sniffed them...

And then proved that he is as contrary as any cat, and ignored them. (Don't worry, they're been played with since!)

The weather was beautiful yesterday, so much so that after I dropped my friend back at her car, and was driving home past a park by a lake, I stopped and sat in the sun, knitting, for half an hour. So beautiful! I am so grateful for every day of it ... I am not sick of summer yet, and it's waning, it's waning.

Today, as well as many other more standard accomplishments, I did something I've been thinking of doing for a while, and laid out all my socks at once.

This isn't all I've ever knit, but it's most of them, and in chronological order (from top left across, then center across, then bottom across). Soon there will be two more pair joining them! And it's clear that my next purse socks should not be with blue, right?

Don't they look pretty in the drawer, too?

I have a couple of pair that have popped a heel, meaning if you stop by my place unexpectedly, you might find me wearing one each of very different socks, while I plan to re-purpose their mates:

See, the heel?

Not so strong. Not enough, anyway!

Carlos, meanwhile, was not amused so much when I came to kiss him, and brought the camera back to photograph Her.

Seriously, though, how often do I see her so relaxed?

And lacking the bug-eyed look of fear?

Be that as it may.

I don't believe I care for your attitude.

Don't let it happen again...