Saturday, October 24, 2009

Of Airplanes and Minnesota

So, I didn't get the sweater finished in time for my trip to Minnesota, but that's ok since I didn't have room for much in my carry on. My youngest sister and I had a great time, it's our first trip together! It was a beautiful little adventure, the leaves were perfect shades of Autumn. I didn't get many pictures, because my camera was on the fritz. Bad timing, right? Plus we were on the go most of the time, but not so much that we were rushing here and there. A perfect little mini-break on the whole.

The wedding was beyond elegance itself and one of the most fun I've ever attended. Several of the women in the groom's family are candy makers and darn good ones. The center pieces were all edible pretzels dipped in chocolate or white chocolate lollipops shaped like tulips and roses and pretty things like that. There were also home-made cherry cordials and the punch was really great. One of their friends works at Starbucks and saved up all their employee discount coffee and donated it to the reception. Vunderbar!

Our return flight(s) were hilarious. One of our other sisters acquired some buddy passes on one of the airlines, so we had free tickets, even if that means the lowest of the low standby. Our flights to Minnesota hardly seemed standby at all. We boarded both flights just fine. The return trip was very different. We were bumped so many times, I sorta lost count. It was rather hilarious, actually. It's not like we were going to complain, right? Our tickets were FREE, so we rolled with the punches, enjoyed our time in our connecting cities of Chicago and St. Louis and routed ourselves round about to Dallas via Houston. You see, getting to Dallas directly from Chicago or St. Louis on a Monday is next to impossible when you are so low on the totem pole, but Houston is a much less popular destination. Houston to Dallas our flight only had 32 people on it, so we all spread out. All and all, our airports experience on Monday started about 6:30ish, since we arrived in plenty of time for our first scheduled flight that was to depart at 8:15. By the time we made it to Dallas, it was past 9 pm! We laughed at ourselves and our predicament all day. On the very last flight, from Houston to Dallas, I ordered myself a Scotch. The flight attendant asked, "On the rocks?" and I replied, "No rocks, please." "Straight up?!" "Yes, it's been a very long day." "Yeah, I can tell, you deserve it! hahaha"

and I verily did.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Autumn in Texas


OH, it's wonderfully chilly today. It's been an actual Autumn here for the first time in many a year. We actually had a cool day on the first day of Fall, and it's turned dow
n right windy and rainy and cold. This means I actually feel like knitting for real. I think I'll break out my sweater and finish it so I'll have something warm and new to wear when I go to Minnesota next week. (that is if plans pan out the way they are laid for now) I have a cousin getting married next week and I'm hoping to go. I guess that means I'd better get to work on it.

Thanks to all of you who commented on my last post/rant, I appreciate your support and encouragement. I may take some of it down at some point, depending on how I feel about it.

It just so happens, knit-wise, that I have accomplished something. My niece walked up to me and said, "Will you make me a poepoe hat?" and how could I say no? So I made a poepoe hat with a pink ball and have a very happy niece to show for it.



I haven't finished the socks I started way back when, but I'm sure I will after the sweater is done. I guess I have a tiny little snag getting to the next step since I haven't done a gusset heel in this direction. It's just a matter of getting the book out and following the directions. When I am in the mood to read and knit, instead of reading OR knitting, I'll get to it. =)

Hopefully I'll have some more to show next post, and hopefully it'll be pretty soon. Things are on the upswing, here at home. It gets a little better every day in some small way. Slow progress is better than the quick stuff, I think, it has more of a lasting quality. What's the saying? Slow and steady wins the race and you can put that in your pipe and smoke it. (for the record, I don't think smoking is a good idea, I just sorta like the irony of that expression)

eta: btw I taught another person to knit today - don't know how many that makes now, but it's getting to be up close to 10 or so - yippee ky yaaay