Preparing to Trip

Loopy has joined me this summer to be my trip mate for a cross country road trip from Georgia to Colorado. We have some places in mind for his trip photos and will be presenting the entire trip log here for your vicarious enjoyment upon our return next week.

It was interesting to try to pack to TSA specs for traveling only carry on for a one way flight from Denver to Atlanta. I will know tomorrow morning around 5 a.m. if I succeeded.

My biggest concern was how to pack my knitting to get it on the plane. For the most part the extra needles and yarn went with my folks earlier this week in their checked bag, so I know that made it there. I special ordered needles from New Zealand, the Bryspuns, all plastic construction and no circular over 16-inches. According to TSA specs it should "fly."

My knitting projects are small and will be used for samples for a hat and handwarmer class I will be doing in August and September. I picked fun colors and they will be embellished with buttons to finish them off later.

Our road trip is to bring back a newer used car for my folks to drive, courtesy of the Evil Elf (featured in my Christmas posts). He and his family are shipping out to Germany for three years.

Our road trip plans will take us through the heartland where we will be on ready alert for potential tornado weather. My dream in life is to be a storm chaser. I even got a super short haircut so I was "tornado proof." The way the weather pattern looks I may get my chance.

Pedro will be well looked after by his favorite neighbors. He is shown here helping with a woodworking project on the shared porch.

He knows that something is up and has been investigating all my packing and sitting on my carry-on looking forlorn.

I will be posting a trip log when I get back complete with a variety of pictures. Hope you all are planning fun things to do this summer!

Class Sample Completed

First, I would like to introduce Little Loopy from the Loopy Ewe. He has assisted with everything from helping design, knit and finish the scarf in the picture to helping me pack for my upcoming trip. Many things were not photoed for lack of pre-thought on my part.

The scarf is a sample for my knitting class I am doing June 28th at the Ben Franklin store in Woodland Park. It is designed with ten reversible stitch patterns and was worked as a sampler piece. It is fun and fast.

Anyone interested in signing up? Let me know and I will call the store to let them know your interest. The class is a Saturday and will be from 1-4 p.m.

I hope you are making plans for fun summer outings and events!

Prepare to Be Surprised

My office mates and I spent an early May Friday at the Spinney Reservoir learning to fly fish. We lucked into the fat trout that were cruising the end of the reservoir near the dam and were willing to taste test anything that came their way, so we saw lots of rod bending. However casting into the wind was not an art form, like we wanted to learn, but an exercise in sheer will to get the fly into the water. We caught lots of fish (threw them all back) and had lots of fun despite the cold wind that blew off the still fully snow covered mountains to our west. Sorry, I did not take my camera that day so have no picture testimonials.

Have to say thanks to the guides that went with us from Peak Fly Shop in Woodland Park. They knew just where to go to get fish on our hooks. They offer lessons, equipment and there is lots of information on their website regarding stream flows, etc.

After my day at the lake, I met up with my folks at the RV park in Lake George and attended the annual Lake George Library's dinner and play. This year's performance was an Irish Wake, complete with corned beef and cabbage dinner, and a brilliantly dressed leprechaun. All the players are local and the play was written by the cast. It was wonderful. We met folks from the area and it is considered one of the social events of the season. We have plans to check it out again next year on Mother's Day weekend. They have a different play each year and it is accompanied with the themed dinner.

The next morning I woke up to a pictorial reminder that just because the calendar says it should be nearly summer, Mother Nature knows different. The dusting of white stuff was mostly melted by 10 a.m.

Hope you are experiencing spring is some surprising ways!