Back to living in the real world

There has to be a better way. There has to be. You work all day, and when you get home from work there is either something to do, or you are too darn tired. Either way, the job takes away quality time and energy from what is truly important, knitting. The only good thing, is the job provides money for yarn, but I would still rather spend my time knitting.
Since returning from our glorious week on the Island, and my subsequent return to school, I have finished 2 projects. TWO. A pair of felted clogs (lavender and black) and a pair of fair isle mittens (made from the clog left overs---thus my 2nd Indian knitting name: Shewhoknitswithscraps). How lame-O is that? Don't answer that. I did not even think they were worthy enough for a picture to accompany the post.
I am continuing to work on the brown alpaca sweater for GBT, but fine yarn on a size 6 is going to be the death of me, dead from boredom, around and around and around on the brown yarn. I am on the bottom ribbing, however there are 9 inches of ribbing, I still have a long way to go. Knit 2 purl 2 round and round and round.
Otherwise, all goes well, I am loving this warm fall weather! I could live like this year around, who needs snow? The boy seems to be enjoying college and life in the dorms, GBT seems happy to be back at MI Tech and in the full swing of being a college kid again. MMT is finally better after fighting off a virus for over 2 weeks. She swam a 1:16 in her 100 fly at the meet on Saturday, she was very excited! (This will only mean something AJ or other swimmers-sorry)
Let's see, walk the dogs or knit for few minutes???? duh!

Compliments

Well.... I did finish my 1/2 sweater on the island trip and am now wearing it at work and have received many compliments about it and so now everytime I hear I like your sweater I say "thanks I made it". I am very proud that I have FINALLY finished something. I did buy yarn on the island to make another 1/2 sweater and am looking forward to getting it started as soon as I get some of my other project done like my other 2 sweaters and about 3 pairs of socks and many pairs of mittens. Sometime I will take photos of them and get here. If only we lived on the island and could knit all day long, if only.

It's about time . . .

It seems like AGES, AGES ago! But I am finally blogging the chick week at the island! We didn’t all get to go together (bummer) but we all made it there eventually.

CT and I made our obligatory Starbucks stop and headed North. We stopped in Bayfield and ate at Maggies (such good food, such long lines). They off to the island! On Monday we successfully erected the gazebo (usually a four person job), hauled the chairs down to the beach, and set up shop so to speak. We knit in the sun, read in the sun, and swam in the lake! The weather was gorgeous and was the water.


On Tuesday the Birthday Girl arrived! We had her banner and birthday tiara ready to go!. I watched from the beach so we could see her vehicle coming, So we were on the road waiting, waving and jumping! A spectacular sight I am sure. Tuesday was a bit cloudy in NK’s honor, because she was hoping for not-so-nice weather, because it’s better knitting weather!

On Wednesday we were up early and in the water getting ready for our trip back to Bayfield! AJ would be arriving around supper time. She would leave her vehicle in Bayfield for the remainder of the week. So we went over to help her with her luggage and to eat at Maggies AGAIN. Just as good this time, lines not as long!

Thursday and Friday were comprised of sunbathing and knitting. Oh, and a naked lady. Poor CT went for a walk. I passed, and opted to just read on the beach. NK and AJ hadn’t made it down to the beach as of yet. Off she trooped, only to be back way quick. It seems that at 2:00 in the afternoon, a less than young woman decided to take a bath in the lake. As she turned around CT got an eyeful, and managed to compose her self enough to get her self back to our beach!

On Saturday we went to Fly Away Fleece Farms. So here is the deal, if you ever go to Madeline Island, call Fly Away Fleece Farms! Make an appointment to go see Cynthia, her sheep, her looms, her yarn, and her HOME. It is nothing short of amazing. BTW, you can purchase the yarn directly from her on your visit, or there are a couple of shops on the island that carry her yarn. Cynthia and her husband are restoring the farm, and it is beautiful. After we came home after the trip, I was discussing the farm with my mother-in-law. I found out that my husbands family stayed their at the farm when they were building our cabin. My husband was so young, he didn’t remember it! Cynthia has a degree in design if I remember correctly and you can certainly tell it as you walk thru her home. Please note that the bottom part of the bathroom sink washed up on their shore. She would not let her husband burn it!

It was a lovely little vacation for the guild girls. A the serenity and quiet. Except for the occasional gale of laughter! Oh, and a new game. There is a great A.M. radio station out of Ashland, 1400. The game goes as follows, name the artisit, name the song, and dead or alive!

Since we have been back. Well it’s been busy. Three out of the four graduating seniors have been packed off for college! AJ really has an empty nest! School has started for the remaining children in town.

By the way. This last photo. That is all the yarn we brought to the island. Heaven forbid you should run out of yarn whilst on an island!

P.S. We finished many, many projects, and started many, many new ones!

P.S.S. Habib the camel belong to another farm on the island, no Cynthias! In addition to Habib, they have Hudson (an Imu), and a lama, goats.