What to take, what to leave behind

"So, do you have a lot of carry-on space in there? What about a roof rack?"

What knitting do you take on vacation?

Like a lot of knitters, I get some ideas for my knitting from podcasts. Lime and Violet - very funny and a great resource for yarns. Knitty D and the City - once again, a very funny duo and some great stash management ideas (but I wish they would podcast more often!) Stash and Burn - what won't these ladies try! And Knit Picks with Kelley Petkun - she seems to have such a logical mind.

All of the episodes I've been listening to lately involve choosing what to take along when travelling. After my triathlon on Saturday morning, we are loading up the truck and heading to - Pennsylvania. Via, the Wisconsin Dells. A long family vacation which, when broken up into smaller bites, is actually something we all are looking forward to. I am hoping to get some napping done, early on, but lots of knitting later on! So, what to bring?

I have about five projects actually on needles right now (baby blanket, red bag, Pink Ribbon socks, Andy's sweater and a beaded bag. Ooops - and a shawl and a scarf. So, about seven pieces. I am on a deadline with the baby blanket - so it's going. I'd like to bring the socks because they are little and easy to carry about. The shawl is actually almost finished - only two more repeats to go and then the edging.

The red bag - I'm not loving that linen. And, since I've missed some important deadlines, it's officially now on the Christmas list. Same with the scarf. So, those are not going. The beaded bag, it's knit with a dark red Rowan chunky yarn so that can wait until fall.

The big project is Andy's brown sweater. So big, it has its own bag. So big, I keep putting it off. I think I was at this point LAST summer. Its got to come with as well.

Four projects should be plenty - and if it isn't, I've got some yarn stores to visit!

Goodbye Washington, hello winter!

“Home is a place you grow up wanting to leave, and grow old wanting to get back to”
- John Ed Pearce

Finally, we are home again. No laptop yet but at least I am able to be exhausted in my own house. Washington D.C. was both lovely and a kind of Bataan Death March - only done out of love of knowledge and family time. The best time to see things was at the end of the day when it was a little warmer and the ferocious winds had died down.

It was very cold and very sunny - and a few flowers poked through the slush - but we walked and walked and walked. Even to take the Metro, we had to walk. Luckily, the wonderful museums and sights helped qwell any thoughts of desertion but by Saturday, half the crew opted to stay home and watch the Disney Channel in the hotel. Eventually, on Sunday morning we all were sitting on one bed, eating cold pizza and watching "King Kong."


One other great break was touring the United States Botanic Gardens and eating lunch at the National Museum of the American Indian. Both were very informative and relaxing - and the food at the museum was excellent!



Earlier in the week, I found one of the branches of Stitch D.C. (the Georgetown branch - "By Metro: A short walk from the Foggy Bottom Metro Station (blue/orange Lines) - maybe in the summer but not in February!" - and bought some lovely sock yarn. I know, I know, don't I have enought problems with socks right now? I currently have two pairs on socks on the needles right now.

I bought Claudia Hand Painted Yarns' sock yarn in "Blue Terra Cotta" as a souvenir (hey, it's from Harrisburg, Va.!) and I plan to make the ROZA’S SOCKS by Grumperina in the Spring 2007 Interweave Knits. Lots of people seem to be making them and I hear they go quickly. And besides, who doesn't need socks in an easy brioche-rib pattern?

More on the Washington trip later - now is the time to go count cases of Girl Scout cookies in my garage. I just keep telling myself, "I won't eat those cookies, I won't eat those cookies . . ."

Oh, and the Saturday Seven? Last week, it was books and the week before, books. Lots and lots of books live at our house and we need to weed out more than a few.